diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/FormDecoratorImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/FormDecoratorImpl.java
index 33fce71b504d9fc848186013b202ba3894aa44ce..a04eaf597da38e0ae23234e8d9d968dc2f908e07 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/FormDecoratorImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/FormDecoratorImpl.java
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ import org.olat.core.util.StringHelper;
  */
 public class FormDecoratorImpl implements FormDecorator {
 
-	FormItemContainer container;
+	private final FormItemContainer container;
 
 	public FormDecoratorImpl(FormItemContainer container) {
 		this.container = container;
@@ -117,6 +117,13 @@ public class FormDecoratorImpl implements FormDecorator {
 			return (item instanceof SpacerElement);
 	}
 	
+	public String getContainerCssClass() {
+		if (container != null && StringHelper.containsNonWhitespace(container.getElementCssClass())) {
+			return " " + container.getElementCssClass();
+		}
+		return "";
+	}
+	
 	public String getElementCssClass(String formItemName) {
 		FormItem item = getFormItem(formItemName);
 		if (item != null && StringHelper.containsNonWhitespace(item.getElementCssClass())) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/_content/form_buttongroup.html b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/_content/form_buttongroup.html
index 99af8d8e6909a4dde7d53c0e641dcbea49d1b78e..43aa3581e9666be0384dd49e189f0c73103098fb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/_content/form_buttongroup.html
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/_content/form_buttongroup.html
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<div class="b_button_group">
+<div class="b_button_group $f.getContainerCssClass()">
 #foreach ($item in $formitemnames)
 	$r.render("$item")
 #end
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/_content/form_default.html b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/_content/form_default.html
index c8484908df873b7177da9bc6d2c2fcb90e03b86f..c4e82cd962f5fb49dac1e83fd4d345350df53999 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/_content/form_default.html
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/_content/form_default.html
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<div class="b_form #if ($off_css_class) $off_css_class #end b_clearfix">
+<div class="b_form #if ($off_css_class) $off_css_class #end $f.getContainerCssClass() b_clearfix">
 #if ($off_title) <fieldset><legend>$off_title</legend> #end
 #if ($off_chelp_package) $r.contextHelpWithWrapper("$off_chelp_package","$off_chelp_page","$off_chelp_hover") #end
 #if ($off_desc) <div class="b_form_desc">$off_desc</div> #end
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/_content/form_horizontal.html b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/_content/form_horizontal.html
index ec7f775e796cd7cfea53e0e9a7bb108574282e24..1e6f3a2994859fa4240fac591ea6d7a620147594 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/_content/form_horizontal.html
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/_content/form_horizontal.html
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<div class="b_form b_form_horizontal #if ($off_css_class) $off_css_class #end b_clearfix">
+<div class="b_form b_form_horizontal #if ($off_css_class) $off_css_class #end $f.getContainerCssClass() b_clearfix">
 #if ($off_title) <fieldset><legend>$off_title</legend> #end
 #if ($off_chelp_package) $r.contextHelpWithWrapper("$off_chelp_package","$off_chelp_page","$off_chelp_hover") #end
 #if ($off_desc) <div class="b_form_desc">$off_desc</div> #end
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/_content/form_vertical.html b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/_content/form_vertical.html
index 8b9fb8f7422e418c196b19bdfcb1bc96309a1958..a4c59213fe6bbeba1910153e66c34937116c5d59 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/_content/form_vertical.html
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/_content/form_vertical.html
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<div class="b_form b_form_vertical #if ($off_css_class) $off_css_class #end b_clearfix">
+<div class="b_form b_form_vertical #if ($off_css_class) $off_css_class #end $f.getContainerCssClass() b_clearfix">
 #if ($off_title) <fieldset><legend>$off_title</legend> #end
 #if ($off_chelp_package) $r.contextHelpWithWrapper("$off_chelp_package","$off_chelp_page","$off_chelp_hover") #end
 #if ($off_desc) <div class="b_form_desc">$off_desc</div> #end
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/elements/FormButtonRenderer.java b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/elements/FormButtonRenderer.java
index 7dc44570979f233aa264c4662c74451adc970c95..70bed0a648000f60715f0d157fd62161266e652a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/elements/FormButtonRenderer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/elements/FormButtonRenderer.java
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ import org.olat.core.gui.render.RenderingState;
 import org.olat.core.gui.render.StringOutput;
 import org.olat.core.gui.render.URLBuilder;
 import org.olat.core.gui.translator.Translator;
-import org.olat.core.util.StringHelper;
 
