diff --git a/web/chat/chat-thread-list.css b/web/chat/chat-thread-list.css
--- a/web/chat/chat-thread-list.css
+++ b/web/chat/chat-thread-list.css
@@ -24,9 +24,19 @@
   padding-top: 6px;
 }
 div.activeThread,
-div.thread:hover,
 div.threadListSidebar:hover {
-  background: var(--selected-thread-bg);
+  background: var(--thread-active-bg);
+}
+
+div.activeThread :is(div.dark, button, .lastMessage span.light, .title) {
+  color: var(--fg);
+}
+
+div.activeThread.thread:hover {
+  background: var(--thread-active-bg);
+}
+div.thread:hover {
+  background: var(--thread-hover-bg);
 }
 div.title {
   flex: 1;
diff --git a/web/theme.css b/web/theme.css
--- a/web/theme.css
+++ b/web/theme.css
@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@
   --chat-confirmation-icon: var(--violet-dark-100);
   --keyserver-selection: var(--violet-dark-60);
   --thread-selection: var(--violet-light-80);
-  --selected-thread-bg: var(--shades-black-90);
+  --thread-hover-bg: var(--shades-black-90);
+  --thread-active-bg: var(--shades-black-80);
   --chat-timestamp-color: var(--shades-black-60);
   --tool-tip-bg: var(--shades-black-80);
   --tool-tip-color: var(--shades-white-60);
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@
   --modal-bg: var(--shades-black-90);
   --join-bg: var(--shades-black-90);
   --help-color: var(--shades-black-60);
-  --breadcrumb-color: var(--shades-black-60);
+  --breadcrumb-color: var(--shades-white-60);
   --breadcrumb-color-unread: var(--shades-white-60);
   --btn-secondary-border: var(--shades-black-60);
   --thread-color-read: var(--shades-black-60);