diff --git a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/syntax.test.ts b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/syntax.test.ts
index 505988b2ab..603b7be39e 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/syntax.test.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/syntax.test.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ describe('syntax highlighter', () => {
 
     expect(colors).toContain(t.color.bronze) // const
     expect(colors).toContain(t.color.amber) // 'hi'
-    expect(colors).toContain(t.color.cornsilk) // 42
+    expect(colors).toContain(t.color.text) // 42
   })
 
   it('falls through unchanged for unknown langs', () => {
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/agentsOverlay.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/agentsOverlay.tsx
index 6d3917bf73..0470f9200f 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/agentsOverlay.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/agentsOverlay.tsx
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ function Field({ name, t, value }: { name: string; t: Theme; value: ReactNode })
   return (
     <Text wrap="truncate-end">
       <Text color={t.color.label}>{name} · </Text>
-      <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>{value}</Text>
+      <Text color={t.color.text}>{value}</Text>
     </Text>
   )
 }
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ function Detail({ id, node, t }: { id?: string; node: SubagentNode; t: Theme })
 
   return (
     <Box flexDirection="column">
-      <Text bold color={t.color.cornsilk} wrap="wrap">
+      <Text bold color={t.color.text} wrap="wrap">
         {id ? <Text color={t.color.amber}>#{id} </Text> : null}
         <Text color={color}>{glyph}</Text> {item.goal}
       </Text>
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ function Detail({ id, node, t }: { id?: string; node: SubagentNode; t: Theme })
           ))}
 
           {filesRead.slice(0, 8).map((p, i) => (
-            <Text color={t.color.cornsilk} key={`r-${i}`} wrap="truncate-end">
+            <Text color={t.color.text} key={`r-${i}`} wrap="truncate-end">
               <Text color={t.color.dim}>·</Text> {p}
             </Text>
           ))}
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ function Detail({ id, node, t }: { id?: string; node: SubagentNode; t: Theme })
       {toolLines.length > 0 ? (
         <OverlaySection count={toolLines.length} defaultOpen t={t} title="Tool calls">
           {toolLines.map((line, i) => (
-            <Text color={t.color.cornsilk} key={i} wrap="wrap">
+            <Text color={t.color.text} key={i} wrap="wrap">
               <Text color={t.color.dim}>·</Text> {line}
             </Text>
           ))}
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ function Detail({ id, node, t }: { id?: string; node: SubagentNode; t: Theme })
       {outputTail.length > 0 ? (
         <OverlaySection count={outputTail.length} defaultOpen t={t} title="Output">
           {outputTail.map((entry, i) => (
-            <Text color={entry.isError ? t.color.error : t.color.cornsilk} key={i} wrap="wrap">
+            <Text color={entry.isError ? t.color.error : t.color.text} key={i} wrap="wrap">
               <Text bold color={entry.isError ? t.color.error : t.color.amber}>
                 {entry.tool}
               </Text>{' '}
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ function Detail({ id, node, t }: { id?: string; node: SubagentNode; t: Theme })
       {item.notes.length ? (
         <OverlaySection count={item.notes.length} t={t} title="Progress">
           {item.notes.slice(-6).map((line, i) => (
-            <Text color={t.color.cornsilk} key={i} wrap="wrap">
+            <Text color={t.color.text} key={i} wrap="wrap">
               <Text color={t.color.label}>·</Text> {line}
             </Text>
           ))}
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@ function Detail({ id, node, t }: { id?: string; node: SubagentNode; t: Theme })
 
       {item.summary ? (
         <OverlaySection defaultOpen t={t} title="Summary">
-          <Text color={t.color.cornsilk} wrap="wrap">
+          <Text color={t.color.text} wrap="wrap">
             {item.summary}
           </Text>
         </OverlaySection>
@@ -552,7 +552,7 @@ function ListRow({
   const paren = line ? line.indexOf('(') : -1
   const toolShort = line ? (paren > 0 ? line.slice(0, paren) : line).trim() : ''
   const trailing = toolShort ? ` · ${compactPreview(toolShort, 14)}` : ''
-  const fg = active ? t.color.amber : t.color.cornsilk
+  const fg = active ? t.color.amber : t.color.text
 
   return (
     <Text bold={active} color={fg} inverse={active} wrap="truncate-end">
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ function DiffPane({
 }) {
   return (
     <Box flexDirection="column" width={width}>
-      <Text bold color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+      <Text bold color={t.color.text}>
         {label}
       </Text>
 
