diff --git a/lib/pangea/lemmas/lemma_highlight_emoji_row.dart b/lib/pangea/lemmas/lemma_highlight_emoji_row.dart
index 1265706a5..4dec278b9 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/lemmas/lemma_highlight_emoji_row.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/lemmas/lemma_highlight_emoji_row.dart
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ class EmojiChoiceItemState extends State<EmojiChoiceItem> {
               shimmerColor: (Theme.of(context).brightness == Brightness.dark)
                   ? Colors.white
                   : Theme.of(context).colorScheme.primary,
-              baseColor: Theme.of(context).colorScheme.surface,
+              baseColor: Colors.transparent,
               child: CompositedTransformTarget(
                 link: MatrixState.pAnyState
                     .layerLinkAndKey(widget.transformTargetId)