diff --git a/pkgs/gui-pkgs/gui-lib/framework/main.rkt b/pkgs/gui-pkgs/gui-lib/framework/main.rkt
index 459a459ef2..ec0b4ed1f8 100644
--- a/pkgs/gui-pkgs/gui-lib/framework/main.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/gui-pkgs/gui-lib/framework/main.rkt
@@ -1605,10 +1605,12 @@
  
  (proc-doc/names
   editor:set-default-font-color
-  (-> (is-a?/c color%) void?)
-  (color)
-  @{Sets the color of the style named
-    @racket[editor:get-default-color-style-name].})
+  (->* ((is-a?/c color%)) ((or/c #f (is-a?/c color%))) void?)
+  ((fg-color) ((bg-color #f)))
+  @{Sets the foreground color of the style named
+    @racket[editor:get-default-color-style-name] to @racket[fg-color].
+    If @racket[bg-color] is not @racket[#f], then @racket[editor:set-default-font-color]
+    sets the background color to @racket[bg-color].})
 
  (proc-doc/names
   editor:get-default-color-style-name
diff --git a/pkgs/gui-pkgs/gui-lib/framework/private/editor.rkt b/pkgs/gui-pkgs/gui-lib/framework/private/editor.rkt
index 5605b10168..0862811c68 100644
--- a/pkgs/gui-pkgs/gui-lib/framework/private/editor.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/gui-pkgs/gui-lib/framework/private/editor.rkt
@@ -359,12 +359,13 @@
                     (send standard-style-list find-named-style "Standard")
                     delta))))
   
-  (define (set-default-font-color color)
-    (let* ([the-standard (send standard-style-list find-named-style default-color-style-name)]
-           [the-delta (make-object style-delta%)])
-      (send the-standard get-delta the-delta)
-      (send the-delta set-delta-foreground color)
-      (send the-standard set-delta the-delta)))
+(define (set-default-font-color color [bg-color #f])
+  (define the-standard (send standard-style-list find-named-style default-color-style-name))
+  (define the-delta (make-object style-delta%))
+  (send the-standard get-delta the-delta)
+  (send the-delta set-delta-foreground color)
+  (when bg-color (send the-delta set-delta-background bg-color))
+  (send the-standard set-delta the-delta))
   
   (define (set-font-size size)
     (update-standard-style
diff --git a/pkgs/gui-pkgs/gui-lib/framework/private/main.rkt b/pkgs/gui-pkgs/gui-lib/framework/private/main.rkt
index 059c763005..f7332e225d 100644
--- a/pkgs/gui-pkgs/gui-lib/framework/private/main.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/gui-pkgs/gui-lib/framework/private/main.rkt
@@ -413,10 +413,16 @@
 (preferences:set-default 'framework:coloring-active #t boolean?)
 
 (color-prefs:set-default/color-scheme 'framework:default-text-color "black" "white")
+(define (invert-a-color color)
+  (make-object color%
+    (- 255 (send color red))
+    (- 255 (send color green))
+    (- 255 (send color blue))))
 (preferences:add-callback 'framework:default-text-color
                           (λ (p v)
-                            (editor:set-default-font-color v)))
-(editor:set-default-font-color (preferences:get 'framework:default-text-color))
+                            (editor:set-default-font-color v (invert-a-color v))))
+(editor:set-default-font-color (preferences:get 'framework:default-text-color)
+                               (invert-a-color (preferences:get 'framework:default-text-color)))
 
 (color-prefs:set-default/color-scheme 'framework:misspelled-text-color "black" "white")