diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/AdapterMessage.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/AdapterMessage.java
index f6638bf807..125049eca1 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/AdapterMessage.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/AdapterMessage.java
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ import androidx.appcompat.widget.PopupMenu;
 import androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout;
 import androidx.constraintlayout.widget.Group;
 import androidx.core.content.FileProvider;
+import androidx.core.graphics.ColorUtils;
 import androidx.fragment.app.Fragment;
 import androidx.fragment.app.FragmentManager;
 import androidx.lifecycle.Lifecycle;
@@ -194,6 +195,7 @@ public class AdapterMessage extends RecyclerView.Adapter<AdapterMessage.ViewHold
     private String subject_ellipsize;
 
     private boolean flags;
+    private boolean flags_background;
     private boolean preview;
     private boolean preview_italic;
     private boolean attachments_alt;
@@ -240,7 +242,7 @@ public class AdapterMessage extends RecyclerView.Adapter<AdapterMessage.ViewHold
             View.OnLongClickListener,
             View.OnTouchListener,
             BottomNavigationView.OnNavigationItemSelectedListener {
-        private View card;
+        private ViewCardOptional card;
         private View view;
 
         private View vwColor;
@@ -951,11 +953,26 @@ public class AdapterMessage extends RecyclerView.Adapter<AdapterMessage.ViewHold
         }
 
         private void bindFlagged(TupleMessageEx message) {
+            boolean pro = ActivityBilling.isPro(context);
+            if (!pro)
+                message.color = null;
+
             int flagged = (message.count - message.unflagged);
             ibFlagged.setImageResource(flagged > 0 ? R.drawable.baseline_star_24 : R.drawable.baseline_star_border_24);
-            ibFlagged.setImageTintList(ColorStateList.valueOf(flagged > 0
-                    ? message.color == null || !ActivityBilling.isPro(context)
-                    ? colorAccent : message.color : textColorSecondary));
+
+            if (flags_background) {
+                if (message.color == null)
+                    card.setCardBackgroundColor(Color.TRANSPARENT);
+                else
+                    card.setCardBackgroundColor(ColorUtils.setAlphaComponent(message.color, 127));
+            } else {
+                card.setCardBackgroundColor(Color.TRANSPARENT);
+                if (message.color == null)
+                    ibFlagged.setImageTintList(ColorStateList.valueOf(flagged > 0 ? colorAccent : textColorSecondary));
+                else
+                    ibFlagged.setImageTintList(ColorStateList.valueOf(message.color));
+            }
+
             ibFlagged.setEnabled(message.uid != null);
 
             if (flags)
@@ -3195,6 +3212,7 @@ public class AdapterMessage extends RecyclerView.Adapter<AdapterMessage.ViewHold
         this.subject_italic = prefs.getBoolean("subject_italic", true);
         this.subject_ellipsize = prefs.getString("subject_ellipsize", "middle");
         this.flags = prefs.getBoolean("flags", true);
+        this.flags_background = prefs.getBoolean("flags_background", false);
         this.preview = prefs.getBoolean("preview", false);
         this.preview_italic = prefs.getBoolean("preview_italic", true);
         this.attachments_alt = prefs.getBoolean("attachments_alt", false);
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptions.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptions.java
index 24b080133b..c92cea1028 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptions.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptions.java
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ public class FragmentOptions extends FragmentBase {
     static String[] OPTIONS_RESTART = new String[]{
             "subscriptions",
             "startup", "cards", "date", "threading", "highlight_unread", "avatars", "generated_icons", "identicons", "circular",
-            "name_email", "authentication", "subject_top", "subject_italic", "subject_ellipsize", "flags", "preview", "preview_italic",
+            "name_email", "authentication", "subject_top", "subject_italic", "subject_ellipsize",
+            "flags", "flags_background", "preview", "preview_italic",
             "addresses", "attachments_alt",
             "contrast", "monospaced", "text_color",
             "inline_images", "collapse_quotes", "autocontent", "seekbar", "actionbar",
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java
index ac5b18dcce..094a3e2771 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
     private SwitchCompat swSubjectItalic;
     private Spinner spSubjectEllipsize;
     private SwitchCompat swFlags;
+    private SwitchCompat swFlagsBackground;
     private SwitchCompat swPreview;
     private SwitchCompat swPreviewItalic;
     private SwitchCompat swAddresses;
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
             "theme", "startup", "cards", "date", "threading", "highlight_unread",
             "avatars", "generated_icons", "identicons", "circular", "name_email",
             "authentication", "subject_top", "subject_italic", "subject_ellipsize",
-            "flags", "preview", "preview_italic", "addresses", "attachments_alt",
+            "flags", "flags_background", "preview", "preview_italic", "addresses", "attachments_alt",
             "contrast", "monospaced", "text_color",
             "inline_images", "collapse_quotes", "autocontent", "seekbar", "actionbar",
     };
@@ -108,6 +109,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
         swSubjectItalic = view.findViewById(R.id.swSubjectItalic);
         spSubjectEllipsize = view.findViewById(R.id.spSubjectEllipsize);
         swFlags = view.findViewById(R.id.swFlags);
+        swFlagsBackground = view.findViewById(R.id.swFlagsBackground);
         swPreview = view.findViewById(R.id.swPreview);
         swPreviewItalic = view.findViewById(R.id.swPreviewItalic);
         swAddresses = view.findViewById(R.id.swAddresses);
@@ -257,6 +259,13 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
             }
         });
 
