diff --git a/src/protocols/ssh/client.c b/src/protocols/ssh/client.c
index cb615831..087ce762 100644
--- a/src/protocols/ssh/client.c
+++ b/src/protocols/ssh/client.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include "client.h"
 #include "clipboard.h"
+#include "display.h"
 #include "guac_handlers.h"
 #include "ssh_client.h"
 #include "terminal.h"
@@ -174,7 +175,7 @@ int guac_client_init(guac_client* client, int argc, char** argv) {
             client_data->font_name, client_data->font_size,
             client->info.optimal_resolution,
             client->info.optimal_width, client->info.optimal_height,
-            7, 0);
+            GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_GRAY, GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_BLACK);
 
     /* Fail if terminal init failed */
     if (client_data->term == NULL) {
diff --git a/src/protocols/telnet/client.c b/src/protocols/telnet/client.c
index 424dd6cf..c0996db2 100644
--- a/src/protocols/telnet/client.c
+++ b/src/protocols/telnet/client.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include "client.h"
 #include "clipboard.h"
+#include "display.h"
 #include "guac_handlers.h"
 #include "telnet_client.h"
 #include "terminal.h"
@@ -201,7 +202,7 @@ int guac_client_init(guac_client* client, int argc, char** argv) {
             client_data->font_name, client_data->font_size,
             client->info.optimal_resolution,
             client->info.optimal_width, client->info.optimal_height,
-            7, 0);
+            GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_GRAY, GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_BLACK);
 
     /* Fail if terminal init failed */
     if (client_data->term == NULL) {
diff --git a/src/terminal/display.h b/src/terminal/display.h
index c9eb1c38..d42d99bd 100644
--- a/src/terminal/display.h
+++ b/src/terminal/display.h
@@ -40,6 +40,87 @@
  */
 #define GUAC_TERMINAL_MAX_CHAR_WIDTH 2
 
+/**
+ * The index of black within the terminal color palette.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_BLACK 0
+
+/**
+ * The index of low-intensity red within the terminal color palette.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_DARK_RED 1
+
+/**
+ * The index of low-intensity green within the terminal color palette.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_DARK_GREEN 2
+
+/**
+ * The index of brown within the terminal color palette.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_BROWN 3
+
+/**
+ * The index of low-intensity blue within the terminal color palette.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_DARK_BLUE 4
+
+/**
+ * The index of low-intensity magenta (purple) within the terminal color
+ * palette.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_PURPLE 5
+
+/**
+ * The index of low-intensity cyan (teal) within the terminal color palette.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_TEAL 6
+
+/**
+ * The index of low-intensity white (gray) within the terminal color palette.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_GRAY 7
+
+/**
+ * The index of bright black (dark gray) within the terminal color palette.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_DARK_GRAY 8
+
+/**
+ * The index of bright red within the terminal color palette.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_RED 9
+
+/**
+ * The index of bright green within the terminal color palette.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_GREEN 10
+
+/**
+ * The index of bright brown (yellow) within the terminal color palette.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_YELLOW 11
+
+/**
+ * The index of bright blue within the terminal color palette.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_BLUE 12
+
+/**
+ * The index of bright magenta within the terminal color palette.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_MAGENTA 13
+
+/**
+ * The index of bright cyan within the terminal color palette.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_CYAN 14
+
+/**
+ * The index of bright white within the terminal color palette.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_WHITE 15
+
 /**
  * The available color palette. All integer colors within structures
  * here are indices into this palette.