diff --git a/kstyle/breezestyle.cpp b/kstyle/breezestyle.cpp
index 20341d8a..dd78ce67 100644
--- a/kstyle/breezestyle.cpp
+++ b/kstyle/breezestyle.cpp
@@ -160,6 +160,18 @@ namespace Breeze
         delete _helper;
     }
 
+    //______________________________________________________________
+    void Style::polish( QApplication* )
+    {
+
+        // alter palette for relevant framed widgets
+        const QPalette palette( _helper->framePalette( QGuiApplication::palette() ) );
+        QApplication::setPalette( palette, "QDockWidget" );
+        QApplication::setPalette( palette, "QGroupBox" );
+        QApplication::setPalette( palette, "QTabWidget" );
+
+    }
+
     //______________________________________________________________
     void Style::polish( QWidget* widget )
     {
@@ -206,19 +218,10 @@ namespace Breeze
 
         } else if( QGroupBox* groupBox = qobject_cast<QGroupBox*>( widget ) )  {
 
-            // change palette
-            widget->setPalette( _helper->framePalette( QGuiApplication::palette() ) );
-
             // checkable group boxes
             if( groupBox->isCheckable() )
             { groupBox->setAttribute( Qt::WA_Hover ); }
 
-
-        } else if( qobject_cast<QTabWidget*>( widget ) )  {
-
-            // change palette
-            widget->setPalette( _helper->framePalette( QGuiApplication::palette() ) );
-
         } else if( qobject_cast<QAbstractButton*>( widget ) && qobject_cast<QDockWidget*>( widget->parent() ) ) {
 
             widget->setAttribute( Qt::WA_Hover );
@@ -263,7 +266,6 @@ namespace Breeze
             // add event filter on dock widgets
             // and alter palette
             widget->setAutoFillBackground( false );
-            widget->setPalette( _helper->framePalette( QGuiApplication::palette() ) );
             widget->setContentsMargins( Metrics::Frame_FrameWidth, Metrics::Frame_FrameWidth, Metrics::Frame_FrameWidth, Metrics::Frame_FrameWidth );
             addEventFilter( widget );
 
diff --git a/kstyle/breezestyle.h b/kstyle/breezestyle.h
index ed177dc2..c127fa47 100644
--- a/kstyle/breezestyle.h
+++ b/kstyle/breezestyle.h
@@ -88,6 +88,9 @@ namespace Breeze
         //! destructor
         virtual ~Style( void );
 
+        //! application polishing
+        virtual void polish( QApplication* );
+
         //! widget polishing
         virtual void polish( QWidget* );