diff --git a/ede-desktop/DesktopIcon.cpp b/ede-desktop/DesktopIcon.cpp
index a89e89c..246f990 100644
--- a/ede-desktop/DesktopIcon.cpp
+++ b/ede-desktop/DesktopIcon.cpp
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ DesktopIcon::DesktopIcon(GlobalIconSettings* gs, IconSettings* is, int bg) :
 	lwidth = lheight = 0;
 	focus = false;
 	micon = NULL;
+	darker_img = NULL;
 
 	/*
 	 * GlobalIconSettings is shared from desktop so we only
@@ -137,6 +138,7 @@ DesktopIcon::~DesktopIcon() {
 	if(micon)
 		delete micon;
 
+	delete darker_img;
 	delete imenu;
 }
 
@@ -181,6 +183,11 @@ void DesktopIcon::load_icon(int face) {
 		size(img_w + OFFSET_W, img_h + OFFSET_H);
 
 	image(img);
+	
+	// darker icon version for selection
+	delete darker_img;
+	darker_img = image()->copy(image()->w(), image()->h());
+	darker_img->color_average(FL_BLUE, 0.6);
 }
 
 void DesktopIcon::update_label_size(void) {
@@ -243,7 +250,6 @@ void DesktopIcon::drag(int x, int y, bool apply) {
 		micon->show();
 	} else {
 		E_ASSERT(micon != NULL);
-
 		micon->position(x, y);
 	}
 
@@ -301,12 +307,12 @@ int DesktopIcon::icon_type(void) {
 	return settings->type;
 }
 
-void DesktopIcon::icon1(void) {
+void DesktopIcon::use_icon1(void) {
 	load_icon(ICON_FACE_ONE);
 	fast_redraw();
 }
 
-void DesktopIcon::icon2(void) {
+void DesktopIcon::use_icon2(void) {
 	load_icon(ICON_FACE_TWO);
 	fast_redraw();
 }
@@ -336,7 +342,11 @@ void DesktopIcon::draw(void) {
 		ix += x();
 		iy += y();
 
-		im->draw(ix, iy);
+		// darker_img is always present if image() is present
+		if(is_focused())
+			darker_img->draw(ix, iy);
+		else
+			im->draw(ix, iy);
 
 		E_DEBUG(E_STRLOC ": DesktopIcon icon redraw\n");
 	}
diff --git a/ede-desktop/DesktopIcon.h b/ede-desktop/DesktopIcon.h
index 19aa430..523d23d 100644
--- a/ede-desktop/DesktopIcon.h
+++ b/ede-desktop/DesktopIcon.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ class DesktopIcon : public Fl_Widget {
 
 		MovableIcon* micon;
 
+		Fl_Image*       darker_img;
 		Fl_Menu_Button* imenu;
 
 		void load_icon(int face);
@@ -87,9 +88,9 @@ class DesktopIcon : public Fl_Widget {
 		 */
 		const edelib::String& path(void);
 
-		int icon_type(void);
-		void icon1(void);
-		void icon2(void);
+		int  icon_type(void);
+		void use_icon1(void);
+		void use_icon2(void);
 };
 
 class MovableIcon : public Fl_Window {
diff --git a/ede-desktop/ede-desktop.cpp b/ede-desktop/ede-desktop.cpp
index ce868fa..ad67e4f 100644
--- a/ede-desktop/ede-desktop.cpp
+++ b/ede-desktop/ede-desktop.cpp
@@ -920,9 +920,9 @@ void Desktop::dir_watch(const char* dir, const char* changed, int flags) {
 		for(it = icons.begin(), it_end = icons.end(); it != it_end; ++it) {
 			if((*it)->icon_type() == ICON_TRASH) {
 				if(is_empty)
-					(*it)->icon1();
+					(*it)->use_icon1();
 				else
-					(*it)->icon2();
+					(*it)->use_icon2();
 			}
 		}