diff --git a/theme/bootstrapbase/less/moodle/message.less b/theme/bootstrapbase/less/moodle/message.less
index e781a0c4ab6..b6f43e64446 100644
--- a/theme/bootstrapbase/less/moodle/message.less
+++ b/theme/bootstrapbase/less/moodle/message.less
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@
 
                     &:hover {
                         .setSelectedContact();
+                        background-color: #79b5e6;
                     }
 
                     &.selected:not([aria-checked]) {
@@ -523,6 +524,19 @@
                                 }
                             }
                         }
+
+                        &[aria-checked="false"] {
+                            .content {
+                                &:hover {
+                                    background-color: #79b5e6;
+                                    color: #fff;
+
+                                    .timesent {
+                                        color: #fff;
+                                    }
+                                }
+                            }
+                        }
                     }
                 }
 
diff --git a/theme/bootstrapbase/style/moodle.css b/theme/bootstrapbase/style/moodle.css
index 5e200c63469..3e9d18a6380 100644
--- a/theme/bootstrapbase/style/moodle.css
+++ b/theme/bootstrapbase/style/moodle.css
@@ -5882,6 +5882,7 @@ a.ygtvspacer:hover {
   background-color: #4f94cd;
   color: #fff;
   border: none;
+  background-color: #79b5e6;
 }
 .messaging-area-container .messaging-area .contacts-area .contacts .contact:hover .information .lastmessage {
   color: #fff;
@@ -6186,6 +6187,13 @@ a.ygtvspacer:hover {
 .messaging-area-container .messaging-area .messages-area.editing .messages .message[aria-checked="true"] .content .timesent {
   color: #fff;
 }
+.messaging-area-container .messaging-area .messages-area.editing .messages .message[aria-checked="false"] .content:hover {
+  background-color: #79b5e6;
+  color: #fff;
+}
+.messaging-area-container .messaging-area .messages-area.editing .messages .message[aria-checked="false"] .content:hover .timesent {
+  color: #fff;
+}
 .messaging-area-container .messaging-area .messages-area.editing .response .delete-confirmation {
   display: block;
 }