diff --git a/src/protocols/ssh/client.c b/src/protocols/ssh/client.c
index 087ce762..9eb902fd 100644
--- a/src/protocols/ssh/client.c
+++ b/src/protocols/ssh/client.c
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 
 #include "client.h"
 #include "clipboard.h"
-#include "display.h"
 #include "guac_handlers.h"
 #include "ssh_client.h"
 #include "terminal.h"
@@ -175,7 +174,7 @@ 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,
-            GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_GRAY, GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_BLACK);
+            GUAC_TERMINAL_SCHEME_GRAY_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 c0996db2..d24a0bf6 100644
--- a/src/protocols/telnet/client.c
+++ b/src/protocols/telnet/client.c
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include "client.h"
 #include "clipboard.h"
-#include "display.h"
 #include "guac_handlers.h"
 #include "telnet_client.h"
 #include "terminal.h"
@@ -202,7 +201,7 @@ 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,
-            GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_GRAY, GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_BLACK);
+            GUAC_TERMINAL_SCHEME_GRAY_BLACK);
 
     /* Fail if terminal init failed */
     if (client_data->term == NULL) {
diff --git a/src/terminal/terminal.c b/src/terminal/terminal.c
index c7c64ac7..cf7d84fe 100644
--- a/src/terminal/terminal.c
+++ b/src/terminal/terminal.c
@@ -226,10 +226,45 @@ static void guac_terminal_paint_background(guac_terminal* terminal,
 
 guac_terminal* guac_terminal_create(guac_client* client,
         const char* font_name, int font_size, int dpi,
-        int width, int height,
-        int default_foreground,
-        int default_background) {
+        int width, int height, const char* color_scheme) {
 
+    int default_foreground;
+    int default_background;
+
+    /* Default to "gray-black" color scheme if no scheme provided */
+    if (color_scheme == NULL || color_scheme[0] == '\0') {
+        default_foreground = GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_GRAY;
+        default_background = GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_BLACK;
+    }
+
+    /* Otherwise, parse color scheme */
+    else if (strcmp(color_scheme, GUAC_TERMINAL_SCHEME_GRAY_BLACK) == 0) {
+        default_foreground = GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_GRAY;
+        default_background = GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_BLACK;
+    }
+    else if (strcmp(color_scheme, GUAC_TERMINAL_SCHEME_BLACK_WHITE) == 0) {
+        default_foreground = GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_BLACK;
+        default_background = GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_WHITE;
+    }
+    else if (strcmp(color_scheme, GUAC_TERMINAL_SCHEME_GREEN_BLACK) == 0) {
+        default_foreground = GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_DARK_GREEN;
+        default_background = GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_BLACK;
+    }
+    else if (strcmp(color_scheme, GUAC_TERMINAL_SCHEME_WHITE_BLACK) == 0) {
+        default_foreground = GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_WHITE;
+        default_background = GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_BLACK;
+    }
+
+    /* If invalid, default to "gray-black" */
+    else {
+        guac_client_log(client, GUAC_LOG_WARNING,
+                "Invalid color scheme: \"%s\". Defaulting to \"gray-black\".",
+                color_scheme);
+        default_foreground = GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_GRAY;
+        default_background = GUAC_TERMINAL_COLOR_BLACK;
+    }
+
+    /* Build default character using default colors */
     guac_terminal_char default_char = {
         .value = 0,
         .attributes = {
diff --git a/src/terminal/terminal.h b/src/terminal/terminal.h
index 43a1be92..488692d6 100644
--- a/src/terminal/terminal.h
+++ b/src/terminal/terminal.h
@@ -65,6 +65,26 @@
  */
 #define GUAC_TERMINAL_CLIPBOARD_MAX_LENGTH 262144
 
+/**
+ * The name of the color scheme having black foreground and white background.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_SCHEME_BLACK_WHITE "black-white"
+
+/**
+ * The name of the color scheme having gray foreground and black background.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_SCHEME_GRAY_BLACK "gray-black"
+
+/**
+ * The name of the color scheme having green foreground and black background.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_SCHEME_GREEN_BLACK "green-black"
+
+/**
+ * The name of the color scheme having white foreground and black background.
+ */
+#define GUAC_TERMINAL_SCHEME_WHITE_BLACK "white-black"
+
 typedef struct guac_terminal guac_terminal;
 
 /**
@@ -368,16 +388,12 @@ struct guac_terminal {
  * @param height
  *     The height of the terminal, in pixels.
  *
- * @param default_foreground
- *     The default foreground color for all glyphs whose foreground has not
- *     been explicitly set through terminal codes. This color is the color
- *     index within the terminal palette - a value between 0 and 15 inclusive.
- *
- * @param default_background
- *     The default background color for all glyphs whose background has not
- *     been explicitly set through terminal codes, and the background of the
- *     terminal as a whole. This color is the color index within the terminal
- *     palette - a value between 0 and 15 inclusive.
+ * @param color_scheme
+ *     The name of the color scheme to use. This string must be one of the
+ *     names defined by the GUAC_TERMINAL_SCHEME_* constants. If blank or NULL,
+ *     the default scheme of GUAC_TERMINAL_SCHEME_GRAY_BLACK will be used. If
+ *     invalid, a warning will be logged, and the terminal will fall back on
+ *     GUAC_TERMINAL_SCHEME_GRAY_BLACK.
  *
  * @return
  *     A new guac_terminal having the given font, dimensions, and attributes
@@ -385,8 +401,7 @@ struct guac_terminal {
  */
 guac_terminal* guac_terminal_create(guac_client* client,
         const char* font_name, int font_size, int dpi,
-        int width, int height,
-        int default_foreground, int default_background);
+        int width, int height, const char* color_scheme);
 
 /**
  * Frees all resources associated with the given terminal.