 /**
  * Description:<br>
@@ -70,9 +69,6 @@ class FormButtonRenderer implements ComponentRenderer {
 		}
 		sb.append(FormJSHelper.getRawJSFor(fs.getRootForm(), id, fs.getAction()));
 		sb.append(" class=\"b_button ");
-		if(StringHelper.containsNonWhitespace(fs.getElementCssClass())) {
-			sb.append(fs.getElementCssClass());
-		}
 		if(!source.isEnabled()){
 			sb.append(" b_disabled ");
 		}		
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/elements/FormCancel.java b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/elements/FormCancel.java
index a82d05e546db5d2e3775f703730c9aff94a46b0e..9f88c25def2e5044993f6ac6fc237b128a328397 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/elements/FormCancel.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/elements/FormCancel.java
@@ -141,11 +141,6 @@ public class FormCancel extends FormItemImpl implements Disposable, Cancel {
 		cancelLink.setCustomEnabledLinkCSS(customEnabledLinkCSS);
 	}
 
-	@Override
-	public void setElementCssClass(String elementCssClass) {
-		cancelLink.setElementCssClass(elementCssClass);
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * @see org.olat.core.gui.components.form.flexible.elements.Cancel#setI18nKey(java.lang.String)
 	 */
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/link/Link.java b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/link/Link.java
index ad09683dac7283bb0fe1437efdbc2ae5f06a39bd..f913397bad13c2fb67a3b2e0cfbd728b44c1caa5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/link/Link.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/link/Link.java
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ public class Link extends Component {
 	private String customDisplayText;
 	private String customEnabledLinkCSS;
 	private String customDisabledLinkCSS;
-	private String elementCssClass;
 	private String target;
 	boolean markIt = false;
 	private Object internalAttachedObj;
@@ -339,14 +338,6 @@ public class Link extends Component {
 		}
 		setDirty(true);
 	}
-	
-	public String getElementCssClass() {
-		return elementCssClass;
-	}
-
-	public void setElementCssClass(String elementCssClass) {
-		this.elementCssClass = elementCssClass;
-	}
 
 	public void removeCSS(){
 		this.presentation = presentationBeforeCustomCSS;
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/link/LinkRenderer.java b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/link/LinkRenderer.java
index a0ad96d2d35181fa2bd5480ac8c474cf4bf37645..da4a92752856631f2b43cd53f49a06a4fcd2f73b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/link/LinkRenderer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/link/LinkRenderer.java
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ import org.olat.core.gui.render.StringOutput;
 import org.olat.core.gui.render.URLBuilder;
 import org.olat.core.gui.translator.Translator;
 import org.olat.core.logging.AssertException;
-import org.olat.core.util.StringHelper;
 
 /**
  * Description: Renders the link component depending of features and style. 
@@ -85,9 +84,6 @@ public class LinkRenderer implements ComponentRenderer {
 		if (!link.isEnabled()) {
 			cssSb.append(" b_disabled ");
 		}
-		if(StringHelper.containsNonWhitespace(link.getElementCssClass())) {
-			cssSb.append(link.getElementCssClass()).append(" ");
-		}
 		if (presentation == Link.BUTTON_XSMALL) {
 			cssSb.append("b_button b_xsmall");
 		} else if (presentation == Link.BUTTON_SMALL) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/user/ChangePrefsController.java b/src/main/java/org/olat/user/ChangePrefsController.java
index e200dd649f00c763cd2a724074d7c20eb8f86c3c..dbc6e0b430e42ba11fc9167fa27c1de93c212435 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/user/ChangePrefsController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/user/ChangePrefsController.java
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ import org.olat.core.gui.components.form.flexible.elements.MultipleSelectionElem
 import org.olat.core.gui.components.form.flexible.elements.SingleSelection;
 import org.olat.core.gui.components.form.flexible.impl.FormBasicController;
 import org.olat.core.gui.components.form.flexible.impl.FormLayoutContainer;
-import org.olat.core.gui.components.form.flexible.impl.elements.FormCancel;
-import org.olat.core.gui.components.form.flexible.impl.elements.FormSubmit;
 import org.olat.core.gui.components.velocity.VelocityContainer;
 import org.olat.core.gui.control.Controller;
 import org.olat.core.gui.control.Event;
@@ -255,10 +253,9 @@ class SpecialPrefsForm extends FormBasicController {
 		
