diff --git a/theme/bootstrapbase/less/moodle/popover_region.less b/theme/bootstrapbase/less/moodle/popover_region.less
index 87754fa01e5..286e543216f 100644
--- a/theme/bootstrapbase/less/moodle/popover_region.less
+++ b/theme/bootstrapbase/less/moodle/popover_region.less
@@ -351,7 +351,8 @@
                     padding: 5px;
 
                     &:hover {
-                        opacity: 0.8;
+                        color: #fff;
+                        background-color: #79b5e6;
                     }
 
                     .content-item-link {
@@ -616,7 +617,8 @@
                         cursor: pointer;
 
                         &:hover {
-                            opacity: 0.8;
+                            color: #fff;
+                            background-color: #79b5e6;
                         }
 
                         .content-item-link {
diff --git a/theme/bootstrapbase/style/moodle.css b/theme/bootstrapbase/style/moodle.css
index 3e9d18a6380..4049ee3e308 100644
--- a/theme/bootstrapbase/style/moodle.css
+++ b/theme/bootstrapbase/style/moodle.css
@@ -7655,7 +7655,8 @@ body.path-question-type .mform fieldset.hidden {
   padding: 5px;
 }
 .popover-region-notifications.popover-region .popover-region-container .popover-region-content .content-item-container:hover {
-  opacity: 0.8;
+  color: #fff;
+  background-color: #79b5e6;
 }
 .popover-region-notifications.popover-region .popover-region-container .popover-region-content .content-item-container .content-item-link {
   color: inherit;
@@ -7846,7 +7847,8 @@ body.path-question-type .mform fieldset.hidden {
   cursor: pointer;
 }
 .popover-region-messages.popover-region .popover-region-container .popover-region-content-container .popover-region-content .content-item-container:hover {
-  opacity: 0.8;
+  color: #fff;
+  background-color: #79b5e6;
 }
 .popover-region-messages.popover-region .popover-region-container .popover-region-content-container .popover-region-content .content-item-container .content-item-link {
   color: inherit;