diff --git a/src/bootstrap/match.tpl.html b/src/bootstrap/match.tpl.html
index a76c9b862..7f788c319 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/match.tpl.html
+++ b/src/bootstrap/match.tpl.html
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 <div class="ui-select-match" ng-hide="$select.open" ng-disabled="$select.disabled" ng-class="{'btn-default-focus':$select.focus}">
   <span tabindex="-1"
-      class="btn btn-default form-control ui-select-toggle"
+      class="form-control ui-select-toggle"
       aria-label="{{ $select.baseTitle }} activate"
       ng-disabled="$select.disabled" 
       ng-click="$select.activate()"
       style="outline: 0;">
-    <span ng-show="$select.isEmpty()" class="ui-select-placeholder text-muted">{{$select.placeholder}}</span>
+    <span ng-show="$select.isEmpty()" class="ui-select-placeholder">{{$select.placeholder}}</span>
     <span ng-hide="$select.isEmpty()" class="ui-select-match-text pull-left" ng-class="{'ui-select-allow-clear': $select.allowClear && !$select.isEmpty()}" ng-transclude=""></span>
     <i class="caret pull-right" ng-click="$select.toggle($event)"></i>
     <a ng-show="$select.allowClear && !$select.isEmpty()" aria-label="{{ $select.baseTitle }} clear" style="margin-right: 10px" 
diff --git a/src/common.css b/src/common.css
index e1026d4a1..9ebdd29df 100644
--- a/src/common.css
+++ b/src/common.css
@@ -207,6 +207,19 @@ body > .ui-select-bootstrap.open {
   border-right: 1px solid #428bca;
 }
 
+.ui-select-bootstrap .ui-select-placeholder {
+    color: #999;
+    opacity: 1;
+}
+
+.ui-select-bootstrap .ui-select-placeholder {
+    color: #999;
+}
+
+.ui-select-bootstrap .ui-select-placeholder {
+    color: #999;
+}
+
 .ui-select-bootstrap .ui-select-choices-row>a {
     display: block;
     padding: 3px 20px;