diff --git a/mobile/android/base/Makefile.in b/mobile/android/base/Makefile.in
index e6d21da426b8..97fb2b7aca24 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/Makefile.in
+++ b/mobile/android/base/Makefile.in
@@ -1094,6 +1094,7 @@ MOZ_ANDROID_DRAWABLES += \
   mobile/android/base/resources/drawable/spinner.xml                            \
   mobile/android/base/resources/drawable/suggestion_selector.xml                \
   mobile/android/base/resources/drawable/tab_new_level.xml                      \
+  mobile/android/base/resources/drawable/tab_row.xml                            \
   mobile/android/base/resources/drawable/tab_thumbnail.xml                      \
   mobile/android/base/resources/drawable/tabs_button.xml                        \
   mobile/android/base/resources/drawable/tabs_level.xml                         \
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/resources/drawable/tab_row.xml b/mobile/android/base/resources/drawable/tab_row.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..cefd990f340d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mobile/android/base/resources/drawable/tab_row.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<!-- This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+   - License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+   - file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. -->
+
+<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
+
+    <item android:state_focused="true"
+          android:drawable="@color/tab_row_pressed"/>
+
+    <item android:state_pressed="true"
+          android:drawable="@color/tab_row_pressed"/>
+
+    <item android:drawable="@android:color/transparent"/>
+
+</selector>
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/resources/layout-xlarge-v11/tabs_row.xml b/mobile/android/base/resources/layout-xlarge-v11/tabs_row.xml
index 4061e8e579ec..6f31c33bc671 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/resources/layout-xlarge-v11/tabs_row.xml
+++ b/mobile/android/base/resources/layout-xlarge-v11/tabs_row.xml
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
               android:layout_width="fill_parent"
               android:layout_height="wrap_content"
               android:padding="6dip"
-              android:gravity="center">
+              android:gravity="center"
+              android:background="@drawable/tab_row">
 
     <RelativeLayout android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                     android:layout_height="wrap_content"
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/resources/layout/tabs_row.xml b/mobile/android/base/resources/layout/tabs_row.xml
index 71dae2b2a23e..7629d5eca3e5 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/resources/layout/tabs_row.xml
+++ b/mobile/android/base/resources/layout/tabs_row.xml
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@
               android:paddingLeft="12dip"
               android:paddingRight="12dip"
               android:paddingTop="6dip"
-              android:paddingBottom="6dip">
+              android:paddingBottom="6dip"
+              android:background="@drawable/tab_row">
 
     <LinearLayout android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                   android:layout_height="wrap_content"
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/resources/values/colors.xml b/mobile/android/base/resources/values/colors.xml
index bc32b8daba67..3ee23b8dd256 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/resources/values/colors.xml
+++ b/mobile/android/base/resources/values/colors.xml
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
   <color name="abouthome_topsite_shadow">#1000</color>
   <color name="tab_indicator_unselected">@android:color/transparent</color>
   <color name="tab_indicator_unselected_focused">#34FF9500</color>
+  <color name="tab_row_pressed">#4D000000</color>
   <color name="abouthome_topsite_pin">#55000000</color>
   <color name="dialogtitle_textcolor">#ffffff</color>
 </resources>