diff --git a/components/mobileshell/qml/actiondrawer/LandscapeContentContainer.qml b/components/mobileshell/qml/actiondrawer/LandscapeContentContainer.qml
index cafbf5ef..9cb7542c 100644
--- a/components/mobileshell/qml/actiondrawer/LandscapeContentContainer.qml
+++ b/components/mobileshell/qml/actiondrawer/LandscapeContentContainer.qml
@@ -39,7 +39,12 @@ PlasmaCore.ColorScope {
     // fullscreen background
     Rectangle {
         anchors.fill: parent
-        color: Qt.rgba(PlasmaCore.Theme.backgroundColor.r, PlasmaCore.Theme.backgroundColor.g, PlasmaCore.Theme.backgroundColor.b, 0.95)
+        // darken if there are notifications
+        color: Qt.rgba(PlasmaCore.Theme.backgroundColor.r, 
+                       PlasmaCore.Theme.backgroundColor.g, 
+                       PlasmaCore.Theme.backgroundColor.b, 
+                       notificationWidget.hasNotifications ? 0.95 : 0.7)
+        Behavior on color { ColorAnimation { duration: PlasmaCore.Units.longDuration } }
         opacity: Math.max(0, Math.min(1, actionDrawer.offset / root.minimizedQuickSettingsOffset))
     }
     
@@ -89,6 +94,7 @@ PlasmaCore.ColorScope {
         }
         
         Widgets.NotificationsWidget {
+            id: notificationWidget
             // don't allow notifications widget to get too wide
             Layout.maximumWidth: PlasmaCore.Units.gridUnit * 25
             Layout.fillHeight: true
diff --git a/components/mobileshell/qml/actiondrawer/PortraitContentContainer.qml b/components/mobileshell/qml/actiondrawer/PortraitContentContainer.qml
index 280d5131..7180798e 100644
--- a/components/mobileshell/qml/actiondrawer/PortraitContentContainer.qml
+++ b/components/mobileshell/qml/actiondrawer/PortraitContentContainer.qml
@@ -36,7 +36,12 @@ PlasmaCore.ColorScope {
     // fullscreen background
     Rectangle {
         anchors.fill: parent
-        color: Qt.rgba(PlasmaCore.Theme.backgroundColor.r, PlasmaCore.Theme.backgroundColor.g, PlasmaCore.Theme.backgroundColor.b, 0.95)
+        // darken if there are notifications
+        color: Qt.rgba(PlasmaCore.Theme.backgroundColor.r, 
+                       PlasmaCore.Theme.backgroundColor.g, 
+                       PlasmaCore.Theme.backgroundColor.b, 
+                       notificationWidget.hasNotifications ? 0.95 : 0.7)
+        Behavior on color { ColorAnimation { duration: PlasmaCore.Units.longDuration } }
         opacity: Math.max(0, Math.min(1, actionDrawer.offset / root.minimizedQuickSettingsOffset))
     }
     
@@ -72,6 +77,7 @@ PlasmaCore.ColorScope {
     }
     
     Widgets.NotificationsWidget {
+        id: notificationWidget
         anchors {
             top: quickSettings.top
             topMargin: quickSettings.height + translate.y
diff --git a/components/mobileshell/qml/widgets/NotificationsWidget.qml b/components/mobileshell/qml/widgets/NotificationsWidget.qml
index 09c44817..fc58c42d 100644
--- a/components/mobileshell/qml/widgets/NotificationsWidget.qml
+++ b/components/mobileshell/qml/widgets/NotificationsWidget.qml
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ Item {
     property var historyModel: MobileShell.NotificationProvider.historyModel
     property var notificationSettings: MobileShell.NotificationProvider.notificationSettings
     
+    readonly property bool hasNotifications: list.count > 0
+    
     function clearHistory() {
         historyModel.clear(NotificationManager.Notifications.ClearExpired);
     }