diff --git a/src/AcDream.App/UI/Layout/CharacterStatController.cs b/src/AcDream.App/UI/Layout/CharacterStatController.cs
index ad3e0538..fd8cc029 100644
--- a/src/AcDream.App/UI/Layout/CharacterStatController.cs
+++ b/src/AcDream.App/UI/Layout/CharacterStatController.cs
@@ -138,7 +138,6 @@ public static class CharacterStatController
     /// <summary>Row highlight color — semi-translucent gold, matches retail
     /// UIStateId.Highlight (0x06) sprite 0x06001397 visual intent.</summary>
     private static readonly Vector4 HighlightBg = new(1f, 0.75f, 0.2f, 0.25f);
-    private static readonly Vector4 SkillRowBackground = new(0f, 0f, 0f, 1f);
     private static readonly Vector4 BuffedSkillGreen = new(0.55f, 1f, 0.55f, 1f);
 
     // ── Row layout constants ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -608,9 +607,7 @@ public static class CharacterStatController
                     nameText: skill.Name,
                     valueProvider: () => skill.CurrentLevel.ToString(),
                     valueColorProvider: () => SkillValueColor(skill),
-                    nameColor: Vector4.One,
-                    backgroundColor: SkillRowBackground,
-                    useSelectionBars: false);
+                    nameColor: Vector4.One);
                 row.OnClick = () => HandleSkillRowClick(rowIndex, sel, bindings, spriteResolve, data, allRaise1, allRaise10);
                 bindings.Add(new SkillRowBinding(row, skill));
                 entries.Add(row);
@@ -784,7 +781,7 @@ public static class CharacterStatController
             {
                 if (spriteResolve is not null)
                 {
-                    row.BackgroundColor = SkillRowBackground;
+                    row.BackgroundColor = Vector4.Zero;
                     row.BackgroundSprite = RowHighlightSprite;
                     row.SpriteResolve = id => { var (h, w, ht) = spriteResolve(id); return (h, w, ht); };
                     row.UseSelectionBars = true;
@@ -799,10 +796,10 @@ public static class CharacterStatController
             }
             else
             {
-                row.BackgroundColor = SkillRowBackground;
+                row.BackgroundColor = Vector4.Zero;
                 row.BackgroundSprite = 0u;
                 row.SpriteResolve = null;
-                row.UseSelectionBars = false;
+                row.UseSelectionBars = true;
             }
         }
 
@@ -933,7 +930,6 @@ public static class CharacterStatController
         Func<string> valueProvider,
         Func<Vector4>? valueColorProvider = null,
         Vector4? nameColor = null,
-        Vector4? backgroundColor = null,
         uint backgroundSprite = 0u,
         bool useSelectionBars = true)
     {
@@ -943,7 +939,7 @@ public static class CharacterStatController
             Top              = top,
             Width            = width,
             Height           = height,
-            BackgroundColor  = backgroundColor ?? Vector4.Zero,
+            BackgroundColor  = Vector4.Zero,   // transparent until selected
             BackgroundSprite = spriteResolve is not null ? backgroundSprite : 0u,
             SpriteResolve    = spriteResolve is not null && backgroundSprite != 0u
                 ? id => { var (h, w, ht) = spriteResolve(id); return (h, w, ht); }
diff --git a/src/AcDream.App/UI/UiPanel.cs b/src/AcDream.App/UI/UiPanel.cs
index b16a5466..de31ecda 100644
--- a/src/AcDream.App/UI/UiPanel.cs
+++ b/src/AcDream.App/UI/UiPanel.cs
@@ -175,9 +175,6 @@ public class UiClickablePanel : UiPanel
     {
         if (UseSelectionBars && BackgroundSprite != 0 && SpriteResolve is { } sr)
         {
-            if (BackgroundColor.W > 0f)
-                ctx.DrawRect(0, 0, Width, Height, BackgroundColor);
-
             // Draw the selection highlight as a thin bar at the TOP and BOTTOM of the row.
             // The sprite (0x06001397) is 300×32 px — we draw it as horizontal strips at
             // native height (SelectionBarHeight), stretched to full panel width (UV tile
diff --git a/tests/AcDream.App.Tests/UI/Layout/CharacterStatControllerTests.cs b/tests/AcDream.App.Tests/UI/Layout/CharacterStatControllerTests.cs
index f58c7c49..309abb56 100644
--- a/tests/AcDream.App.Tests/UI/Layout/CharacterStatControllerTests.cs
+++ b/tests/AcDream.App.Tests/UI/Layout/CharacterStatControllerTests.cs
@@ -658,8 +658,9 @@ public class CharacterStatControllerTests
         Assert.Equal(12, rows.Count);
         Assert.All(rows, row =>
         {
-            Assert.Equal(new Vector4(0f, 0f, 0f, 1f), row.BackgroundColor);
+            Assert.Equal(Vector4.Zero, row.BackgroundColor);
             Assert.Equal(0u, row.BackgroundSprite);
+            Assert.True(row.UseSelectionBars);
         });
         var rowNames = rows
             .Select(r => r.Children.OfType<UiText>().ToList()[1].LinesProvider()[0].Text)
@@ -760,13 +761,20 @@ public class CharacterStatControllerTests
             spriteResolve: id => (id, 16, 16));
 
         ClickTab(layout, left: 92f);
-        list.Children.OfType<UiClickablePanel>().ToList()[1].OnClick!();
+        var rows = list.Children.OfType<UiClickablePanel>().ToList();
+        rows[1].OnClick!();
 
         Assert.Equal("War Magic: 285", title.LinesProvider()[0].Text);
         Assert.Equal("Experience To Raise:", l1Label.LinesProvider()[0].Text);
         Assert.Equal((11_100_000L).ToString("N0"), l1Value.LinesProvider()[0].Text);
         Assert.Equal("Unassigned Experience:", l2Label.LinesProvider()[0].Text);
         Assert.Equal((87_757_321_741L).ToString("N0"), l2Value.LinesProvider()[0].Text);
+        Assert.Equal(0x06001397u, rows[1].BackgroundSprite);
+        Assert.True(rows[1].UseSelectionBars);
+        Assert.Equal(Vector4.Zero, rows[1].BackgroundColor);
+        Assert.Equal(0u, rows[0].BackgroundSprite);
+        Assert.True(rows[0].UseSelectionBars);
+        Assert.Equal(Vector4.Zero, rows[0].BackgroundColor);
     }
 
     [Fact]