diff --git a/.irssi/rainbow-dark.theme b/.irssi/rainbow-dark.theme
index e490ee7f..7f0bb84b 100644
--- a/.irssi/rainbow-dark.theme
+++ b/.irssi/rainbow-dark.theme
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ abstracts = {
   # Angle brackets around nicks stay dark grey so the nick color is the star.
   # Trailing %w tints the message body dim grey so it doesn't compete with
   # the rainbow accents.
-  msgnick = "%K<%n$0$1-%K>%n %|%w";
+  msgnick = "%K<%n$0$1-%K>%n %|%K";
 
   # Messages from you.
   ownmsgnick = "{msgnick $0 $1-}";
@@ -114,13 +114,13 @@ abstracts = {
 
   # Bright yellow asterisks so actions are unmistakable. Action text in dim
   # grey to match ordinary message bodies.
-  action_core  = "%_%Y * %n%w$*%n";
+  action_core  = "%_%Y * %n%K$*%n";
   action       = "{action_core $*} ";
   ownaction    = "{action $*}";
   ownaction_target = "{action_core $0}%K:%M$1%n ";
 
   # Private actions get a parenthesized asterisk; keep it in bright yellow.
-  pvtaction       = "%_%Y (*) %n%w$*%n ";
+  pvtaction       = "%_%Y (*) %n%K$*%n ";
   pvtaction_query = "{action $*}";
   pubaction       = "{action $*}";
 
@@ -128,8 +128,8 @@ abstracts = {
   ## other IRC events
   ##
 
-  # whois
-  whois = "%c %# $[8]0 : %n$1-";
+  # whois — cyan field name, dim-grey value
+  whois = "%c %# $[8]0 : %n%K$1-%n";
 
   # notices — magenta stays the "alert" color
   ownnotice         = "[%_%m$0%_%K(%M$1-%K)]%n ";
@@ -137,8 +137,8 @@ abstracts = {
   pubnotice_channel = "%K:%m$*";
   pvtnotice_host    = "%K(%m$*%K)";
 
-  # server notices — bright green so they feel "system-ish"
-  servernotice = "%_%G!%n$*%n ";
+  # server notices — bright green bang, dim-grey body
+  servernotice = "%_%G!%n%K$*%n ";
 
   # CTCPs — bright green
   ownctcp = "[%_%g$0%_%K(%G$1-%K)] ";
@@ -146,8 +146,8 @@ abstracts = {
 
   # wallops
   wallop        = "%_%Y$*%n%_: ";
-  wallop_nick   = "%n$*";
-  wallop_action = "%_%Y * $*%n%_ ";
+  wallop_nick   = "%K$*%n";
+  wallop_action = "%_%Y * %n%K$*%n ";
 
   # netsplits / netjoins — red fall, green rise
   netsplit = "%_%R$*%n%_";
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ abstracts = {
 
   # DCC — green family so transfers read as "network-y"
   dcc     = "%_%G$*%n%_";
-  dccfile = "%_$*%_";
+  dccfile = "%_%K$*%n%_";
 
   # DCC chat, own msg/action
   dccownmsg         = "[%_%r$0%_%K($1-%K)%n] ";
@@ -176,21 +176,22 @@ abstracts = {
   # DCC chat, others
   dccmsg      = "[%_%G$1-%_%K(%g$0%K)%n] ";
   dccquerynick = "%_%G$*%n%_";
-  dccaction   = "%_%Y (*dcc*) %n%w$*%n %|";
+  dccaction   = "%_%Y (*dcc*) %n%K$*%n %|";
 
   ##
   ## statusbar — the rainbow lives here
   ##
 
-  # Dark grey bg with white default fg. Individual items override with
-  # their own color for the rainbow effect.
-  sb_background = "%8%w";
+  # Explicit black bg with light-grey fg. (%8 / "default" bg varied per
+  # terminal — on some it renders as reverse-video white, breaking the
+  # dark aesthetic.) Individual items override with their own rainbow.
+  sb_background = "%0%w";
 
   # Input line sits on the terminal's normal background.
   sb_prompt_bg  = "%n";
 
-  # Info bar (the middle one) — slightly different dark tone.
-  sb_info_bg    = "%8";
+  # Info bar (middle statusbar) — same explicit black.
+  sb_info_bg    = "%0";
 
   sbstart      = "";
   sbend        = " ";
@@ -213,5 +214,28 @@ abstracts = {
 };
 
 formats = {
-  "fe-common/core" = { pubmsg = "{pubmsgnick $2 {pubnick \00305$0}}$1"; };
+  # Common channel-event formats get explicitly wrapped in %K (dark grey)
+  # so the plain-text body doesn't fall through to the terminal default
+  # (which on a typical dark terminal is stark white).
+  "fe-common/core" = {
+    pubmsg            = "{pubmsgnick $2 {pubnick \00305$0}}$1";
+    join              = "%K-->%n {channick_hilight $0} {chanhost_hilight $1} has joined {channel $2}";
+    part              = "%K<--%n {channick $0} {chanhost $1} %Khas left%n {channel $2} {reason $3}";
+    quit              = "%K<--%n {channick $0} {chanhost $1} %Khas quit%n {reason $2}";
+    quit_once         = "%K<--%n {channick $0} {chanhost $1} %Khas quit%n {channel $2} {reason $3}";
+    kick              = "%K<--%n {channick $0} %Kwas kicked from%n {channel $1} %Kby%n {nick $2} {reason $3}";
+    nick_changed      = "%K-!-%n {channick $0} %Kis now known as%n {channick_hilight $1}";
+    your_nick_changed = "%K-!-%n %KYou're now known as%n {channick_hilight $1}";
+    topic             = "%K-!-%n %KTopic for%n {channel $0}%K:%n %K$1%n";
+    topic_info        = "%K-!-%n %KTopic set by%n {nick $0} {nickhost $1} %K($2)%n";
+    new_topic         = "%K-!-%n {nick $0} %Kchanged the topic of%n {channel $1} %Kto:%n %K$2%n";
+    server_changed    = "%K-!-%n %KServer changed to%n %_$1%_";
+    chanmode_change   = "%K-!-%n %Kmode/%n{channelhilight $0} {mode $1} %Kby%n {nick $2}";
+    usermode_change   = "%K-!-%n %Kmode/%n{nick $1} {mode $0}";
+    away              = "%K-!-%n %Kzzz: %n$0";
+    unaway            = "%K-!-%n %Kwelcome back%n";
+    own_msg           = "{ownmsgnick $2 {ownnick $0}}$1";
+    own_msg_channel   = "{ownmsgnick $3 {ownnick $0}{msgchannel $1}}$2";
+    own_msg_private_query = "{ownprivmsgnick {ownprivnick $2}}$1";
+  };
 };