diff --git a/src/browser/Color.test.ts b/src/browser/Color.test.ts
index 44cd52f32..a8e4fa03d 100644
--- a/src/browser/Color.test.ts
+++ b/src/browser/Color.test.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  */
 
 import { assert } from 'chai';
-import { blend, fromCss, toPaddedHex, toCss, toRgba } from 'browser/Color';
+import { blend, fromCss, toPaddedHex, toCss, toRgba, rgbRelativeLuminance, contrastRatio } from 'browser/Color';
 
 describe('Color', () => {
   describe('blend', () => {
@@ -135,4 +135,26 @@ describe('Color', () => {
       assert.equal(toRgba(0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff), 0xffffffff);
     });
   });
+  describe('rgbRelativeLuminance', () => {
+    it('should calculate the relative luminance of the color', () => {
+      assert.equal(rgbRelativeLuminance(0x000000), 0);
+
+      // TODO: Fill in tests
+
+      assert.equal(rgbRelativeLuminance(0xFFFFFF), 1);
+    });
+  });
+  describe('contrastRatio', () => {
+    it('should calculate the relative luminance of the color', () => {
+      assert.equal(contrastRatio(0, 0), 1);
+
+      // TODO: Fill in tests
+
+      assert.equal(contrastRatio(0, 1), 21);
+    });
+    it('should work regardless of the parameter order', () => {
+      assert.equal(contrastRatio(0, 1), 21);
+      assert.equal(contrastRatio(1, 0), 21);
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/browser/Color.ts b/src/browser/Color.ts
index a8ce2d16a..4063e4c19 100644
--- a/src/browser/Color.ts
+++ b/src/browser/Color.ts
@@ -47,3 +47,102 @@ export function toRgba(r: number, g: number, b: number, a: number = 0xFF): numbe
   // >>> 0 forces an unsigned int
   return (r << 24 | g << 16 | b << 8 | a) >>> 0;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Gets the relative luminance of an RGB color, this is useful in determining the contrast ratio
+ * between two colors.
+ * @param rgb The color to use.
+ * @see https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/#relativeluminancedef
+ */
+export function rgbRelativeLuminance(rgb: number): number {
+  return rgbRelativeLuminance2(
+    (rgb >> 16) & 0xFF,
+    (rgb >> 8 ) & 0xFF,
+    (rgb      ) & 0xFF);
+}
+
+export function rgbRelativeLuminance2(r: number, g: number, b: number): number {
+  const rs = r / 255;
+  const gs = g / 255;
+  const bs = b / 255;
+  const rr = rs <= 0.03928 ? rs / 12.92 : Math.pow((rs + 0.055) / 1.055, 2.4);
+  const rg = gs <= 0.03928 ? gs / 12.92 : Math.pow((gs + 0.055) / 1.055, 2.4);
+  const rb = bs <= 0.03928 ? bs / 12.92 : Math.pow((bs + 0.055) / 1.055, 2.4);
+  return rr * 0.2126 + rg * 0.7152 + rb * 0.0722;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Gets the contrast ratio between two relative luminance values.
+ * @param l1 The first relative luminance.
+ * @param l2 The first relative luminance.
+ *
+ * // TODO: Is this link right?
+ * @see https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/#contrastratio
+ */
+export function contrastRatio(l1: number, l2: number): number {
