--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/home/TopSitesGridItemView.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/home/TopSitesGridItemView.java
@@ -3,16 +3,18 @@
  * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
  * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
 
 package org.mozilla.gecko.home;
 
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.graphics.Bitmap;
 import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable;
+import android.support.annotation.DrawableRes;
+import android.support.v4.content.ContextCompat;
 import android.support.v4.widget.TextViewCompat;
 import android.text.TextUtils;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
 import android.view.LayoutInflater;
 import android.widget.ImageView.ScaleType;
 import android.widget.RelativeLayout;
 import android.widget.TextView;
 
@@ -138,18 +140,17 @@ public class TopSitesGridItemView extend
 
     public void blankOut() {
         mUrl = "";
         mTitle = "";
         updateType(TopSites.TYPE_BLANK);
         updateTitleView();
         cancelIconLoading();
         ImageLoader.with(getContext()).cancelRequest(mThumbnailView);
-        displayThumbnail(R.drawable.top_site_add);
-
+        displayThumbnail(R.drawable.top_site_add, ContextCompat.getColor(getContext(), R.color.about_page_header_grey));
     }
 
     public void markAsDirty() {
         mIsDirty = true;
     }
 
     /**
      * Updates the title, URL, and pinned state of this view.
@@ -217,21 +218,23 @@ public class TopSitesGridItemView extend
             mOngoingIconRequest.cancel(true);
         }
     }
 
     /**
      * Display the thumbnail from a resource.
      *
      * @param resId Resource ID of the drawable to show.
+     * @param bgColor background color
      */
-    public void displayThumbnail(int resId) {
+    public void displayThumbnail(@DrawableRes int resId, int bgColor) {
         mThumbnailView.setScaleType(SCALE_TYPE_RESOURCE);
         mThumbnailView.setImageResource(resId);
-        mThumbnailView.setBackgroundColor(0x0);
+        mThumbnailView.setBackgroundColor(bgColor);
+        mThumbnailView.setDrawDefaultBorder(true);
         mThumbnailSet = false;
     }
 
     /**
      * Display the thumbnail from a bitmap.
      *
      * @param thumbnail The bitmap to show as thumbnail.
      */
@@ -243,27 +246,29 @@ public class TopSitesGridItemView extend
         mThumbnailSet = true;
 
         cancelIconLoading();
         ImageLoader.with(getContext()).cancelRequest(mThumbnailView);
 
         mThumbnailView.setScaleType(SCALE_TYPE_THUMBNAIL);
         mThumbnailView.setImageBitmap(thumbnail, true);
         mThumbnailView.setBackgroundDrawable(null);
+        mThumbnailView.setDrawDefaultBorder(true);
     }
 
     /**
      * Display the thumbnail from a URL.
      *
      * @param imageUrl URL of the image to show.
      * @param bgColor background color to use in the view.
      */
     public void displayThumbnail(final String imageUrl, final int bgColor) {
         mThumbnailView.setScaleType(SCALE_TYPE_URL);
         mThumbnailView.setBackgroundColor(bgColor);
+        mThumbnailView.setDrawDefaultBorder(false);
         mThumbnailSet = true;
 
         ImageLoader.with(getContext())
                    .load(imageUrl)
                    .noFade()
                    .into(mThumbnailView);
     }
 

--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/home/TopSitesThumbnailView.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/home/TopSitesThumbnailView.java
@@ -30,16 +30,17 @@ public class TopSitesThumbnailView exten
     // Default filter color for "Add a bookmark" views.
     private final int mDefaultColor = ContextCompat.getColor(getContext(), R.color.top_site_default);
 
     // Stroke width for the border.
     private final float mStrokeWidth = getResources().getDisplayMetrics().density * 2;
 
     // Paint for drawing the border.
     private final Paint mBorderPaint;
+    private boolean mDrawBorder;
 
     public TopSitesThumbnailView(Context context) {
         this(context, null);
 
         // A border will be drawn if needed.
         setWillNotDraw(false);
     }
 
@@ -64,17 +65,17 @@ public class TopSitesThumbnailView exten
 
     /**
      * {@inheritDoc}
      */
     @Override
     public void onDraw(Canvas canvas) {
         super.onDraw(canvas);
 
-        if (getBackground() == null) {
+        if (mDrawBorder) {
             mBorderPaint.setStrokeWidth(mStrokeWidth);
             canvas.drawRect(0, 0, getWidth(), getHeight(), mBorderPaint);
         }
     }
 
     /**
      * Sets the background color with a filter to reduce the color opacity.
      *
@@ -94,9 +95,13 @@ public class TopSitesThumbnailView exten
         if (color == 0) {
             color = mDefaultColor;
         }
 
         Drawable drawable = getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.top_sites_thumbnail_bg);
         drawable.setColorFilter(color, Mode.SRC_ATOP);
         setBackgroundDrawable(drawable);
     }
+
+    public void setDrawDefaultBorder(boolean drawDefaultBorder) {
+        this.mDrawBorder = drawDefaultBorder;
+    }
 }