diff --git a/src/plugins/cppeditor/cppeditor.cpp b/src/plugins/cppeditor/cppeditor.cpp
index b28785293370902d0e47742670db772bf4df0bed..d1a45d7e134198310806aaf49df29def8374b14f 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cppeditor/cppeditor.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/cppeditor/cppeditor.cpp
@@ -915,8 +915,7 @@ void CPPEditor::updateMethodBoxIndexNow()
 
 
     QTextCharFormat format;
-    format.setUnderlineColor(Qt::darkGray);
-    format.setUnderlineStyle(QTextCharFormat::DashUnderline);
+    format.setBackground(Qt::lightGray);
     FindLocals findLocals(control);
     const FindLocals::UseMap useMap = findLocals(currentFunctionDefinition);
     FindLocals::UseIterator it(useMap);