+  if (l1 < l2) {
+    return (l2 + 0.05) / (l1 + 0.05);
+  }
+  return (l1 + 0.05) / (l2 + 0.05);
+}
+
+// TODO: Cache [bg][fg]: result, should probably be owned by ColorManager?
+
+export function ensureContrastRatio(bg: IColor, fg: IColor, ratio: number): IColor | undefined {
+  const bgL = rgbRelativeLuminance(bg.rgba >> 8);
+  const fgL = rgbRelativeLuminance(fg.rgba >> 8);
+  const cr = contrastRatio(bgL, fgL);
+  if (cr < ratio) {
+    if (fgL < bgL) {
+      return reduceLuminance(bg, fg, ratio);
+    }
+    return increaseLuminance(bg, fg, ratio);
+  }
+  return undefined;
+}
+
+export function reduceLuminance(bg: IColor, fg: IColor, ratio: number): IColor {
+  // This is a naive but fast approach to reducing luminance as converting to
+  // HSL and back is expensive
+  const bgR = (bg.rgba >> 24) & 0xFF;
+  const bgG = (bg.rgba >> 16) & 0xFF;
+  const bgB = (bg.rgba >>  8) & 0xFF;
+  let fgR = (fg.rgba >> 24) & 0xFF;
+  let fgG = (fg.rgba >> 16) & 0xFF;
+  let fgB = (fg.rgba >>  8) & 0xFF;
+  let cr = contrastRatio(rgbRelativeLuminance2(fgR, fgB, fgG), rgbRelativeLuminance2(bgR, bgG, bgB));
+  while (cr < ratio && (fgR > 0 || fgG > 0 || fgB > 0)) {
+    // Increase by 10% (ceil) until the ratio is hit
+    fgR -= Math.max(0, Math.ceil(fgR * 0.1));
+    fgG -= Math.max(0, Math.ceil(fgG * 0.1));
+    fgB -= Math.max(0, Math.ceil(fgB * 0.1));
+    cr = contrastRatio(rgbRelativeLuminance2(fgR, fgB, fgG), rgbRelativeLuminance2(bgR, bgG, bgB));
+  }
+  return {
+    css: toCss(fgR, fgG, fgB),
+    rgba: toRgba(fgR, fgG, fgB)
+  };
+}
+
+export function increaseLuminance(bg: IColor, fg: IColor, ratio: number): IColor {
+  // This is a naive but fast approach to increasing luminance as converting to
+  // HSL and back is expensive
+  const bgR = (bg.rgba >> 24) & 0xFF;
+  const bgG = (bg.rgba >> 16) & 0xFF;
+  const bgB = (bg.rgba >>  8) & 0xFF;
+  let fgR = (fg.rgba >> 24) & 0xFF;
+  let fgG = (fg.rgba >> 16) & 0xFF;
+  let fgB = (fg.rgba >>  8) & 0xFF;
+  let cr = contrastRatio(rgbRelativeLuminance2(fgR, fgB, fgG), rgbRelativeLuminance2(bgR, bgG, bgB));
+  while (cr < ratio && (fgR < 0xFF || fgG < 0xFF || fgB < 0xFF)) {
+    // Increase by 10% until the ratio is hit
+    fgR = Math.min(0xFF, fgR + Math.floor((255 - fgR) * 0.1));
+    fgG = Math.min(0xFF, fgG + Math.floor((255 - fgG) * 0.1));
+    fgB = Math.min(0xFF, fgB + Math.floor((255 - fgB) * 0.1));
+    cr = contrastRatio(rgbRelativeLuminance2(fgR, fgB, fgG), rgbRelativeLuminance2(bgR, bgG, bgB));
+  }
+  return {
+    css: toCss(fgR, fgG, fgB),
+    rgba: toRgba(fgR, fgG, fgB)
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/browser/renderer/dom/DomRenderer.ts b/src/browser/renderer/dom/DomRenderer.ts
index e8fc85f66..23c5a3a19 100644
--- a/src/browser/renderer/dom/DomRenderer.ts
+++ b/src/browser/renderer/dom/DomRenderer.ts
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ export class DomRenderer extends Disposable implements IRenderer {
     this._updateDimensions();
     this._injectCss();
 
