diff --git a/platform/api.dashboard/src/org/netbeans/modules/dashboard/WidgetComponents.java b/platform/api.dashboard/src/org/netbeans/modules/dashboard/WidgetComponents.java
index 17c98e073096..56d18dcd3ea5 100644
--- a/platform/api.dashboard/src/org/netbeans/modules/dashboard/WidgetComponents.java
+++ b/platform/api.dashboard/src/org/netbeans/modules/dashboard/WidgetComponents.java
@@ -246,10 +246,11 @@ private WidgetButton(Action action, boolean allowIcon) {
             Color link = UIManager.getColor("nb.html.link.foreground");
             if (link != null) {
                 linkColor = link;
-                hoverLinkColor = UIManager.getColor("nb.html.link.foreground.hover");
+                Color hover = UIManager.getColor("nb.html.link.foreground.hover");
+                hoverLinkColor = hover == null ? linkColor : hover;
             } else {
-                linkColor = getForeground();
-                hoverLinkColor = getForeground();
+                linkColor = new Color(0x164B7B);
+                hoverLinkColor = linkColor;
             }
             Color bg = UIManager.getColor("Panel.background");
             if (bg == null) {
@@ -275,6 +276,7 @@ void onMouseEnter() {
             setForeground(new Color(backgroundColor.getRGB()));
             rollover = true;
             setBorder(hoverBorder);
+            repaint();
         }
 
         @Override
@@ -283,6 +285,7 @@ void onMouseExit() {
             setForeground(linkColor);
             rollover = false;
             setBorder(border);
+            repaint();
         }
 
         @Override
@@ -310,35 +313,32 @@ private LinkButton(Action action, boolean allowIcon) {
             Color link = UIManager.getColor("nb.html.link.foreground");
             if (link != null) {
                 linkColor = link;
-                hoverLinkColor = UIManager.getColor("nb.html.link.foreground.hover");
+                Color hover = UIManager.getColor("nb.html.link.foreground.hover");
+                hoverLinkColor = hover == null ? linkColor : hover;
             } else {
-                linkColor = null;
-                hoverLinkColor = null;
+                linkColor = new Color(0x164B7B);
+                hoverLinkColor = linkColor;
             }
             setContentAreaFilled(false);
             setBorder(new LinkBorder());
             setCursor(Cursor.getPredefinedCursor(Cursor.HAND_CURSOR));
-            if (linkColor != null) {
-                setForeground(linkColor);
-            }
+            setForeground(linkColor);
         }
 
         @Override
         void onMouseEnter() {
             super.onMouseEnter();
-            if (hoverLinkColor != null) {
-                setForeground(hoverLinkColor);
-            }
+            setForeground(hoverLinkColor);
             rollover = true;
+            repaint();
         }
 
         @Override
         void onMouseExit() {
             super.onMouseExit();
-            if (linkColor != null) {
-                setForeground(linkColor);
-            }
+            setForeground(linkColor);
             rollover = false;
+            repaint();
         }
 
         private class LinkBorder implements Border {
diff --git a/platform/api.dashboard/src/org/netbeans/modules/dashboard/WidgetPanel.java b/platform/api.dashboard/src/org/netbeans/modules/dashboard/WidgetPanel.java
index b79a316e9e63..ab76b22268ee 100644
--- a/platform/api.dashboard/src/org/netbeans/modules/dashboard/WidgetPanel.java
+++ b/platform/api.dashboard/src/org/netbeans/modules/dashboard/WidgetPanel.java
@@ -104,7 +104,8 @@ private void build() {
                 JScrollPane.VERTICAL_SCROLLBAR_AS_NEEDED,
                 JScrollPane.HORIZONTAL_SCROLLBAR_NEVER);
         scrollPane.getVerticalScrollBar().setUnitIncrement(20);
-        scrollPane.setBorder(BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder(1, 1, 1, 1));
+        scrollPane.setBorder(BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder());
+        scrollPane.setViewportBorder(BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder());
         add(scrollPane, BorderLayout.CENTER);
         GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
         gbc.gridwidth = GridBagConstraints.REMAINDER;