diff --git a/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/ui/FlatMenuBarUI.java b/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/ui/FlatMenuBarUI.java
index 42fc745e..d5e34fe7 100644
--- a/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/ui/FlatMenuBarUI.java
+++ b/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/ui/FlatMenuBarUI.java
@@ -106,18 +106,18 @@ public class FlatMenuBarUI
 		if( rootPane == null || !(rootPane.getParent() instanceof Window) || rootPane.getJMenuBar() != c )
 			return background;
 
-		// paint background for unified title pane in color of parent
+		// use parent background for unified title pane
 		// (not storing value of "TitlePane.unifiedBackground" in class to allow changing at runtime)
 		if( UIManager.getBoolean( "TitlePane.unifiedBackground" ) &&
 			FlatNativeWindowBorder.hasCustomDecoration( (Window) rootPane.getParent() ) )
-		  return FlatUIUtils.getParentBackground( c );
+		  background = FlatUIUtils.getParentBackground( c );
 
 		// paint background in full screen mode
 		if( FlatUIUtils.isFullScreen( rootPane ) )
 			return background;
 
 		// do not paint background if menu bar is embedded into title pane
-		return FlatRootPaneUI.isMenuBarEmbedded( rootPane ) ? null :background;
+		return FlatRootPaneUI.isMenuBarEmbedded( rootPane ) ? null : background;
 	}
 
 	//---- class TakeFocus ----------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/ui/FlatTitlePane.java b/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/ui/FlatTitlePane.java
index 15565d06..ef5baa1c 100644
--- a/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/ui/FlatTitlePane.java
+++ b/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/ui/FlatTitlePane.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 package com.formdev.flatlaf.ui;
 
+import static com.formdev.flatlaf.FlatClientProperties.*;
 import java.awt.BorderLayout;
 import java.awt.Color;
 import java.awt.Component;
@@ -265,8 +266,8 @@ public class FlatTitlePane
 	}
 
 	protected void activeChanged( boolean active ) {
-		Color background = FlatClientProperties.clientPropertyColor( rootPane, FlatClientProperties.TITLE_BAR_BACKGROUND, null );
-		Color foreground = FlatClientProperties.clientPropertyColor( rootPane, FlatClientProperties.TITLE_BAR_FOREGROUND, null );
+		Color background = clientPropertyColor( rootPane, TITLE_BAR_BACKGROUND, null );
+		Color foreground = clientPropertyColor( rootPane, TITLE_BAR_FOREGROUND, null );
 		Color titleForeground = foreground;
 		if( background == null )
 			background = FlatUIUtils.nonUIResource( active ? activeBackground : inactiveBackground );
@@ -537,7 +538,8 @@ debug*/
 	@Override
 	protected void paintComponent( Graphics g ) {
 		// not storing value of "TitlePane.unifiedBackground" in class to allow changing at runtime
-		g.setColor( UIManager.getBoolean( "TitlePane.unifiedBackground" )
+		g.setColor( (UIManager.getBoolean( "TitlePane.unifiedBackground" ) &&
+				clientPropertyColor( rootPane, TITLE_BAR_BACKGROUND, null ) == null)
 			? FlatUIUtils.getParentBackground( this )
 			: getBackground() );
 		g.fillRect( 0, 0, getWidth(), getHeight() );