+        swFlagsBackground.setOnCheckedChangeListener(new CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener() {
+            @Override
+            public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton compoundButton, boolean checked) {
+                prefs.edit().putBoolean("flags_background", checked).apply();
+            }
+        });
+
         swPreview.setOnCheckedChangeListener(new CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener() {
             @Override
             public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton compoundButton, boolean checked) {
@@ -419,6 +428,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
             }
 
         swFlags.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("flags", true));
+        swFlagsBackground.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("flags_background", false));
         swPreview.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("preview", false));
         swPreviewItalic.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("preview_italic", true));
         swPreviewItalic.setEnabled(swPreview.isChecked());
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/ViewCardOptional.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/ViewCardOptional.java
index 274d8d6fcc..1255354e9c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/ViewCardOptional.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/ViewCardOptional.java
@@ -50,9 +50,9 @@ public class ViewCardOptional extends CardView {
         SharedPreferences prefs = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(getContext());
         boolean cards = prefs.getBoolean("cards", true);
         boolean compact = prefs.getBoolean("compact", false);
+
         if (cards) {
             int dp6 = Helper.dp2pixels(getContext(), 6);
-            int color = Helper.resolveColor(getContext(), R.attr.colorCardBackground);
 
             FrameLayout.LayoutParams lparam = (FrameLayout.LayoutParams) getLayoutParams();
             lparam.setMargins(dp6, compact ? 0 : dp6, dp6, dp6);
@@ -60,13 +60,21 @@ public class ViewCardOptional extends CardView {
 
             setRadius(dp6);
             setElevation(compact ? dp6 / 2f : dp6);
-            setCardBackgroundColor(color);
 
             getChildAt(0).setPadding(dp6, dp6, dp6, dp6);
         } else {
             setRadius(0);
             setElevation(0);
-            setCardBackgroundColor(Color.TRANSPARENT);
         }
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public void setCardBackgroundColor(int color) {
+        SharedPreferences prefs = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(getContext());
+        boolean cards = prefs.getBoolean("cards", true);
+        if (cards && color == Color.TRANSPARENT)
+            color = Helper.resolveColor(getContext(), R.attr.colorCardBackground);
+
+        super.setCardBackgroundColor(color);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml
index a4f17b8b67..c6ea0d9ae1 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml
@@ -267,6 +267,17 @@
             app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/spSubjectEllipsize"
             app:switchPadding="12dp" />
 
+        <androidx.appcompat.widget.SwitchCompat
+            android:id="@+id/swFlagsBackground"
+            android:layout_width="0dp"
+            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+            android:layout_marginTop="12dp"
+            android:text="@string/title_advanced_flags_background"
+            app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
+            app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
+            app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/swFlags"
+            app:switchPadding="12dp" />
+
         <androidx.appcompat.widget.SwitchCompat
             android:id="@+id/swPreview"
             android:layout_width="0dp"
@@ -275,7 +286,7 @@
             android:text="@string/title_advanced_preview"
             app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
             app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
-            app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/swFlags"
+            app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/swFlagsBackground"
             app:switchPadding="12dp" />
 
         <TextView
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 1b4009d4d3..41ec487fa7 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@
     <string name="title_advanced_subject_italic">Show subject in italics</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_subject_elipsed">When needed, shorten the subject</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_flags">Show stars</string>
+    <string name="title_advanced_flags_background">Show colored background instead of colored stars</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_preview">Show message preview</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_preview_italic">Show message preview in italics</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_addresses">Show address details by default</string>