diff --git a/res/drawable-hdpi/header_convo_view_sender_bg_holo.png b/res/drawable-hdpi/header_convo_view_sender_bg_holo.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 57067637a..000000000
Binary files a/res/drawable-hdpi/header_convo_view_sender_bg_holo.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/res/drawable-mdpi/header_convo_view_sender_bg_holo.png b/res/drawable-mdpi/header_convo_view_sender_bg_holo.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 940960fb0..000000000
Binary files a/res/drawable-mdpi/header_convo_view_sender_bg_holo.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/res/drawable/message_header_bg.xml b/res/drawable/message_header_bg.xml
deleted file mode 100644
index d3d6ca4a1..000000000
--- a/res/drawable/message_header_bg.xml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
-<!-- Copyright (C) 2011 The Android Open Source Project
-
-     Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-     you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-     You may obtain a copy of the License at
-
-          http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-
-     Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-     distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-     WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-     See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-     limitations under the License.
--->
-
-<bitmap
-    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
-    android:src="@drawable/header_convo_view_sender_bg_holo"
-    android:tileMode="repeat" />
diff --git a/res/layout-sw600dp/message_view_fragment.xml b/res/layout-sw600dp/message_view_fragment.xml
index a634c76a0..a25553d29 100644
--- a/res/layout-sw600dp/message_view_fragment.xml
+++ b/res/layout-sw600dp/message_view_fragment.xml
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
             android:layout_below="@id/subject_divider"
             android:layout_toRightOf="@id/badge"
             android:layout_alignRight="@id/subject"
-            android:background="@drawable/message_header_bg"
+            android:background="@color/message_view_header_color"
             />
 
         <!--
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@
                     android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                     android:layout_weight="1"
                     android:textSize="18dip"
-                    android:textColor="@color/text_primary_color"
+                    android:textColor="@color/text_primary_color_inverse"
                     android:textStyle="bold"
                     android:singleLine="true"
                     android:ellipsize="end"
@@ -172,9 +172,9 @@
                 android:layout_width="match_parent"
                 android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                 android:layout_marginTop="2dip"
-                android:layout_marginLeft="40dip"
+                android:layout_marginLeft="34dip"
                 android:textSize="14dip"
-                android:textColor="@color/text_secondary_color"
+                android:textColor="@color/text_secondary_color_inverse"
                 android:singleLine="true"
                 android:ellipsize="end"
                 />
diff --git a/res/layout/mailbox_list_item.xml b/res/layout/mailbox_list_item.xml
index c7304f902..0e32b69cf 100644
--- a/res/layout/mailbox_list_item.xml
+++ b/res/layout/mailbox_list_item.xml
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
         android:layout_marginRight="@dimen/mailbox_list_padding_right"
         android:singleLine="true"
         android:textSize="14dip"
-        android:textColor="@color/text_secondary_color"
+        android:textColor="?android:attr/textColorSecondary"
         />
     <RelativeLayout
         android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
             android:ellipsize="end"
             android:singleLine="true"
             android:textSize="18dip"
-            android:textColor="@color/text_primary_color"
+            android:textColor="?android:attr/textColorPrimary"
             />
     </RelativeLayout>
     <!-- Color chips are shown only for account rows on combined view. -->
diff --git a/res/layout/message_view_fragment.xml b/res/layout/message_view_fragment.xml
index b99aa572d..cad88cd32 100644
--- a/res/layout/message_view_fragment.xml
+++ b/res/layout/message_view_fragment.xml
@@ -44,19 +44,17 @@
                 android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                 android:orientation="vertical"
                 >
-                <!-- Subject.  TODO: Move this to the action bar -->
                 <TextView
                     android:id="@+id/subject"
                     android:layout_width="match_parent"
-                    android:layout_height="32dip"
+                    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+                    android:layout_marginTop="8dip"
+                    android:layout_marginBottom="4dip"
                     android:layout_marginLeft="8dip"
                     android:layout_marginRight="8dip"
                     android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceSmall"
                     android:textColor="?android:attr/textColorSecondary"
                     android:textStyle="bold"
-                    android:gravity="center_vertical"
-                    android:singleLine="true"
-                    android:ellipsize="end"
                     />
                 <LinearLayout
                     android:layout_width="match_parent"
@@ -92,7 +90,7 @@
                             android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                             android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                             android:textSize="16dip"
-                            android:textColor="#ffffff"
+                            android:textColor="@color/text_primary_color_inverse"
                             android:singleLine="true"
                             android:ellipsize="end"
                             />
@@ -102,7 +100,7 @@
                             android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                             android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                             android:textSize="14dip"
-                            android:textColor="#eeeeee"
+                            android:textColor="@color/text_secondary_color_inverse"
                             android:singleLine="true"
                             android:ellipsize="end"
                             />
diff --git a/res/values/colors.xml b/res/values/colors.xml
index 918037df4..dc155fd14 100644
--- a/res/values/colors.xml
+++ b/res/values/colors.xml
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@
     <color name="text_ternary_color">#aaaaaa</color>
     <color name="text_disabled_color">#888888</color>
 
+    <!-- TODO: properly put these text colors in the theme and use selectors -->
+    <color name="text_primary_color_inverse">#ffffff</color>
+    <color name="text_secondary_color_inverse">#eeeeee</color>
+
     <color name="divider_color">#ff808080</color>
 
     <!-- Account color chips on combined view -->