-    this._rowFactory = new DomRendererRowFactory(document, this._optionsService);
+    this._rowFactory = new DomRendererRowFactory(document, this._optionsService, this._colors);
 
     this._element.classList.add(TERMINAL_CLASS_PREFIX + this._terminalClass);
     this._screenElement.appendChild(this._rowContainer);
diff --git a/src/browser/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.test.ts b/src/browser/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.test.ts
index b76d644d6..bb9d97b64 100644
--- a/src/browser/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.test.ts
+++ b/src/browser/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.test.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ describe('DomRendererRowFactory', () => {
 
   beforeEach(() => {
     dom = new jsdom.JSDOM('');
-    rowFactory = new DomRendererRowFactory(dom.window.document, new MockOptionsService({ drawBoldTextInBrightColors: true }));
+    rowFactory = new DomRendererRowFactory(dom.window.document, new MockOptionsService({ drawBoldTextInBrightColors: true }), {} as any);
     lineData = createEmptyLineData(2);
   });
 
diff --git a/src/browser/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.ts b/src/browser/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.ts
index 3e3b5df0d..2c206f33d 100644
--- a/src/browser/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.ts
+++ b/src/browser/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.ts
@@ -6,9 +6,11 @@
 import { IBufferLine } from 'common/Types';
 import { INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR } from 'browser/renderer/atlas/Constants';
 import { AttributeData } from 'common/buffer/AttributeData';
-import { NULL_CELL_CODE, WHITESPACE_CELL_CHAR } from 'common/buffer/Constants';
+import { NULL_CELL_CODE, WHITESPACE_CELL_CHAR, Attributes } from 'common/buffer/Constants';
 import { CellData } from 'common/buffer/CellData';
 import { IOptionsService } from 'common/services/Services';
+import { rgbRelativeLuminance, fromCss, contrastRatio, ensureContrastRatio } from 'browser/Color';
+import { IColorSet, IColor } from 'browser/Types';
 
 export const BOLD_CLASS = 'xterm-bold';
 export const DIM_CLASS = 'xterm-dim';
@@ -24,11 +26,16 @@ export class DomRendererRowFactory {
   private _workCell: CellData = new CellData();
 
   constructor(
-    private _document: Document,
-    private _optionsService: IOptionsService
+    private readonly _document: Document,
+    private readonly _optionsService: IOptionsService,
+    private _colors: IColorSet
   ) {
   }
 
+  public setColors(colors: IColorSet): void {
+    this._colors = colors;
+  }
+
   public createRow(lineData: IBufferLine, isCursorRow: boolean, cursorStyle: string | undefined, cursorX: number, cursorBlink: boolean, cellWidth: number, cols: number): DocumentFragment {
     const fragment = this._document.createDocumentFragment();
 
@@ -97,36 +104,75 @@ export class DomRendererRowFactory {
 
       charElement.textContent = this._workCell.getChars() || WHITESPACE_CELL_CHAR;
 
-      const swapColor = this._workCell.isInverse();
-
-      // fg
-      if (this._workCell.isFgRGB()) {
-        let style = charElement.getAttribute('style') || '';
-        style += `${swapColor ? 'background-' : ''}color:rgb(${(AttributeData.toColorRGB(this._workCell.getFgColor())).join(',')});`;
-        charElement.setAttribute('style', style);
-      } else if (this._workCell.isFgPalette()) {
-        let fg = this._workCell.getFgColor();
-        if (this._workCell.isBold() && fg < 8 && !swapColor && this._optionsService.options.drawBoldTextInBrightColors) {
-          fg += 8;
-        }
-        charElement.classList.add(`xterm-${swapColor ? 'b' : 'f'}g-${fg}`);
-      } else if (swapColor) {
-        charElement.classList.add(`xterm-bg-${INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR}`);
+      let fg = this._workCell.getFgColor();
+      let fgColorMode = this._workCell.getFgColorMode();
+      let bg = this._workCell.getBgColor();
+      let bgColorMode = this._workCell.getBgColorMode();
+      const isInverse = !!this._workCell.isInverse();
+      if (isInverse) {
+        const temp = fg;
+        fg = bg;
+        bg = temp;
+        const temp2 = fgColorMode;
+        fgColorMode = bgColorMode;
+        bgColorMode = temp2;
       }
 