@@ -661,20 +661,20 @@ function DiffView({
           Δ
         </Text>
 
-        <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+        <Text color={t.color.text}>
           {diffMetricLine('agents', aTotals.descendantCount, bTotals.descendantCount, round)}
         </Text>
-        <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>{diffMetricLine('tools', aTotals.totalTools, bTotals.totalTools, round)}</Text>
-        <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+        <Text color={t.color.text}>{diffMetricLine('tools', aTotals.totalTools, bTotals.totalTools, round)}</Text>
+        <Text color={t.color.text}>
           {diffMetricLine('depth', aTotals.maxDepthFromHere, bTotals.maxDepthFromHere, round)}
         </Text>
-        <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+        <Text color={t.color.text}>
           {diffMetricLine('duration', aTotals.totalDuration, bTotals.totalDuration, n => `${n.toFixed(1)}s`)}
         </Text>
-        <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+        <Text color={t.color.text}>
           {diffMetricLine('tokens', sumTokens(aTotals), sumTokens(bTotals), fmtTokens)}
         </Text>
-        <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>{diffMetricLine('cost', aTotals.costUsd, bTotals.costUsd, dollars)}</Text>
+        <Text color={t.color.text}>{diffMetricLine('cost', aTotals.costUsd, bTotals.costUsd, dollars)}</Text>
       </Box>
     </Box>
   )
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/appChrome.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/appChrome.tsx
index 42015e11f4..06f870d206 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/appChrome.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/appChrome.tsx
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ import type { Theme } from '../theme.js'
 import type { Msg, Usage } from '../types.js'
 
 const FACE_TICK_MS = 2500
-const HEART_COLORS = ['#ff5fa2', '#ff4d6d']
-
 function FaceTicker({ color, startedAt }: { color: string; startedAt?: null | number }) {
   const [tick, setTick] = useState(() => Math.floor(Math.random() * 1000))
   const [now, setNow] = useState(() => Date.now())
@@ -169,7 +167,7 @@ export function GoodVibesHeart({ tick, t }: { tick: number; t: Theme }) {
       return
     }
 
-    const palette = [...HEART_COLORS, t.color.amber]
+    const palette = [t.color.error, t.color.warn, t.color.amber]
     setColor(palette[Math.floor(Math.random() * palette.length)]!)
     setActive(true)
 
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/appLayout.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/appLayout.tsx
index d8a9d0f5f2..8377629718 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/appLayout.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/appLayout.tsx
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ const ComposerPane = memo(function ComposerPane({
                   <Text color={ui.theme.color.dim}>{i === 0 ? `${ui.theme.brand.prompt} ` : '  '}</Text>
                 </Box>
 
-                <Text color={ui.theme.color.cornsilk}>{line || ' '}</Text>
+                <Text color={ui.theme.color.text}>{line || ' '}</Text>
               </Box>
             ))}
 
@@ -262,6 +262,7 @@ export const AppLayout = memo(function AppLayout({
   transcript
 }: AppLayoutProps) {
   const overlay = useStore($overlayState)
+  const ui = useStore($uiState)
 
   // Inline mode skips AlternateScreen so the host terminal's native
   // scrollback captures rows scrolled off the top; composer + progress
@@ -302,7 +303,7 @@ export const AppLayout = memo(function AppLayout({
 
             {SHOW_FPS && (
               <Box flexShrink={0} justifyContent="flex-end" paddingRight={1}>
-                <FpsOverlay />
+                <FpsOverlay t={ui.theme} />
               </Box>
             )}
           </>
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/branding.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/branding.tsx
index d66cbdb622..97e69cac2d 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/branding.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/branding.tsx
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ export function SessionPanel({ info, sid, t }: SessionPanelProps) {
         {shown.map(([k, vs]) => (
           <Text key={k} wrap="truncate">
             <Text color={t.color.dim}>{strip(k)}: </Text>
-            <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>{truncLine(strip(k) + ': ', vs)}</Text>
+            <Text color={t.color.text}>{truncLine(strip(k) + ': ', vs)}</Text>
           </Text>
         ))}
 
