diff --git a/source/blender/editors/animation/anim_channels_defines.cc b/source/blender/editors/animation/anim_channels_defines.cc
index 4f2dada8090..ae2f70b4eef 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/animation/anim_channels_defines.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/animation/anim_channels_defines.cc
@@ -419,10 +419,13 @@ static bool acf_generic_dataexpand_setting_valid(bAnimContext *ac,
 /* Animation Summary ----------------------------------- */
 
 /* get backdrop color for summary widget */
-static void acf_summary_color(bAnimContext * /*ac*/, bAnimListElem * /*ale*/, float r_color[3])
+static void acf_summary_color(bAnimContext *ac, bAnimListElem *ale, float r_color[3])
 {
-  /* reddish color - same as the 'action' line in NLA */
-  UI_GetThemeColor3fv(TH_ANIM_ACTIVE, r_color);
+  /* Only draw the summary line backdrop when it is expanded. If the entire dope sheet is
+   * just one line, there is no need for any distinction between lines, and the red-ish
+   * color is only going to be a distraction. */
+  const bool is_expanded = ANIM_channel_setting_get(ac, ale, ACHANNEL_SETTING_EXPAND);
+  UI_GetThemeColor3fv(is_expanded ? TH_ANIM_ACTIVE : TH_HEADER, r_color);
 }
 
 /* backdrop for summary widget */
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/space_action/action_draw.cc b/source/blender/editors/space_action/action_draw.cc
index 14fbaac7d8b..07d18bc7e8a 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/space_action/action_draw.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/space_action/action_draw.cc
@@ -216,7 +216,12 @@ static void draw_backdrops(bAnimContext *ac, ListBase &anim_data, View2D *v2d, u
     if (ELEM(ac->datatype, ANIMCONT_ACTION, ANIMCONT_DOPESHEET, ANIMCONT_SHAPEKEY)) {
       switch (ale->type) {
         case ANIMTYPE_SUMMARY: {
-          /* reddish color from NLA */
+          if (!ANIM_channel_setting_get(ac, ale, ACHANNEL_SETTING_EXPAND)) {
+            /* Only draw the summary line backdrop when it is expanded. If the entire dope sheet is
+             * just one line, there is no need for any distinction between lines, and the red-ish
+             * color is only going to be a distraction. */
+            continue;
+          }
           immUniformThemeColor(TH_ANIM_ACTIVE);
           break;
         }