diff --git a/src/controls/QskSkin.cpp b/src/controls/QskSkin.cpp
index 0c6d9c16..04ae7b62 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskSkin.cpp
+++ b/src/controls/QskSkin.cpp
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ class QskSkin::PrivateData
     std::unordered_map< const QMetaObject*, SkinletData > skinletMap;
 
     QskSkinHintTable hintTable;
+    QskAspect::State stateMask = QskAspect::AllStates;
 
     std::unordered_map< int, QFont > fonts;
     std::unordered_map< int, QskColorFilter > graphicFilters;
@@ -439,6 +440,22 @@ const int* QskSkin::dialogButtonLayout( Qt::Orientation orientation ) const
     return QPlatformDialogHelper::buttonLayout( orientation, policy );
 }
 
+void QskSkin::setStateMask( QskAspect::State mask )
+{
+    for ( auto state : { QskControl::Disabled, QskControl::Hovered, QskControl::Focused } )
+    {
+        if ( mask & state )
+            m_data->stateMask |= state;
+        else
+            m_data->stateMask &= ~state;
+    }
+}
+
+QskAspect::State QskSkin::stateMask() const
+{
+    return m_data->stateMask;
+}
+
 QskSkinlet* QskSkin::skinlet( const QskSkinnable* skinnable )
 {
     for ( auto metaObject = skinnable->metaObject();
diff --git a/src/controls/QskSkin.h b/src/controls/QskSkin.h
index fbafef4e..684a959e 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskSkin.h
+++ b/src/controls/QskSkin.h
@@ -120,6 +120,9 @@ class QSK_EXPORT QskSkin : public QObject
 
     virtual const int* dialogButtonLayout( Qt::Orientation ) const;
 
+    void setStateMask( QskAspect::State );
+    QskAspect::State stateMask() const;
+
     QskSkinlet* skinlet( const QskSkinnable* );
 
     const QskSkinHintTable& hintTable() const;
diff --git a/src/controls/QskSkinnable.cpp b/src/controls/QskSkinnable.cpp
index cc1a5759..6a0d40f3 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskSkinnable.cpp
+++ b/src/controls/QskSkinnable.cpp
@@ -550,6 +550,11 @@ QVariant QskSkinnable::animatedValue(
 const QVariant& QskSkinnable::storedHint(
     QskAspect::Aspect aspect, QskSkinHintStatus* status ) const
 {
+    const auto skin = effectiveSkin();
+
+    // clearing all state bits not being handled from the skin
+    aspect.clearState( ~skin->stateMask() );
+    
     QskAspect::Aspect resolvedAspect;
 
     const auto& localTable = m_data->hintTable;
@@ -576,7 +581,7 @@ const QVariant& QskSkinnable::storedHint(
 
     // next we try the hints from the skin
 
-    const auto& skinTable = effectiveSkin()->hintTable();
+    const auto& skinTable = skin->hintTable();
     if ( skinTable.hasHints() )
     {
         QskAspect::Aspect a = aspect;
@@ -819,7 +824,7 @@ void QskSkinnable::setSkinState( QskAspect::State newState )
     if ( m_data->skinState == newState )
         return;
 
-    QskControl* control = owningControl();
+    auto control = owningControl();
 
 #if DEBUG_STATE
     qDebug() << control->className() << ":"
@@ -827,6 +832,20 @@ void QskSkinnable::setSkinState( QskAspect::State newState )
         << skinStateAsPrintable( newState );
 #endif
 
+    const auto skin = effectiveSkin();
+
+    if ( skin )
+    {
+        const auto mask = skin->stateMask();
+        if ( ( newState & mask ) == ( m_data->skinState & mask ) )
+        {
+            // the modified bits are not handled by the skin
+
+            m_data->skinState = newState;
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+
     if ( control->window() && isTransitionAccepted( QskAspect::Aspect() ) )
     {
         const auto placement = effectivePlacement();
@@ -838,7 +857,7 @@ void QskSkinnable::setSkinState( QskAspect::State newState )
 
             Aspect aspect = subControl | placement;
 
-            const auto& skinTable = effectiveSkin()->hintTable();
+            const auto& skinTable = skin->hintTable();
 
             for ( int i = 0; i <= LastType; i++ )
             {
@@ -894,7 +913,11 @@ void QskSkinnable::setSkinState( QskAspect::State newState )
 
 QskSkin* QskSkinnable::effectiveSkin() const
 {
-    auto skin = effectiveSkinlet()->skin();
+    QskSkin* skin = nullptr;
+
+    if ( m_data->skinlet )
+        skin = m_data->skinlet->skin();
+
     return skin ? skin : qskSetup->skin();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/controls/QskSkinnable.h b/src/controls/QskSkinnable.h
index f7b40145..fba2d15d 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskSkinnable.h
+++ b/src/controls/QskSkinnable.h
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ class QSK_EXPORT QskSkinnable
 
     QMarginsF innerPadding( QskAspect::Aspect, const QSizeF& ) const;
 
-    virtual const QskSkinlet* effectiveSkinlet() const;
+    const QskSkinlet* effectiveSkinlet() const;
     QskSkin* effectiveSkin() const;
 
     void startTransition( QskAspect::Aspect,