diff --git a/color.go b/color.go
index 5b57035..52cdd8e 100644
--- a/color.go
+++ b/color.go
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ var colorActiveT colorT = colorT{gocui.ColorBlue, none, powdererBlue, none, powd
 // var colorLabel colorT = colorT{none, none, superLightGrey, none, superLightGrey, "normal label"}
 // var colorGroup colorT = colorT{none, none, superLightGrey, none, superLightGrey, "normal group"}
 
+/*
 var colorDisabled colorT = colorT{
 	frame: superLightGrey,
 	fg:    superLightGrey,
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ var colorDisabled colorT = colorT{
 	selBg: gocui.ColorBlack,
 	name:  "disabled widget",
 }
+*/
 
 var colorLabel colorT = colorT{
 	frame: gocui.ColorWhite,
@@ -172,16 +174,14 @@ func (tk *guiWidget) setColor(newColor *colorT) {
 	tk.Show()
 }
 
+/*
 func (w *guiWidget) disableColor() {
 	if w.color != &colorDisabled {
 		w.defaultColor = w.color
 	}
 	w.setColor(&colorDisabled)
 }
-
-func (w *guiWidget) enableColor() {
-	w.setColor(w.defaultColor)
-}
+*/
 
 func (w *guiWidget) setDefaultHighlight() {
 	if w.v == nil {
diff --git a/colorNew.go b/colorNew.go
index 0300293..66661e3 100644
--- a/colorNew.go
+++ b/colorNew.go
@@ -9,6 +9,19 @@ import (
 	"github.com/awesome-gocui/gocui"
 )
 
+func (tk *guiWidget) enableColor() {
+	if tk.color == nil {
+		tk.color = new(colorT)
+	}
+	tk.color.frame = tk.colorLast.frame
+	tk.color.fg = tk.colorLast.fg
+	tk.color.bg = tk.colorLast.bg
+	tk.color.selFg = tk.colorLast.selFg
+	tk.color.selBg = tk.colorLast.selBg
+
+	tk.updateColor()
+}
+
 func (tk *guiWidget) updateColor() {
 	if tk.v == nil {
 		return
@@ -216,3 +229,22 @@ func (tk *guiWidget) setColorModal() {
 	tk.color.selBg = gocui.ColorWhite
 	tk.updateColor()
 }
+
+// makes the button look disabled
+func (tk *guiWidget) setColorDisable() {
+	// save the current color
+	if tk.color != nil {
+		tk.colorLast.frame = tk.color.frame
+		tk.colorLast.fg = tk.color.fg
+		tk.colorLast.bg = tk.color.bg
+		tk.colorLast.selFg = tk.color.selFg
+		tk.colorLast.selBg = tk.color.selBg
+	}
+
+	tk.color.frame = superLightGrey
+	tk.color.fg = gocui.ColorBlack
+	tk.color.bg = superLightGrey
+	tk.color.selFg = superLightGrey
+	tk.color.selBg = superLightGrey
+	tk.updateColor()
+}
diff --git a/plugin.go b/plugin.go
index e7782cc..d758aca 100644
--- a/plugin.go
+++ b/plugin.go
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ func newaction(n *tree.Node, atype widget.ActionType) {
 		w.enableColor()
 	case widget.Disable:
 		w.enable = false
-		w.disableColor()
+		w.setColorDisable()
 	case widget.Delete:
 		if w == nil {
 			return
diff --git a/structs.go b/structs.go
index 4a424b6..841a87e 100644
--- a/structs.go
+++ b/structs.go
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@ type guiWidget struct {
 	frame        bool         // ?
 	selectedTab  *tree.Node   // for a window, this is currently selected tab
 	color        *colorT      // what color to use
+	colorLast    colorT       // the last color the widget had
 	defaultColor *colorT      // the default colors // TODO: make a function for this instead
 	isBG         bool         // means this is the background widget. There is only one of these
 }