diff --git a/src/axisw.cpp b/src/axisw.cpp
index d8e6e80..816ea46 100644
--- a/src/axisw.cpp
+++ b/src/axisw.cpp
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 
 AxisWidget::AxisWidget( Axis* a, QWidget* parent )
-        : FlashButton(QString::null, QString::null, parent) {
+        : FlashButton(QString(), QString(), parent) {
     axis = a;
     ae = NULL;
     update();
diff --git a/src/buttonw.cpp b/src/buttonw.cpp
index 96d9f5c..bdcba28 100644
--- a/src/buttonw.cpp
+++ b/src/buttonw.cpp
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 
 ButtonWidget::ButtonWidget( Button* b, QWidget* parent )
-        : FlashButton(QString::null, QString::null, parent), on(false), button(b) {
+        : FlashButton(QString(), QString(), parent), on(false), button(b) {
     update();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/flash.cpp b/src/flash.cpp
index 9b468b7..9d5b4a0 100644
--- a/src/flash.cpp
+++ b/src/flash.cpp
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ FlashRadioArray::FlashRadioArray( const QStringList &names, bool horizontal, QWi
         mainLayout->setSpacing(5);
     }
     foreach (const QString &name, names) {
-        FlashButton *button = new FlashButton( name, QString::null, this );
+        FlashButton *button = new FlashButton( name, QString(), this );
         buttons.append(button);
         //when any of the buttons is clicked, it calls the same function on this.
         connect( button, SIGNAL( clicked() ), this, SLOT( clicked() ));
diff --git a/src/joyslider.cpp b/src/joyslider.cpp
index 262d0f2..4f786f8 100644
--- a/src/joyslider.cpp
+++ b/src/joyslider.cpp
@@ -102,8 +102,8 @@ void JoySlider::drawBox( int x, int width ) {
     //widget but is defined by x-coordinate and width
     QPainter paint( this );
 
-    paint.setPen( (isEnabled())?Qt::white:palette().background().color() );
-    paint.setBrush( (isEnabled())?Qt::white:palette().background() );
+    paint.setPen( (isEnabled())?Qt::white:palette().window().color() );
+    paint.setBrush( (isEnabled())?Qt::white:palette().window() );
     paint.drawRect( x, 1, width, boxheight);
 
     paint.setPen( palette().dark().color() );
diff --git a/src/layout.cpp b/src/layout.cpp
index 7ed6104..00a8ccb 100644
--- a/src/layout.cpp
+++ b/src/layout.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ LayoutManager::LayoutManager( bool useTrayIcon, const QString &devdir, const QSt
     connect(quitAction, SIGNAL(triggered()), qApp, SLOT(quit()));
 
     //no layout loaded at start.
-    setLayoutName(QString::null);
+    setLayoutName(QString());
 }
 
 LayoutManager::~LayoutManager() {
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ void LayoutManager::clear() {
         joypad->toDefault();
     }
     //and call our layout NL
-    setLayoutName(QString::null);
+    setLayoutName(QString());
 }
 
 void LayoutManager::save() {
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ void LayoutManager::saveAs() {
     QString name = QInputDialog::getText(le,
                                          tr("Name new layout - %1").arg(QJOYPAD_NAME),
                                          tr("Enter a name for the new layout:"),
-                                         QLineEdit::Normal, QString::null, &ok);
+                                         QLineEdit::Normal, QString(), &ok);
     if (!ok) {
         return;
     }
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ void LayoutManager::importLayout() {
             if (QMessageBox::warning(le,
                                      QString("%1 - %2").arg(tr("Layout exists"), QJOYPAD_NAME),
                                      tr("Layout %1 exists. Do you want to overwrite it?"),
-                                     tr("Over&write"), tr("&Cancel"), QString::null, 0, 1) == 1) {
+                                     tr("Over&write"), tr("&Cancel"), QString(), 0, 1) == 1) {
                 return;
             }
             QFile::remove(filename);
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ void LayoutManager::saveDefault() {
 void LayoutManager::remove() {
     if (currentLayout.isNull()) return;
     if (QMessageBox::warning(le, tr("Delete layout? - %1").arg(QJOYPAD_NAME),
-        tr("Remove layout %1 permanently from your hard drive?").arg(currentLayout), tr("&Delete"), tr("&Cancel"), QString::null, 0, 1 ) == 1) {
+        tr("Remove layout %1 permanently from your hard drive?").arg(currentLayout), tr("&Delete"), tr("&Cancel"), QString(), 0, 1 ) == 1) {
         return;
     }
     QString filename = getFileName( currentLayout );
diff --git a/src/layout_edit.cpp b/src/layout_edit.cpp
index af6ba2f..0011270 100644
--- a/src/layout_edit.cpp
+++ b/src/layout_edit.cpp
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ void LayoutEdit::setLayout(const QString &layout) {
 void LayoutEdit::updateLayoutList() {
     //blank the list, then load in new names from the LayoutManager.
     cmbLayouts->clear();
-    cmbLayouts->addItem(tr("[NO LAYOUT]"), QVariant(QString::null));
+    cmbLayouts->addItem(tr("[NO LAYOUT]"), QVariant(QString()));
     if (lm->currentLayout.isNull()) {
         cmbLayouts->setCurrentIndex(0);
     }