diff --git a/src/components/outline-view-item.jsx b/src/components/outline-view-item.jsx
index dfde0f824..1609f0c18 100644
--- a/src/components/outline-view-item.jsx
+++ b/src/components/outline-view-item.jsx
@@ -312,7 +312,6 @@ class OutlineViewItem extends Component {
     const containerClass = classnames({
       'item': true,
       'selected': item.selected,
-      'dropping': state.isDropping,
       'editing': state.editing,
       [item.className]: item.className,
     });
@@ -348,10 +347,13 @@ class OutlineViewItem extends Component {
 
   render() {
     const item = this.props.item;
-
+    const containerClasses = classnames({
+      'item-container': true,
+      'dropping': this.state.isDropping,
+    })
     return (
       <div>
-        <span className="item-container">
+        <span className={containerClasses}>
           <DisclosureTriangle
             collapsed={item.collapsed}
             visible={item.children.length > 0}
diff --git a/static/components/outline-view.less b/static/components/outline-view.less
index 5bc14755e..76839f331 100644
--- a/static/components/outline-view.less
+++ b/static/components/outline-view.less
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@
 
   .item-container {
     display:flex;
+    &.dropping {
+      background-color: lighten(@source-list-bg, 20%);
+      .item {
+        color: @source-list-active-color;
+        img.content-mask { background-color: @source-list-active-color; }
+      }
+    }
   }
 
   .item {