 		final FormLayoutContainer buttonLayout = FormLayoutContainer.createButtonLayout("button_layout", getTranslator());
 		formLayout.add(buttonLayout);
-		FormSubmit submitButton = uifactory.addFormSubmitButton("submit", buttonLayout);
-		submitButton.setElementCssClass("o_sel_home_settings_gui_submit");
-		FormCancel cancelButton = uifactory.addFormCancelButton("cancel", buttonLayout, ureq, getWindowControl());
-		cancelButton.setElementCssClass("o_sel_home_settings_gui_cancel");
+		buttonLayout.setElementCssClass("o_sel_home_settings_gui_buttons");
+		uifactory.addFormSubmitButton("submit", buttonLayout);
+		uifactory.addFormCancelButton("cancel", buttonLayout, ureq, getWindowControl());
 	}
 
 	private void update() {
@@ -334,8 +331,8 @@ class UserPrefsResetForm extends FormBasicController {
 		
 		final FormLayoutContainer buttonLayout = FormLayoutContainer.createButtonLayout("button_layout", getTranslator());
 		formLayout.add(buttonLayout);
-		FormSubmit submitButton = uifactory.addFormSubmitButton("reset.submit", buttonLayout);
-		submitButton.setElementCssClass("o_sel_home_settings_reset_sysprefs_submit");
+		buttonLayout.setElementCssClass("o_sel_home_settings_reset_sysprefs_buttons");
+		uifactory.addFormSubmitButton("reset.submit", buttonLayout);
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/user/PreferencesFormController.java b/src/main/java/org/olat/user/PreferencesFormController.java
index 938ef3eabb0d0d466d686f06eab5fcdd23929fdb..d090dfd79fd7327c551f374e0d16517984877294 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/user/PreferencesFormController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/user/PreferencesFormController.java
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@ import org.olat.core.gui.components.form.flexible.elements.StaticTextElement;
 import org.olat.core.gui.components.form.flexible.impl.FormBasicController;
 import org.olat.core.gui.components.form.flexible.impl.FormEvent;
 import org.olat.core.gui.components.form.flexible.impl.FormLayoutContainer;
-import org.olat.core.gui.components.form.flexible.impl.elements.FormCancel;
-import org.olat.core.gui.components.form.flexible.impl.elements.FormSubmit;
 import org.olat.core.gui.control.Controller;
 import org.olat.core.gui.control.Event;
 import org.olat.core.gui.control.WindowBackOffice;
@@ -143,6 +141,7 @@ public class PreferencesFormController extends FormBasicController {
 		// load preferences
 		Preferences prefs = tobeChangedIdentity.getUser().getPreferences();
 
+
 		// Username
 		StaticTextElement username = uifactory.addStaticTextElement("form.username", tobeChangedIdentity.getName(), formLayout);
 		username.setElementCssClass("o_sel_home_settings_username");
@@ -226,10 +225,9 @@ public class PreferencesFormController extends FormBasicController {
 		// Submit and cancel buttons
 		final FormLayoutContainer buttonLayout = FormLayoutContainer.createButtonLayout("button_layout", getTranslator());
 		formLayout.add(buttonLayout);
-		FormSubmit submitButton = uifactory.addFormSubmitButton("submit", buttonLayout);
-		submitButton.setElementCssClass("o_sel_home_settings_prefs_submit");
-		FormCancel cancelButton = uifactory.addFormCancelButton("cancel", buttonLayout, ureq, getWindowControl());
-		cancelButton.setElementCssClass("o_sel_home_settings_prefs_cancel");
+		buttonLayout.setElementCssClass("o_sel_home_settings_prefs_buttons");
+		uifactory.addFormSubmitButton("submit", buttonLayout);
+		uifactory.addFormCancelButton("cancel", buttonLayout, ureq, getWindowControl());
 	}
 
 	protected void formInnerEvent (UserRequest ureq, FormItem source, FormEvent event) {