diff --git a/preferences.c b/preferences.c
index 6ea38111..b1284a4c 100644
--- a/preferences.c
+++ b/preferences.c
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ struct colour_string_t {
     NCURSES_COLOR_T colour;
 };
 
-static int num_colours = 7;
+static int num_colours = 9;
 static struct colour_string_t colours[] = {
     { "default", -1 },
     { "white", COLOR_WHITE },
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ static struct colour_string_t colours[] = {
     { "yellow", COLOR_YELLOW },
     { "blue", COLOR_BLUE },
     { "cyan", COLOR_CYAN },
+    { "black", COLOR_BLACK },
+    { "magenta", COLOR_MAGENTA },
 };
 
 // colour preferences
@@ -62,6 +64,7 @@ static struct colours_t {
         NCURSES_COLOR_T inc;
         NCURSES_COLOR_T bar;
         NCURSES_COLOR_T bar_draw;
+        NCURSES_COLOR_T bar_text;
 } colour_prefs;
 
 static NCURSES_COLOR_T _lookup_colour(const char * const colour);
@@ -144,6 +147,9 @@ static void _load_colours(void)
     
     gchar *bar_draw_val = g_key_file_get_string(prefs, "colours", "bar_draw", NULL);
     _set_colour(bar_draw_val, &colour_prefs.bar_draw, COLOR_CYAN);
+    
+    gchar *bar_text_val = g_key_file_get_string(prefs, "colours", "bar_text", NULL);
+    _set_colour(bar_text_val, &colour_prefs.bar_text, COLOR_WHITE);
 }
 
 char * find_login(char *prefix)
@@ -276,3 +282,8 @@ NCURSES_COLOR_T prefs_get_bar_draw()
 {
     return colour_prefs.bar_draw;
 }
+
+NCURSES_COLOR_T prefs_get_bar_text() 
+{
+    return colour_prefs.bar_text;
+}
diff --git a/preferences.h b/preferences.h
index 2cd5e61e..056b8253 100644
--- a/preferences.h
+++ b/preferences.h
@@ -46,5 +46,6 @@ NCURSES_COLOR_T prefs_get_err();
 NCURSES_COLOR_T prefs_get_inc();
 NCURSES_COLOR_T prefs_get_bar();
 NCURSES_COLOR_T prefs_get_bar_draw();
+NCURSES_COLOR_T prefs_get_bar_text();
 
 #endif
diff --git a/windows.c b/windows.c
index a22e0490..c208a3b3 100644
--- a/windows.c
+++ b/windows.c
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ void gui_init(void)
         init_pair(5, prefs_get_offline(), prefs_get_bkgnd());
         init_pair(6, prefs_get_err(), prefs_get_bkgnd());
         init_pair(7, prefs_get_inc(), prefs_get_bkgnd());
+        init_pair(8, prefs_get_bar_text(), prefs_get_bar());
     }
 
     refresh();