diff --git a/Slate/Constants.m b/Slate/Constants.m
index 4c50e3e2..28a807c6 100644
--- a/Slate/Constants.m
+++ b/Slate/Constants.m
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
 NSString *const WINDOW_HINTS_HEIGHT = @"windowHintsHeight";
 NSString *const WINDOW_HINTS_HEIGHT_DEFAULT = @"100";
 NSString *const WINDOW_HINTS_BACKGROUND_COLOR = @"windowHintsBackgroundColor";
-NSString *const WINDOW_HINTS_BACKGROUND_COLOR_DEFAULT = @"50;53;58;0.9";
+NSString *const WINDOW_HINTS_BACKGROUND_COLOR_DEFAULT = @"50;53;58;0.6";
 NSString *const WINDOW_HINTS_DURATION = @"windowHintsDuration";
 NSString *const WINDOW_HINTS_DURATION_DEFAULT = @"3";
 NSString *const WINDOW_HINTS_ROUNDED_CORNER_SIZE = @"windowHintsRoundedCornerSize";
diff --git a/Slate/HintView.m b/Slate/HintView.m
index 33a716de..8d5fbe43 100644
--- a/Slate/HintView.m
+++ b/Slate/HintView.m
@@ -83,17 +83,17 @@ - (void)drawRect:(NSRect)dirtyRect {
   [[NSGraphicsContext currentContext] saveGraphicsState];
   [[NSGraphicsContext currentContext] setShouldAntialias:YES];
 
+  // draw the icon behind the rounded rect, if specified
+  if (icon != nil) {
+      [icon drawInRect:[self bounds] fromRect:NSZeroRect operation:NSCompositeSourceOver fraction:hintIconAlpha];
+  }
+
   // draw the rounded rect
   [hintBackgroundColor set];
   float cornerSize = [[SlateConfig getInstance] getFloatConfig:WINDOW_HINTS_ROUNDED_CORNER_SIZE];
-  NSBezierPath *path = [NSBezierPath bezierPathWithRoundedRect:[self bounds] xRadius:cornerSize yRadius:cornerSize];
+  NSBezierPath *path = [NSBezierPath bezierPathWithRoundedRect:CGRectMake(self.bounds.origin.x + (self.bounds.size.width / 4), self.bounds.origin.y + (self.bounds.size.height / 4), self.bounds.size.width / 2, self.bounds.size.height / 2) xRadius:cornerSize yRadius:cornerSize];
   [path fill];
 
-  // draw the icon on top of the rounded rect, if specified
-  if (icon != nil) {
-    [icon drawInRect:[self bounds] fromRect:NSZeroRect operation:NSCompositeSourceOver fraction:hintIconAlpha];
-  }
-
   // draw hint letter
   [self drawCenteredText:text
                   bounds:self.bounds