-      // bg
-      if (this._workCell.isBgRGB()) {
-        let style = charElement.getAttribute('style') || '';
-        style += `${swapColor ? '' : 'background-'}color:rgb(${(AttributeData.toColorRGB(this._workCell.getBgColor())).join(',')});`;
-        charElement.setAttribute('style', style);
-      } else if (this._workCell.isBgPalette()) {
-        charElement.classList.add(`xterm-${swapColor ? 'f' : 'b'}g-${this._workCell.getBgColor()}`);
-      } else if (swapColor) {
-        charElement.classList.add(`xterm-fg-${INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR}`);
+      // Foreground
+      switch (fgColorMode) {
+        case Attributes.CM_P16:
+        case Attributes.CM_P256:
+          if (this._workCell.isBold() && fg < 8 && this._optionsService.options.drawBoldTextInBrightColors) {
+            fg += 8;
+          }
+          if (!this._applyMinimumContrast(charElement, this._colors.background, this._colors.ansi[fg])) {
+            charElement.classList.add(`xterm-fg-${fg}`);
+          }
+          break;
+        case Attributes.CM_RGB:
+          charElement.setAttribute('style', `${charElement.getAttribute('style') || ''}color:rgb(${(AttributeData.toColorRGB(fg)).join(',')});`);
+          break;
+        case Attributes.CM_DEFAULT:
+        default:
+          if (!this._applyMinimumContrast(charElement, this._colors.background, this._colors.foreground)) {
+            if (isInverse) {
+              charElement.classList.add(`xterm-fg-${INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR}`);
+            }
+          }
+      }
+
+      // Background
+      switch (bgColorMode) {
+        case Attributes.CM_P16:
+        case Attributes.CM_P256:
+          charElement.classList.add(`xterm-bg-${bg}`);
+          break;
+        case Attributes.CM_RGB:
+          charElement.setAttribute('style', `${charElement.getAttribute('style') || ''}background-color:rgb(${(AttributeData.toColorRGB(bg)).join(',')});`);
+          break;
+        case Attributes.CM_DEFAULT:
+        default:
+          if (isInverse) {
+            charElement.classList.add(`xterm-bg-${INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR}`);
+          }
       }
 
       fragment.appendChild(charElement);
     }
     return fragment;
   }
+
+  private _applyMinimumContrast(element: HTMLElement, bg: IColor, fg: IColor): boolean {
+    if (this._optionsService.options.minimumContrastRatio === 1) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    const adustedColor = ensureContrastRatio(bg, fg, this._optionsService.options.minimumContrastRatio);
+    if (adustedColor) {
+      element.setAttribute('style', `${element.getAttribute('style') || ''}color:${adustedColor.css}`);
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/common/services/OptionsService.ts b/src/common/services/OptionsService.ts
index d9ea60d5a..9174398ec 100644
--- a/src/common/services/OptionsService.ts
+++ b/src/common/services/OptionsService.ts
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ export const DEFAULT_OPTIONS: ITerminalOptions = Object.freeze({
   screenReaderMode: false,
   macOptionIsMeta: false,
   macOptionClickForcesSelection: false,
+  minimumContrastRatio: 6,
   disableStdin: false,
   allowTransparency: false,
   tabStopWidth: 8,
@@ -116,6 +117,8 @@ export class OptionsService implements IOptionsService {
           throw new Error(`${key} cannot be less than 1, value: ${value}`);
         }
         break;
+      case 'minimumContrastRatio':
+        value = Math.max(1, Math.min(21, Math.round(value * 10) / 10));
       case 'scrollback':
         value = Math.min(value, 4294967295);
         if (value < 0) {
diff --git a/src/common/services/Services.ts b/src/common/services/Services.ts
index e4ff90d0f..1a39cced7 100644
--- a/src/common/services/Services.ts
+++ b/src/common/services/Services.ts
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ export interface ITerminalOptions {
   logLevel: LogLevel;
   macOptionIsMeta: boolean;
   macOptionClickForcesSelection: boolean;
+  minimumContrastRatio: number;
   rendererType: RendererType;
   rightClickSelectsWord: boolean;
   rows: number;
diff --git a/typings/xterm.d.ts b/typings/xterm.d.ts
index 9728a72cb..b49ed04bf 100644
--- a/typings/xterm.d.ts
+++ b/typings/xterm.d.ts
@@ -148,6 +148,14 @@ declare module 'xterm' {
      */
     macOptionClickForcesSelection?: boolean;
 
+    /**
+     * The minimum contrast ratio for text in the terminal, setting this will
+     * change the foreground color dynamically depending on whether the contrast
+     * ratio is met. This can be to set 0.1 increments between 1 (default, do
+     * nothing) and 21 (foreground will be black or white).
+     */
+    minimumContrastRatio?: number;
+
     /**
      * The type of renderer to use, this allows using the fallback DOM renderer
      * when canvas is too slow for the environment. The following features do