diff --git a/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/console.cpp b/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/console.cpp
index 4072fd6eea..401595e816 100644
--- a/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/console.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/console.cpp
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ console_set_cursor(int32 x, int32 y)
 void 
 console_set_color(int32 foreground, int32 background)
 {
-	sColor = (background & 0x7) << 12 | (foreground & 0xf) << 8;
+	sColor = (background & 0xf) << 12 | (foreground & 0xf) << 8;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/console.h b/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/console.h
index 3084c69d5a..a093a373f1 100644
--- a/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/console.h
+++ b/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/console.h
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ enum console_color {
 	PURPLE,
 	BROWN,
 	GRAY,
-	// foreground colors only
+	// foreground colors only if blinking is enabled
 	DARK_GRAY,
 	BRIGHT_BLUE,
 	BRIGHT_GREEN,
diff --git a/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/menu.cpp b/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/menu.cpp
index 9a6c63ddd1..dc27a5c2fd 100644
--- a/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/menu.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/menu.cpp
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ static const console_color kItemBackgroundColor = kBackgroundColor;
 static const console_color kSelectedItemBackgroundColor = GRAY;
 static const console_color kDisabledColor = DARK_GRAY;
 
-static const console_color kSliderColor = GRAY;
-static const console_color kSliderBackgroundColor = CYAN;
-static const console_color kArrowColor = WHITE;
+static const console_color kSliderColor = CYAN;
+static const console_color kSliderBackgroundColor = DARK_GRAY;
+static const console_color kArrowColor = GRAY;
 
 static int32 sMenuOffset = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/video.cpp b/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/video.cpp
index 120cbe8768..0b2793d06f 100644
--- a/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/video.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/video.cpp
@@ -56,6 +56,21 @@ vga_set_palette(const uint8 *palette, int32 firstIndex, int32 numEntries)
 }
 
 
+static void
+vga_enable_bright_background_colors(void)
+{
+	// reset attribute controller
+	in8(0x03da);
+
+	// select mode control register
+	out8(0x30, 0x03c0);
+
+	// read mode control register, change it (we need to clear bit 3), and write it back
+	uint8 mode = in8(0x03c1) & 0xf7;
+	out8(mode, 0x3c0);
+}
+
+
 //	#pragma mark -
 //	VESA functions
 
@@ -222,11 +237,10 @@ vesa_set_mode(uint16 mode)
 static status_t
 vesa_set_palette(const uint8 *palette, int32 firstIndex, int32 numEntries)
 {
-#if 0
 	// is this an 8 bit indexed color mode?
-	if (gKernelArgs.fb.bit_depth = modeInfo.bits_per_pixel != 8)
+	if (gKernelArgs.frame_buffer.depth != 8)
 		return B_BAD_TYPE;
-#endif
+
 #if 0
 	struct bios_regs regs;
 	regs.eax = 0x4f09;
@@ -386,13 +400,18 @@ platform_switch_to_logo(void)
 extern "C" void
 platform_switch_to_text_mode(void)
 {
-	if (!gKernelArgs.frame_buffer.enabled)
+
+	if (!gKernelArgs.frame_buffer.enabled) {
+		vga_enable_bright_background_colors();
 		return;
+	}
 
 	bios_regs regs;
 	regs.eax = 3;
 	call_bios(0x10, &regs);
 	gKernelArgs.frame_buffer.enabled = 0;
+
+	vga_enable_bright_background_colors();
 }