diff --git a/src/rviz/properties/property.cpp b/src/rviz/properties/property.cpp
index e0924297d6..f21634bd43 100644
--- a/src/rviz/properties/property.cpp
+++ b/src/rviz/properties/property.cpp
@@ -232,6 +232,12 @@ void Property::setParent( Property* new_parent )
 
 QVariant Property::getViewData( int column, int role ) const
 {
+  if ( role == Qt::TextColorRole &&
+       ( parent_ && parent_->getDisableChildren() ) )
+  {
+    return Qt::gray;
+  }
+
   switch( column )
   {
   case 0: // left column: names
@@ -273,7 +279,7 @@ Qt::ItemFlags Property::getViewFlags( int column ) const
 {
   // if the parent propery is a disabled bool property or
   // has its own enabled view flag not set, disable this property as well
-  Qt::ItemFlags enabled_flag = is_read_only_ || ( parent_ && parent_->getDisableChildren() ) ? Qt::NoItemFlags : Qt::ItemIsEnabled;
+  Qt::ItemFlags enabled_flag = Qt::ItemIsEnabled;//is_read_only_ || ( parent_ && parent_->getDisableChildren() ) ? Qt::NoItemFlags : Qt::ItemIsEnabled;
 
   if( column == 0 )
   {
diff --git a/src/rviz/view_controller.cpp b/src/rviz/view_controller.cpp
index b4fa5f1ef0..7c637baec9 100644
--- a/src/rviz/view_controller.cpp
+++ b/src/rviz/view_controller.cpp
@@ -116,6 +116,11 @@ QString ViewController::formatClassId( const QString& class_id )
 
 QVariant ViewController::getViewData( int column, int role ) const
 {
+  if ( role == Qt::TextColorRole )
+  {
+    return QVariant();
+  }
+
   if( is_active_ )
   {
     switch( role )