diff --git a/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.editors/.settings/.api_filters b/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.editors/.settings/.api_filters
index c062b4ac10e0..39392e409f01 100644
--- a/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.editors/.settings/.api_filters
+++ b/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.editors/.settings/.api_filters
@@ -17,4 +17,12 @@
             </message_arguments>
         </filter>
     </resource>
+    <resource path="src/org/eclipse/ui/texteditor/stickyscroll/IStickyLine.java" type="org.eclipse.ui.texteditor.stickyscroll.IStickyLine">
+        <filter id="404000815">
+            <message_arguments>
+                <message_argument value="org.eclipse.ui.texteditor.stickyscroll.IStickyLine"/>
+                <message_argument value="getBackgroundColor()"/>
+            </message_arguments>
+        </filter>
+    </resource>
 </component>
diff --git a/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.editors/src/org/eclipse/ui/internal/texteditor/stickyscroll/StickyScrollingControl.java b/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.editors/src/org/eclipse/ui/internal/texteditor/stickyscroll/StickyScrollingControl.java
index 12bb922768ef..cd0c9518e2c8 100644
--- a/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.editors/src/org/eclipse/ui/internal/texteditor/stickyscroll/StickyScrollingControl.java
+++ b/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.editors/src/org/eclipse/ui/internal/texteditor/stickyscroll/StickyScrollingControl.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import org.eclipse.swt.SWT;
 import org.eclipse.swt.custom.CaretEvent;
 import org.eclipse.swt.custom.CaretListener;
+import org.eclipse.swt.custom.LineBackgroundEvent;
 import org.eclipse.swt.custom.StyleRange;
 import org.eclipse.swt.custom.StyledText;
 import org.eclipse.swt.events.ControlEvent;
@@ -185,6 +186,7 @@ private void createControls() {
 		GridDataFactory.fillDefaults().grab(true, true).applyTo(stickyLineText);
 		stickyLineText.setEnabled(false);
 		stickyLineText.setBackground(settings.stickyLineBackgroundColor());
+		stickyLineText.addLineBackgroundListener(this::styleStickyLineBackground);
 
 		bottomSeparator= new Composite(stickyLinesCanvas, SWT.NONE);
 		GridDataFactory.fillDefaults().hint(0, 3).grab(true, false).span(2, 1).applyTo(bottomSeparator);
@@ -260,6 +262,12 @@ private void styleStickyLines() {
 		stickyLineText.setLeftMargin(textWidget.getLeftMargin());
 	}
 
+	private void styleStickyLineBackground(LineBackgroundEvent event) {
+		int lineIndex = stickyLineText.getLineAtOffset(event.lineOffset);
+		IStickyLine line = stickyLines.get(lineIndex);
+		event.lineBackground = line.getBackgroundColor();
+	}
+
 	private void layoutStickyLines() {
 		if (getNumberStickyLines() == 0) {
 			stickyLinesCanvas.setVisible(false);
diff --git a/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.editors/src/org/eclipse/ui/texteditor/stickyscroll/IStickyLine.java b/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.editors/src/org/eclipse/ui/texteditor/stickyscroll/IStickyLine.java
index bc8cb26380bb..43bb790df13b 100644
--- a/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.editors/src/org/eclipse/ui/texteditor/stickyscroll/IStickyLine.java
+++ b/bundles/org.eclipse.ui.editors/src/org/eclipse/ui/texteditor/stickyscroll/IStickyLine.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 package org.eclipse.ui.texteditor.stickyscroll;
 
 import org.eclipse.swt.custom.StyleRange;
+import org.eclipse.swt.graphics.Color;
 
 /**
  * Representation of a sticky line.
@@ -43,4 +44,23 @@ public interface IStickyLine {
 	 */
 	StyleRange[] getStyleRanges();
 
+	/**
+	 * Returns the background color of the sticky line.
+	 * <p>
+	 * The background color is drawn for the full-width of the line. The text
+	 * background color if defined in a StyleRange ({@link #getStyleRanges()})
+	 * overlays the line background color.
+	 * </p>
+	 * <p>
+	 * {@code null} (the default), if the line has no special background color.
+	 * </p>
+	 * 
+	 * @return the background color of the sticky line or {@code null} for no
+	 *         special color
+	 * @since 3.22
+	 */
+	default Color getBackgroundColor() {
+		return null;
+	}
+
 }