diff --git a/lcl/comctrls.pp b/lcl/comctrls.pp
index 4e8a63178d..9b5366a30e 100644
--- a/lcl/comctrls.pp
+++ b/lcl/comctrls.pp
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ type
     FStyle: TTabStyle;
     FTabControlCreating: Boolean;
     FTabPosition: TTabPosition;
-    FTabs: TStrings;
+    FTabs: TStrings;// this is a TTabControlNoteBookStrings
     function GetDisplayRect: TRect;
     function GetHotTrack: Boolean;
     function GetMultiLine: Boolean;
diff --git a/lcl/include/tabcontrol.inc b/lcl/include/tabcontrol.inc
index 3c027ae386..182c254d23 100644
--- a/lcl/include/tabcontrol.inc
+++ b/lcl/include/tabcontrol.inc
@@ -535,7 +535,10 @@ var
   ARect: TRect;
   TS : TTextStyle;
 begin
-  ARect := GetClientRect;
+  //DebugLn(['TCustomTabControl.Paint Bounds=',dbgs(BoundsRect),' ClientRect=',dbgs(ClientRect),' CientOrigin=',dbgs(ClientOrigin)]);
+  // clear the whole area
+  // ToDo: this clears the tabs as well on some widgetset, namely gtk2
+  ARect:=ClientRect;
   Canvas.Brush.Color:=clBackground;
   Canvas.FillRect(ARect);
   ARect:=GetDisplayRect;