diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/context/layout.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/context/layout.tsx
index ea5962b40..9cafdce96 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/context/layout.tsx
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/context/layout.tsx
@@ -6,18 +6,26 @@ import { useGlobalSync } from "./global-sync"
 import { useGlobalSDK } from "./global-sdk"
 import { Project } from "@opencode-ai/sdk/v2"
 
-const PASTEL_COLORS = [
-  "#FCEAFD", // pastel pink
-  "#FFDFBA", // pastel peach
-  "#FFFFBA", // pastel yellow
-  "#BAFFC9", // pastel green
-  "#EAF6FD", // pastel blue
-  "#EFEAFD", // pastel lavender
-  "#FEC8D8", // pastel rose
-  "#D4F0F0", // pastel cyan
-  "#FDF0EA", // pastel coral
-  "#C1E1C1", // pastel mint
-]
+const AVATAR_COLOR_KEYS = ["pink", "mint", "orange", "purple", "cyan", "lime"] as const
+
+export type AvatarColorKey = (typeof AVATAR_COLOR_KEYS)[number]
+
+export function isAvatarColorKey(value: string): value is AvatarColorKey {
+  return AVATAR_COLOR_KEYS.includes(value as AvatarColorKey)
+}
+
+export function getAvatarColors(key?: string) {
+  if (key && isAvatarColorKey(key)) {
+    return {
+      background: `var(--avatar-background-${key})`,
+      foreground: `var(--avatar-text-${key})`,
+    }
+  }
+  return {
+    background: "var(--surface-info-base)",
+    foreground: "var(--text-base)",
+  }
+}
 
 type Dialog = "provider" | "model" | "connect"
 
@@ -58,11 +66,11 @@ export const { use: useLayout, provider: LayoutProvider } = createSimpleContext(
       connect: {},
       dialog: {},
     })
-    const usedColors = new Set<string>()
+    const usedColors = new Set<AvatarColorKey>()
 
-    function pickAvailableColor() {
-      const available = PASTEL_COLORS.filter((c) => !usedColors.has(c))
-      if (available.length === 0) return PASTEL_COLORS[Math.floor(Math.random() * PASTEL_COLORS.length)]
+    function pickAvailableColor(): AvatarColorKey {
+      const available = AVATAR_COLOR_KEYS.filter((c) => !usedColors.has(c))
+      if (available.length === 0) return AVATAR_COLOR_KEYS[Math.floor(Math.random() * AVATAR_COLOR_KEYS.length)]
       return available[Math.floor(Math.random() * available.length)]
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/pages/layout.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/pages/layout.tsx
index 05386c1fb..70764292f 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/pages/layout.tsx
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/pages/layout.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { createEffect, createMemo, For, Match, onCleanup, onMount, ParentProps, Show, Switch, type JSX } from "solid-js"
 import { DateTime } from "luxon"
 import { A, useNavigate, useParams } from "@solidjs/router"
-import { useLayout } from "@/context/layout"
+import { useLayout, getAvatarColors } from "@/context/layout"
 import { useGlobalSync } from "@/context/global-sync"
 import { base64Decode, base64Encode } from "@opencode-ai/util/encode"
 import { Mark } from "@opencode-ai/ui/logo"
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ export default function Layout(props: ParentProps) {
                 <Avatar
                   fallback={name()}
                   src={props.project.icon?.url}
-                  background={props.project.icon?.color ?? "var(--surface-info-base)"}
+                  {...getAvatarColors(props.project.icon?.color)}
                   class="size-full"
                 />
               </div>
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ export default function Layout(props: ParentProps) {
               <Avatar
                 fallback={name()}
                 src={props.project.icon?.url}
-                background={props.project.icon?.color ?? "var(--surface-info-base)"}
+                {...getAvatarColors(props.project.icon?.color)}
                 class="size-full"
               />
             </div>
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ export default function Layout(props: ParentProps) {
                     <Avatar
                       fallback={name()}
                       src={props.project.icon?.url}
-                      background={props.project.icon?.color ?? "var(--surface-info-base)"}
+                      {...getAvatarColors(props.project.icon?.color)}
                       class="size-full group-hover/session:hidden"
                     />
                     <Icon
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/avatar.css b/packages/ui/src/components/avatar.css
index 4e42e6f99..87be9a50a 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/avatar.css
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/avatar.css
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 [data-component="avatar"] {
   --avatar-bg: var(--color-surface-info-base);
+  --avatar-fg: var(--color-text-base);
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
   justify-content: center;
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@
   font-weight: 500;
   text-transform: uppercase;
   background-color: var(--avatar-bg);
-  color: oklch(from var(--avatar-bg) calc(l * 0.72) calc(c * 8) h);
+  color: var(--avatar-fg);
 }
 
 [data-component="avatar"][data-has-image] {
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/avatar.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/avatar.tsx
index fb5798b08..ab7b0d0e2 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/avatar.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/avatar.tsx
@@ -4,11 +4,21 @@ export interface AvatarProps extends ComponentProps<"div"> {
   fallback: string
   src?: string
   background?: string
+  foreground?: string
   size?: "small" | "normal" | "large"
 }
 
 export function Avatar(props: AvatarProps) {
-  const [split, rest] = splitProps(props, ["fallback", "src", "background", "size", "class", "classList", "style"])
+  const [split, rest] = splitProps(props, [
+    "fallback",
+    "src",
+    "background",
+    "foreground",
+    "size",
+    "class",
+    "classList",
+    "style",
+  ])
   const src = split.src // did this so i can zero it out to test fallback
   return (
     <div
@@ -23,6 +33,7 @@ export function Avatar(props: AvatarProps) {
       style={{
         ...(typeof split.style === "object" ? split.style : {}),
         ...(!src && split.background ? { "--avatar-bg": split.background } : {}),
+        ...(!src && split.foreground ? { "--avatar-fg": split.foreground } : {}),
       }}
     >
       <Show when={src} fallback={split.fallback?.[0]}>