diff --git a/colors.v b/colors.v
index ab8b3413..970006e0 100644
--- a/colors.v
+++ b/colors.v
@@ -41,3 +41,13 @@ pub const status_dark_lilac = tea.Color{ 154, 119, 209 }
 pub const status_cyan       = tea.Color{ 138, 222, 237 }
 pub const status_purple     = tea.Color{ 130, 144, 250 }
 
+pub fn fg_color(background_color tea.Color) tea.Color {
+	s_r := f32(background_color.r) / 255
+	s_g := f32(background_color.g) / 255
+	s_b := f32(background_color.b) / 255
+
+	luminance := 0.2126 * s_r + 0.7152 * s_g + 0.0722 * s_b
+
+	return if luminance > 0.5 { matte_black_fg_color } else { matte_white_fg_color }
+}
+
diff --git a/colors_test.v b/colors_test.v
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1b93179a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/colors_test.v
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+module palette
+
+import tauraamui.bobatea as tea
+
+fn test_fg_color_from_shades_of_bg() {
+	assert fg_color(tea.Color{ 10, 10, 10 })    == matte_white_fg_color
+	assert fg_color(tea.Color{ 200, 200, 200 }) == matte_black_fg_color
+}
+
diff --git a/editor.v b/editor.v
index 83895cdf..608c2ac5 100644
--- a/editor.v
+++ b/editor.v
@@ -194,7 +194,8 @@ fn (m EditorModel) view(mut ctx tea.Context) {
 }
 
 fn (m EditorModel) render_cursor(mut ctx tea.Context) {
-	ctx.set_bg_color(palette.matte_white_fg_color)
+	default_bg_color := ctx.get_default_bg_color() or { palette.matte_black_bg_color }
+	ctx.set_bg_color(palette.fg_color(default_bg_color))
 	ctx.draw_rect(m.cursor_pos.x, m.cursor_pos.y, 1, 1)
 	ctx.reset_bg_color()
 }
diff --git a/editor_workspace.v b/editor_workspace.v
index 586d627f..397009af 100644
--- a/editor_workspace.v
+++ b/editor_workspace.v
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ fn (m EditorWorkspaceModel) render_status_blocks(mut ctx tea.Context) {
 	ctx.push_offset(tea.Offset{ x: 2 })
 
 	file_name_label := m.active_file_name()
-	ctx.set_color(palette.matte_white_fg_color)
+	ctx.set_color(palette.fg_color(palette.status_file_name_bg_color))
 	ctx.set_bg_color(palette.status_file_name_bg_color)
 	ctx.draw_text(0, 0, file_name_label)
 	ctx.reset_bg_color()
diff --git a/main.v b/main.v
index d4db8707..5e50dd90 100644
--- a/main.v
+++ b/main.v
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import tauraamui.bobatea as tea
 import palette
 
 fn main() {
-	mut petal_model := PetalModel.new(palette.theme_bg_color)
+	mut petal_model := PetalModel.new(palette.theme_bg_color, palette.fg_color(palette.theme_bg_color))
 	mut app := tea.new_program(mut petal_model)
 	petal_model.app_send = app.send
 	app.run() or { panic('something went wrong! ${err}') }
diff --git a/petal.v b/petal.v
index 8f8e92db..17936e08 100644
--- a/petal.v
+++ b/petal.v
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ const dot = '•'
 struct PetalModel {
 mut:
 	app_send                ?fn (tea.Msg)
+	theme_fg_color          ?tea.Color
 	theme_bg_color          ?tea.Color
 	first_frame             bool
 	active_screen           DebuggableModel // all screens are debuggable to help with live, well... debugging
@@ -17,9 +18,10 @@ mut:
 	last_resize_height      int
 }
 
-fn PetalModel.new(theme_bg_color ?tea.Color) PetalModel {
+fn PetalModel.new(theme_bg_color ?tea.Color, theme_fg_color ?tea.Color) PetalModel {
 	return PetalModel{
 		theme_bg_color: theme_bg_color
+		theme_fg_color: theme_fg_color
 		first_frame: true
 		active_screen: SplashScreenModel.new()
 	}
@@ -91,6 +93,10 @@ fn (mut m PetalModel) update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, ?tea.Cmd) {
 
 fn (mut m PetalModel) view(mut ctx tea.Context) {
 	if m.first_frame {
+		if fg_color := m.theme_fg_color {
+			ctx.set_default_fg_color(fg_color)
+		}
+
 		if bg_color := m.theme_bg_color {
 			ctx.set_default_bg_color(bg_color)
 		}