diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/dynamicui/ColorExtractionService.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/dynamicui/ColorExtractionService.java
index 1a127dc..f94d442 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/dynamicui/ColorExtractionService.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/dynamicui/ColorExtractionService.java
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@
                 if (bitmap != null) {
                     return Palette.from(bitmap).clearFilters().generate();
                 }
-            } catch (IOException e) {
+            } catch (IOException | NullPointerException e) {
                 Log.e(TAG, "Fetching partial bitmap failed, trying old method", e);
             }
         }
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@
                 if (bitmap != null) {
                     return Palette.from(bitmap).clearFilters().generate();
                 }
-            } catch (IOException e) {
+            } catch (IOException | NullPointerException e) {
                 Log.e(TAG, "Fetching partial bitmap failed, trying old method", e);
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/notification/NotificationItemView.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/notification/NotificationItemView.java
index 639447d..c9b3940 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/notification/NotificationItemView.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/notification/NotificationItemView.java
@@ -83,12 +83,20 @@
 
     @Override
     public boolean onInterceptTouchEvent(MotionEvent ev) {
+        if (mMainView.getNotificationInfo() == null) {
+            // The notification hasn't been populated yet.
+            return false;
+        }
         getParent().requestDisallowInterceptTouchEvent(true);
         return mSwipeHelper.onInterceptTouchEvent(ev);
     }
 
     @Override
     public boolean onTouchEvent(MotionEvent ev) {
+        if (mMainView.getNotificationInfo() == null) {
+            // The notification hasn't been populated yet.
+            return false;
+        }
         return mSwipeHelper.onTouchEvent(ev) || super.onTouchEvent(ev);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/notification/NotificationMainView.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/notification/NotificationMainView.java
index 6677c2f..a05fef3 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/notification/NotificationMainView.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/notification/NotificationMainView.java
@@ -18,8 +18,11 @@
 
 import android.animation.Animator;
 import android.animation.AnimatorSet;
+import android.animation.ArgbEvaluator;
+import android.animation.ObjectAnimator;
 import android.animation.ValueAnimator;
 import android.content.Context;
+import android.graphics.drawable.ColorDrawable;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
 import android.view.MotionEvent;
 import android.view.View;
@@ -39,10 +42,13 @@
  */
 public class NotificationMainView extends LinearLayout implements SwipeHelper.Callback {
 
+    private final ArgbEvaluator mArgbEvaluator = new ArgbEvaluator();
+
     private NotificationInfo mNotificationInfo;
     private TextView mTitleView;
     private TextView mTextView;
     private IconPalette mIconPalette;
+    private ColorDrawable mColorBackground;
 
     public NotificationMainView(Context context) {
         this(context, null, 0);
@@ -65,7 +71,8 @@
     }
 
     public void applyColors(IconPalette iconPalette) {
-        setBackgroundColor(iconPalette.backgroundColor);
+        mColorBackground = new ColorDrawable(iconPalette.backgroundColor);
+        setBackground(mColorBackground);
         mIconPalette = iconPalette;
     }
 
@@ -81,7 +88,7 @@
         if (animate) {
             mTitleView.setAlpha(0);
             mTextView.setAlpha(0);
-            setBackgroundColor(mIconPalette.secondaryColor);
+            mColorBackground.setColor(mIconPalette.secondaryColor);
         }
         mNotificationInfo = mainNotification;
         mTitleView.setText(mNotificationInfo.title);
@@ -97,14 +104,8 @@
             AnimatorSet animation = LauncherAnimUtils.createAnimatorSet();
             Animator textFade = new LauncherViewPropertyAnimator(mTextView).alpha(1);
             Animator titleFade = new LauncherViewPropertyAnimator(mTitleView).alpha(1);
-            ValueAnimator colorChange = ValueAnimator.ofArgb(mIconPalette.secondaryColor,
-                    mIconPalette.backgroundColor);
-            colorChange.addUpdateListener(new ValueAnimator.AnimatorUpdateListener() {
-                @Override
-                public void onAnimationUpdate(ValueAnimator valueAnimator) {
-                    setBackgroundColor((Integer) valueAnimator.getAnimatedValue());
-                }
-            });
+            ValueAnimator colorChange = ObjectAnimator.ofObject(mColorBackground, "color",
+                    mArgbEvaluator, mIconPalette.secondaryColor, mIconPalette.backgroundColor);
             animation.playTogether(textFade, titleFade, colorChange);
             animation.setDuration(150);
             animation.start();