diff --git a/src/skins/vector/themes/status/css/_status.scss b/src/skins/vector/themes/status/css/_status.scss
index fc62058643..2962ee9d4b 100644
--- a/src/skins/vector/themes/status/css/_status.scss
+++ b/src/skins/vector/themes/status/css/_status.scss
@@ -86,6 +86,13 @@ $preview-bar-bg-color: #f7f7f7;
 // left-panel style muted accent color
 $secondary-accent-color: #586C7B;
 
+// stop the tinter trying to change the secondary accent color
+// by overriding the key to something untintable
+// XXX: this is a bit of a hack.
+#mx_theme_secondaryAccentColor {
+    color: #586C7C ! important; // deliberately off by one
+}
+
 // used by RoomDirectory permissions
 $plinth-bg-color: $secondary-accent-color;