diff --git a/trick_source/java/src/main/java/trick/common/RunTimeTrickApplication.java b/trick_source/java/src/main/java/trick/common/RunTimeTrickApplication.java
index c927b300..91eede94 100644
--- a/trick_source/java/src/main/java/trick/common/RunTimeTrickApplication.java
+++ b/trick_source/java/src/main/java/trick/common/RunTimeTrickApplication.java
@@ -464,11 +464,6 @@ public abstract class RunTimeTrickApplication extends TrickApplication {
         JMenuBar menuBar = super.createMenuBar();
         JMenu menu = menuBar.getMenu(0);
 
-        // Remove look and feel menu item.
-        for (int i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
-            menu.remove(0);
-        }
-
         menu.add(new JSeparator(), 0);
 
         menu.add(new JMenuItem(new AbstractAction("Settings") {
diff --git a/trick_source/java/src/main/java/trick/common/TrickApplication.java b/trick_source/java/src/main/java/trick/common/TrickApplication.java
index 6a83affc..8c22a537 100644
--- a/trick_source/java/src/main/java/trick/common/TrickApplication.java
+++ b/trick_source/java/src/main/java/trick/common/TrickApplication.java
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import java.awt.Desktop;
 import java.awt.GridBagConstraints;
 import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
 import java.awt.Insets;
+import java.awt.Window;
 import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
 import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
 import java.io.File;
@@ -274,7 +275,13 @@ public abstract class TrickApplication extends SingleFrameApplication implements
                 public void run() {
                     try {
                         UIManager.setLookAndFeel(finalLafClassName);
-                        SwingUtilities.updateComponentTreeUI(getMainFrame());
+                        // update the UI for all windows with the new look and feel
+                        // this is needed for all the windows that are not
+                        // children of the main frame as well as the children
+                        // of the main frame
+                        for (Window window : Window.getWindows()) {
+                            SwingUtilities.updateComponentTreeUI(window);
+                        }
                     } catch (Exception exception) {
                         JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(getMainFrame(),
                                                       "Can't change look and feel",
diff --git a/trick_source/java/src/main/java/trick/tv/TVApplication.java b/trick_source/java/src/main/java/trick/tv/TVApplication.java
index 388dd860..51b0e744 100644
--- a/trick_source/java/src/main/java/trick/tv/TVApplication.java
+++ b/trick_source/java/src/main/java/trick/tv/TVApplication.java
@@ -405,7 +405,12 @@ public class TVApplication extends RunTimeTrickApplication implements VariableLi
 
         // Initialze the variable tree.
         variableTree = new TVVariableTree() {{
-            setEnabled(false);
+            // don't disable it here due to a known issue with the Apple Aqua Look and Feel 
+            // when using custom Look and Feel components on Mac. The NullPointerException 
+            // occurs in the AquaMenuPainter class when it tries to paint a border but 
+            // gets a null value from com.apple.laf.AquaMenuPainter$RecyclableBorder.get() 
+            // returns null
+            // setEnabled(false);
 
             try {
                 setSorting(Enum.valueOf(Sorting.class, trickProperties.getProperty(
@@ -440,7 +445,14 @@ public class TVApplication extends RunTimeTrickApplication implements VariableLi
         searchPanel = new SearchPanel() {{
             setVisible(Boolean.parseBoolean(trickProperties.getProperty(
               searchPanelVisibleKey, Boolean.toString(true))));
-            setEnabled(false);
+
+            // don't disable it here due to a known issue with the Apple Aqua Look and Feel 
+            // when using custom Look and Feel components on Mac. The NullPointerException 
+            // occurs in the AquaMenuPainter class when it tries to paint a border but 
+            // gets a null value from com.apple.laf.AquaMenuPainter$RecyclableBorder.get() 
+            // returns null
+            // setEnabled(false);
+
             setFontSize(Float.parseFloat(trickProperties.getProperty(
               fontSizeKey, Integer.toString(getFont().getSize()))));
             setAction(new AbstractAction("Add") {
@@ -1933,12 +1945,6 @@ public class TVApplication extends RunTimeTrickApplication implements VariableLi
         return Sorting.None;
     }
 
-    @Override
-    protected void changeLookAndFeel(String lookAndFeelName) {
-        // Some of TV's elements don't respond well to look and feel changes,
-        // so I'm not supporting it for now.
-    }
-
     @Override
     protected void shutdown() {
         trickProperties.setProperty(positionKey, position.toString());