diff --git a/bundles/org.eclipse.swt/Eclipse SWT Custom Widgets/common/org/eclipse/swt/custom/CTabFolder.java b/bundles/org.eclipse.swt/Eclipse SWT Custom Widgets/common/org/eclipse/swt/custom/CTabFolder.java
index 418da72a628..c89e06e90a2 100644
--- a/bundles/org.eclipse.swt/Eclipse SWT Custom Widgets/common/org/eclipse/swt/custom/CTabFolder.java	
+++ b/bundles/org.eclipse.swt/Eclipse SWT Custom Widgets/common/org/eclipse/swt/custom/CTabFolder.java	
@@ -2379,9 +2379,16 @@ public void reskin(int flags) {
 	}
 }
 
+/**
+ * Sets the background color of the unselected tabs, clearing any background
+ * gradient set by {@link #setBackground(Color[], int[], boolean)}.
+ */
 @Override
 public void setBackground (Color color) {
 	super.setBackground(color);
+	gradientColors = null;
+	gradientPercents = null;
+	gradientVertical = false;
 	updateBkImages(true);
 	redraw();
 }
@@ -2501,7 +2508,8 @@ public void setBackground(Color[] colors, int[] percents, boolean vertical) {
 			gradientPercents[i] = percents[i];
 		}
 		gradientVertical = vertical;
-		setBackground(gradientColors[gradientColors.length-1]);
+		super.setBackground(gradientColors[gradientColors.length-1]);
+		updateBkImages(true);
 	}
 
 	// Refresh with the new settings
diff --git a/tests/org.eclipse.swt.tests/JUnit Tests/org/eclipse/swt/tests/junit/Test_org_eclipse_swt_custom_CTabFolder.java b/tests/org.eclipse.swt.tests/JUnit Tests/org/eclipse/swt/tests/junit/Test_org_eclipse_swt_custom_CTabFolder.java
index d0a0bafa065..6e9cbae3fb1 100644
--- a/tests/org.eclipse.swt.tests/JUnit Tests/org/eclipse/swt/tests/junit/Test_org_eclipse_swt_custom_CTabFolder.java	
+++ b/tests/org.eclipse.swt.tests/JUnit Tests/org/eclipse/swt/tests/junit/Test_org_eclipse_swt_custom_CTabFolder.java	
@@ -1208,6 +1208,26 @@ public void test_moveItem_sameIndexIsNoOp() {
 	assertEquals(2, ctabFolder.getSelectionIndex());
 }
 
+@Test
+public void test_setBackgroundColorClearsGradient() {
+	createTabFolder(null);
+	Composite topRight = new Composite(ctabFolder, SWT.NONE);
+	topRight.setLayout(new FixedSizeLayout(16, 8));
+	ctabFolder.setTopRight(topRight, SWT.RIGHT);
+	shell.setSize(400, 300);
+	shell.layout(true, true);
+	Color red = shell.getDisplay().getSystemColor(SWT.COLOR_RED);
+	Color blue = shell.getDisplay().getSystemColor(SWT.COLOR_BLUE);
+
+	ctabFolder.setBackground(new Color[] { red, blue }, new int[] { 100 }, true);
+	assertNotNull(topRight.getBackgroundImage(), "gradient must be handed to the top right control");
+
+	ctabFolder.setBackground(blue);
+	assertNull(topRight.getBackgroundImage(), "solid background must replace the gradient");
+	assertEquals(blue, topRight.getBackground());
+	assertEquals(blue, ctabFolder.getBackground());
+}
+
 @Test
 public void test_moveItem_errorCases() {
 	createTabFolder(null, 3);