diff --git a/muxplex/frontend/style.css b/muxplex/frontend/style.css
index c13659b..c7be667 100644
--- a/muxplex/frontend/style.css
+++ b/muxplex/frontend/style.css
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ body {
   padding: 6px 8px;
   font-family: var(--font-mono);
   font-size: 11px;
-  color: var(--text-dim);
+  color: #c9d1d9;               /* match xterm.js foreground */
   white-space: pre;
   overflow: hidden;
   margin: 0;
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ body {
   font-family: var(--font-mono);
   font-size: 10px;
   line-height: 1.4;
-  color: var(--text-muted);
+  color: #c9d1d9;               /* match xterm.js foreground */
   white-space: pre;
   padding: 0 8px 6px;
   margin: 0;
diff --git a/muxplex/tests/test_frontend_css.py b/muxplex/tests/test_frontend_css.py
index c22ef07..d0f7f18 100644
--- a/muxplex/tests/test_frontend_css.py
+++ b/muxplex/tests/test_frontend_css.py
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ def test_css_sidebar_item_body_pre():
     assert "right: 0" in block
     assert "font-size: 10px" in block
     assert "line-height: 1.4" in block
-    assert "color: var(--text-muted)" in block
+    assert "#c9d1d9" in block, "sidebar-item-body pre must match xterm.js foreground"
     assert "white-space: pre" in block
     assert "padding: 0 8px 6px" in block
     # Monospace font family via design token