diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/ExpiringTextView.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/ExpiringTextView.java
index cee016a6d..98b508bac 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/ExpiringTextView.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/ExpiringTextView.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ package org.eehouse.android.xw4;
 
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.graphics.Canvas;
+import android.graphics.drawable.ColorDrawable;
 import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable;
 import android.os.Handler;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
@@ -30,8 +31,13 @@ class ExpiringTextView extends TextView {
     private ExpiringDelegate m_delegate = null;
     private Context m_context;
     private Drawable m_origDrawable;
+    private static Drawable s_selDrawable;
     protected boolean m_selected = false;
 
+    static {
+        s_selDrawable = new ColorDrawable( XWApp.SEL_COLOR );
+    }
+
     public ExpiringTextView( Context context, AttributeSet attrs )
     {
         super( context, attrs );
@@ -60,7 +66,7 @@ class ExpiringTextView extends TextView {
         m_selected = !m_selected;
         if ( m_selected ) {
             m_origDrawable = getBackground();
-            setBackgroundColor( XWApp.SEL_COLOR );
+            setBackgroundDrawable( s_selDrawable );
         } else {
             setBackgroundDrawable( m_origDrawable );
         }