diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/res/layout-xlarge/status_bar_notification_area.xml b/packages/SystemUI/res/layout-xlarge/status_bar_notification_area.xml
index 2ee2ac427e98d..0925f775146a2 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/res/layout-xlarge/status_bar_notification_area.xml
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/res/layout-xlarge/status_bar_notification_area.xml
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@
             android:id="@+id/notificationIcons"
             android:layout_width="wrap_content"
             android:layout_height="match_parent"
-            android:orientation="horizontal"
             >
             <view
                 class="com.android.systemui.statusbar.tablet.NotificationIconArea$IconLayout"
@@ -55,6 +54,14 @@
                 android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
                 android:layout_marginLeft="8dp"
                 />
+            <View 
+                android:layout_width="match_parent"
+                android:layout_height="match_parent"
+                android:layout_alignLeft="@id/icons"
+                android:layout_alignRight="@id/icons"
+                android:background="@drawable/notification_icon_area_smoke"
+                android:clickable="false"
+                />
         </com.android.systemui.statusbar.tablet.NotificationIconArea>
     </LinearLayout>
 
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/res/values-xlarge/colors.xml b/packages/SystemUI/res/values-xlarge/colors.xml
index 14161c3f0c0f7..43af2c7404b36 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/res/values-xlarge/colors.xml
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/res/values-xlarge/colors.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <resources>
     <drawable name="status_bar_background">#000000</drawable>
+    <drawable name="notification_icon_area_smoke">#A0000000</drawable>
 </resources>
 
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/tablet/NotificationIconArea.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/tablet/NotificationIconArea.java
index df29f95ed5e4d..3d6c1a2f8a194 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/tablet/NotificationIconArea.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/tablet/NotificationIconArea.java
@@ -23,13 +23,14 @@ import android.util.AttributeSet;
 import android.util.Slog;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.widget.LinearLayout;
+import android.widget.RelativeLayout;
 import android.widget.ImageView;
 import android.view.MotionEvent;
 
 import com.android.systemui.R;
 
 
-public class NotificationIconArea extends LinearLayout {
+public class NotificationIconArea extends RelativeLayout {
     private static final String TAG = "NotificationIconArea";
 
     IconLayout mIconLayout;