diff --git a/src/core/models/entitytreemodel.h b/src/core/models/entitytreemodel.h
--- a/src/core/models/entitytreemodel.h
+++ b/src/core/models/entitytreemodel.h
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@
         SessionRole,                            ///< @internal The Session used by this model
         CollectionRefRole,                      ///< @internal Used to increase the reference count on a Collection
         CollectionDerefRole,                    ///< @internal Used to decrease the reference count on a Collection
-        PendingCutRole,                         ///< @internal Used to indicate items which are to be cut
+        PendingCutRole,                         ///< Used to indicate items which are to be cut
         EntityUrlRole,                          ///< The akonadi:/ Url of the entity as a string. Item urls will contain the mimetype.
         UnreadCountRole,                        ///< Returns the number of unread items in a collection. @since 4.5
         FetchStateRole,                         ///< Returns the FetchState of a particular item. @since 4.5
diff --git a/src/core/models/entitytreemodel.cpp b/src/core/models/entitytreemodel.cpp
--- a/src/core/models/entitytreemodel.cpp
+++ b/src/core/models/entitytreemodel.cpp
@@ -315,6 +315,8 @@
         case OriginalCollectionNameRole: {
             return entityData(collection, index.column(), Qt::DisplayRole);
         }
+        case PendingCutRole:
+            return d->m_pendingCutCollections.contains(node->id);
         case Qt::BackgroundRole: {
             if (collection.hasAttribute<EntityDisplayAttribute>()) {
                 EntityDisplayAttribute *eda = collection.attribute<EntityDisplayAttribute>();
@@ -364,6 +366,8 @@
         case EntityUrlRole:
             return item.url(Akonadi::Item::UrlWithMimeType).url();
             break;
+        case PendingCutRole:
+            return d->m_pendingCutItems.contains(node->id);
         case Qt::BackgroundRole: {
             if (item.hasAttribute<EntityDisplayAttribute>()) {
                 EntityDisplayAttribute *eda = item.attribute<EntityDisplayAttribute>();
@@ -397,11 +401,6 @@
     const Node *node = reinterpret_cast<Node *>(index.internalPointer());
 
     if (Node::Collection == node->type) {
-        // cut out entities will be shown as inactive
-        if (d->m_pendingCutCollections.contains(node->id)) {
-            return Qt::ItemIsSelectable;
-        }
-
         const Collection collection = d->m_collections.value(node->id);
         if (collection.isValid()) {
 
@@ -430,6 +429,9 @@
 
         }
     } else if (Node::Item == node->type) {
+        // cut out entities are shown as disabled
+        // TODO: Not sure this is wanted, it prevents any interaction with them, better
+        // solution would be to move this to the delegate, as was done for collections.
         if (d->m_pendingCutItems.contains(node->id)) {
             return Qt::ItemIsSelectable;
         }
diff --git a/src/widgets/collectionstatisticsdelegate.cpp b/src/widgets/collectionstatisticsdelegate.cpp
--- a/src/widgets/collectionstatisticsdelegate.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/collectionstatisticsdelegate.cpp
@@ -223,7 +223,9 @@
     QTreeView *treeView = qobject_cast<QTreeView *>(d->parent);
     bool expanded = treeView && treeView->isExpanded(firstColumn);
 
-    if (option.state & QStyle::State_Selected) {
+    if (index.data(EntityTreeModel::PendingCutRole).toBool()) {
+        painter->setPen(option.palette.color(QPalette::Disabled, QPalette::Text));
+    } else if (option.state & QStyle::State_Selected) {
         painter->setPen(textColor.isValid() ? textColor : option.palette.highlightedText().color());
     } else {
         painter->setPen(textColor.isValid() ? textColor : option.palette.text().color());