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ export function SessionPanel({ info, sid, t }: SessionPanelProps) {
                 <Text color={t.color.dim}>{`[${s.transport}]`}</Text>
                 <Text color={t.color.dim}>: </Text>
                 {s.connected ? (
-                  <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+                  <Text color={t.color.text}>
                     {s.tools} tool{s.tools === 1 ? '' : 's'}
                   </Text>
                 ) : (
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ export function SessionPanel({ info, sid, t }: SessionPanelProps) {
 
         <Text />
 
-        <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+        <Text color={t.color.text}>
           {flat(info.tools).length} tools{' · '}
           {flat(info.skills).length} skills
           {info.mcp_servers?.length ? ` · ${info.mcp_servers.length} MCP` : ''}
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ export function SessionPanel({ info, sid, t }: SessionPanelProps) {
         </Text>
 
         {learningLine && (
-          <Text color={t.color.cornsilk} dimColor italic>
+          <Text color={t.color.text} dimColor italic>
             {learningLine} · /learned
           </Text>
         )}
@@ -217,12 +217,12 @@ export function Panel({ sections, t, title }: PanelProps) {
           {sec.rows?.map(([k, v], ri) => (
             <Text key={ri} wrap="truncate">
               <Text color={t.color.dim}>{k.padEnd(20)}</Text>
-              <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>{v}</Text>
+              <Text color={t.color.text}>{v}</Text>
             </Text>
           ))}
 
           {sec.items?.map((item, ii) => (
-            <Text color={t.color.cornsilk} key={ii} wrap="truncate">
+            <Text color={t.color.text} key={ii} wrap="truncate">
               {item}
             </Text>
           ))}
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/fpsOverlay.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/fpsOverlay.tsx
index f6fc748656..4400c9d44a 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/fpsOverlay.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/fpsOverlay.tsx
@@ -5,23 +5,25 @@ import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
 
 import { SHOW_FPS } from '../config/env.js'
 import { $fpsState } from '../lib/fpsStore.js'
+import type { Theme } from '../theme.js'
 
-const fpsColor = (fps: number) => (fps >= 50 ? 'green' : fps >= 30 ? 'yellow' : 'red')
+const fpsColor = (fps: number, t: Theme) =>
+  fps >= 50 ? t.color.statusGood : fps >= 30 ? t.color.statusWarn : t.color.error
 
-export function FpsOverlay() {
+export function FpsOverlay({ t }: { t: Theme }) {
   if (!SHOW_FPS) {
     return null
   }
 
-  return <FpsOverlayInner />
+  return <FpsOverlayInner t={t} />
 }
 
-function FpsOverlayInner() {
+function FpsOverlayInner({ t }: { t: Theme }) {
   const { fps, lastDurationMs, totalFrames } = useStore($fpsState)
 
   // Zero-pad widths so digit churn doesn't jitter the corner.
   return (
-    <Text color={fpsColor(fps)}>
+    <Text color={fpsColor(fps, t)}>
       {fps.toFixed(1).padStart(5)}fps · {lastDurationMs.toFixed(1).padStart(5)}ms · #{totalFrames}
     </Text>
   )
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/learningLedger.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/learningLedger.tsx
index fb3550a942..6d0877a9cd 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/learningLedger.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/learningLedger.tsx
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ function LedgerDetails({ item, t, width }: LedgerDetailsProps) {
       <Text color={t.color.gold} wrap="truncate-end">
         {memoryLike ? item.name : item.summary}
       </Text>
-      {memoryLike ? <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>{item.summary}</Text> : null}
+      {memoryLike ? <Text color={t.color.text}>{item.summary}</Text> : null}
       {item.count ? <Text color={t.color.dim}>used: {item.count}×</Text> : null}
       {item.learned_from ? <Text color={t.color.dim}>from: {item.learned_from}</Text> : null}
       {item.via ? <Text color={t.color.dim}>via: {item.via}</Text> : null}
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/prompts.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/prompts.tsx
index 1be68da178..be607389a1 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/prompts.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/prompts.tsx
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ export function ApprovalPrompt({ onChoice, req, t }: ApprovalPromptProps) {
 
       <Box flexDirection="column" paddingLeft={1}>
         {shown.map((line, i) => (
-          <Text color={t.color.cornsilk} key={i} wrap="truncate-end">
+          <Text color={t.color.text} key={i} wrap="truncate-end">
             {line || ' '}
           </Text>
         ))}
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ export function ClarifyPrompt({ cols = 80, onAnswer, onCancel, req, t }: Clarify
   const heading = (
     <Text bold>
       <Text color={t.color.amber}>ask</Text>
-      <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}> {req.question}</Text>
+      <Text color={t.color.text}> {req.question}</Text>
     </Text>
   )
 
@@ -185,8 +185,8 @@ export function ConfirmPrompt({ onCancel, onConfirm, req, t }: ConfirmPromptProp
   const accent = req.danger ? t.color.error : t.color.warn
 
   const rows = [
-    { color: t.color.cornsilk, label: req.cancelLabel ?? 'No' },
-    { color: req.danger ? t.color.error : t.color.cornsilk, label: req.confirmLabel ?? 'Yes' }
+    { color: t.color.text, label: req.cancelLabel ?? 'No' },
+    { color: req.danger ? t.color.error : t.color.text, label: req.confirmLabel ?? 'Yes' }
   ]
 
   return (
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ export function ConfirmPrompt({ onCancel, onConfirm, req, t }: ConfirmPromptProp
 
       {req.detail ? (
         <Box paddingLeft={1}>
-          <Text color={t.color.cornsilk} wrap="truncate-end">
+          <Text color={t.color.text} wrap="truncate-end">
             {req.detail}
           </Text>
         </Box>
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/skillsHub.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/skillsHub.tsx
index 3284b145f5..bd9c84091f 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/skillsHub.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/skillsHub.tsx
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ export function SkillsHub({ gw, onClose, t }: SkillsHubProps) {
       </Text>
 
       <Text color={t.color.dim}>{info?.category ?? selectedCat}</Text>
-      {info?.description ? <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>{info.description}</Text> : null}
+      {info?.description ? <Text color={t.color.text}>{info.description}</Text> : null}
       {info?.path ? <Text color={t.color.dim}>path: {info.path}</Text> : null}
       {!info && !err ? <Text color={t.color.dim}>loading…</Text> : null}
       {err ? <Text color={t.color.label}>error: {err}</Text> : null}
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/thinking.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/thinking.tsx
index 0c2b9549c8..73fa948370 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/thinking.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/thinking.tsx
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ function SubagentAccordion({
           {item.tools.map((line, index) => (
             <TreeTextRow
               branch={index === item.tools.length - 1 ? 'last' : 'mid'}
-              color={t.color.cornsilk}
+              color={t.color.text}
               content={
                 <>
                   <Text color={t.color.amber}>● </Text>
@@ -792,7 +792,7 @@ export const ToolTrail = memo(function ToolTrail({
 
     if (parsed) {
       groups.push({
-        color: parsed.mark === '✗' ? t.color.error : t.color.cornsilk,
+        color: parsed.mark === '✗' ? t.color.error : t.color.text,
         content: parsed.call,
         details: [],
         key: `tr-${i}`,
@@ -815,7 +815,7 @@ export const ToolTrail = memo(function ToolTrail({
       const label = toolTrailLabel(line.slice(9).replace(/…$/, '').trim())
 
       groups.push({
-        color: t.color.cornsilk,
+        color: t.color.text,
         content: label,
         details: [{ color: t.color.dim, content: 'drafting...', dimColor: true, key: `tr-${i}-d` }],
         key: `tr-${i}`,
@@ -849,7 +849,7 @@ export const ToolTrail = memo(function ToolTrail({
     const label = formatToolCall(tool.name, tool.context || '')
 
     groups.push({
-      color: t.color.cornsilk,
+      color: t.color.text,
       key: tool.id,
       label,
       details: [],
@@ -1001,7 +1001,7 @@ export const ToolTrail = memo(function ToolTrail({
           <Text color={t.color.dim} dim={!thinkingLive}>
             <Text color={t.color.amber}>{openThinking ? '▾ ' : '▸ '}</Text>
             {thinkingLive ? (
-              <Text bold color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+              <Text bold color={t.color.text}>
                 Thinking
               </Text>
             ) : (
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/todoPanel.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/todoPanel.tsx
index 9480ee0af8..38caeffb93 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/todoPanel.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/todoPanel.tsx
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import type { TodoItem } from '../types.js'
 const rowColor = (t: Theme, status: TodoItem['status']) => {
   const tone = todoTone(status)
 
-  return tone === 'active' ? t.color.cornsilk : tone === 'body' ? t.color.statusFg : t.color.dim
+  return tone === 'active' ? t.color.text : tone === 'body' ? t.color.statusFg : t.color.dim
 }
 
 export const TodoPanel = memo(function TodoPanel({
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ export const TodoPanel = memo(function TodoPanel({
       <Box onClick={handleToggle}>
         <Text color={t.color.dim}>
           <Text color={t.color.amber}>{effectiveCollapsed ? '▸ ' : '▾ '}</Text>
-          <Text bold color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+          <Text bold color={t.color.text}>
             Todo
           </Text>{' '}
           <Text color={t.color.statusFg} dim>
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/domain/roles.ts b/ui-tui/src/domain/roles.ts
index f92d175e65..6046d6355a 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/domain/roles.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/domain/roles.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import type { Theme } from '../theme.js'
 import type { Role } from '../types.js'
 
 export const ROLE: Record<Role, (t: Theme) => { body: string; glyph: string; prefix: string }> = {
-  assistant: t => ({ body: t.color.cornsilk, glyph: t.brand.tool, prefix: t.color.bronze }),
+  assistant: t => ({ body: t.color.text, glyph: t.brand.tool, prefix: t.color.bronze }),
   system: t => ({ body: '', glyph: '·', prefix: t.color.dim }),
   tool: t => ({ body: t.color.dim, glyph: '⚡', prefix: t.color.dim }),
   user: t => ({ body: t.color.label, glyph: t.brand.prompt, prefix: t.color.label })
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/lib/syntax.ts b/ui-tui/src/lib/syntax.ts
index 06173b63e9..dd72c6f6c1 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/lib/syntax.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/lib/syntax.ts
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ export function highlightLine(line: string, lang: string, t: Theme): Token[] {
     if (ch === '"' || ch === "'" || ch === '`') {
       tokens.push([t.color.amber, tok])
     } else if (ch >= '0' && ch <= '9') {
-      tokens.push([t.color.cornsilk, tok])
+      tokens.push([t.color.text, tok])
     } else if (spec.keywords.has(tok)) {
       tokens.push([t.color.bronze, tok])
     } else {
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/theme.ts b/ui-tui/src/theme.ts
index daeedb3377..931d0fb15e 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/theme.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/theme.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ export interface ThemeColors {
   gold: string
   amber: string
   bronze: string
-  cornsilk: string
+  text: string
   dim: string
   completionBg: string
   completionCurrentBg: string
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ export const DARK_THEME: Theme = {
     gold: '#FFD700',
     amber: '#FFBF00',
     bronze: '#CD7F32',
-    cornsilk: '#FFF8DC',
+    text: '#FFF8DC',
     // Bumped from the old `#B8860B` darkgoldenrod (~53% luminance) which
     // read as barely-visible on dark terminals for long body text.  The
     // new value sits ~60% luminance — readable without losing the "muted /
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ export const LIGHT_THEME: Theme = {
     gold: '#8B6914',
     amber: '#A0651C',
     bronze: '#7A4F1F',
-    cornsilk: '#3D2F13',
+    text: '#3D2F13',
     dim: '#7A5A0F',
     completionBg: '#F5F5F5',
     completionCurrentBg: mix('#F5F5F5', '#A0651C', 0.25),
@@ -222,10 +222,10 @@ export function fromSkin(
       gold: c('banner_title') ?? d.color.gold,
       amber,
       bronze: c('banner_border') ?? d.color.bronze,
-      cornsilk: c('banner_text') ?? d.color.cornsilk,
+      text: c('ui_text') ?? c('banner_text') ?? d.color.text,
       dim,
-      completionBg: c('completion_menu_bg') ?? '#FFFFFF',
-      completionCurrentBg: c('completion_menu_current_bg') ?? mix('#FFFFFF', accent, 0.25),
+      completionBg: c('completion_menu_bg') ?? d.color.completionBg,
+      completionCurrentBg: c('completion_menu_current_bg') ?? mix(d.color.completionBg, accent, 0.25),
 
       label: c('ui_label') ?? d.color.label,
       ok: c('ui_ok') ?? d.color.ok,