diff --git a/src/Buffer.ts b/src/Buffer.ts
index 6d2186457f..0f75bdad1a 100644
--- a/src/Buffer.ts
+++ b/src/Buffer.ts
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@ import { CharData, ITerminal, IBuffer, IBufferLine, BufferIndex, IBufferStringIt
 import { EventEmitter } from './common/EventEmitter';
 import { IMarker } from 'xterm';
 import { BufferLine, BufferLineTypedArray } from './BufferLine';
+import { DEFAULT_COLOR } from './renderer/atlas/Types';
 
-export const DEFAULT_ATTR = (0 << 18) | (257 << 9) | (256 << 0);
+export const DEFAULT_ATTR = (0 << 18) | (DEFAULT_COLOR << 9) | (256 << 0);
 export const CHAR_DATA_ATTR_INDEX = 0;
 export const CHAR_DATA_CHAR_INDEX = 1;
 export const CHAR_DATA_WIDTH_INDEX = 2;
diff --git a/src/renderer/BaseRenderLayer.ts b/src/renderer/BaseRenderLayer.ts
index 84e290e7ff..2afdebb54e 100644
--- a/src/renderer/BaseRenderLayer.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/BaseRenderLayer.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { DIM_OPACITY, INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR, IGlyphIdentifier } from './atlas/T
 import BaseCharAtlas from './atlas/BaseCharAtlas';
 import { acquireCharAtlas } from './atlas/CharAtlasCache';
 import { CHAR_DATA_CHAR_INDEX } from '../Buffer';
+import { is256Color } from './atlas/CharAtlasUtils';
 
 export abstract class BaseRenderLayer implements IRenderLayer {
   private _canvas: HTMLCanvasElement;
@@ -298,7 +299,7 @@ export abstract class BaseRenderLayer implements IRenderLayer {
 
     if (fg === INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR) {
       this._ctx.fillStyle = this._colors.background.css;
-    } else if (fg < 256) {
+    } else if (is256Color(fg)) {
       // 256 color support
       this._ctx.fillStyle = this._colors.ansi[fg].css;
     } else {
diff --git a/src/renderer/LinkRenderLayer.ts b/src/renderer/LinkRenderLayer.ts
index 8679939a28..855830e40b 100644
--- a/src/renderer/LinkRenderLayer.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/LinkRenderLayer.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { ILinkHoverEvent, ITerminal, ILinkifierAccessor, LinkHoverEventTypes } f
 import { IColorSet, IRenderDimensions } from './Types';
 import { BaseRenderLayer } from './BaseRenderLayer';
 import { INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR } from './atlas/Types';
+import { is256Color } from './atlas/CharAtlasUtils';
 
 export class LinkRenderLayer extends BaseRenderLayer {
   private _state: ILinkHoverEvent = null;
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ export class LinkRenderLayer extends BaseRenderLayer {
   private _onLinkHover(e: ILinkHoverEvent): void {
     if (e.fg === INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR) {
       this._ctx.fillStyle = this._colors.background.css;
-    } else if (e.fg < 256) {
+    } else if (is256Color(e.fg)) {
       // 256 color support
       this._ctx.fillStyle = this._colors.ansi[e.fg].css;
     } else {
diff --git a/src/renderer/TextRenderLayer.ts b/src/renderer/TextRenderLayer.ts
index 7f10e7c9e1..7b3feed7db 100644
--- a/src/renderer/TextRenderLayer.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/TextRenderLayer.ts
@@ -6,9 +6,10 @@
 import { CHAR_DATA_ATTR_INDEX, CHAR_DATA_CODE_INDEX, CHAR_DATA_CHAR_INDEX, CHAR_DATA_WIDTH_INDEX, NULL_CELL_CODE } from '../Buffer';
 import { FLAGS, IColorSet, IRenderDimensions, ICharacterJoinerRegistry } from './Types';
 import { CharData, ITerminal } from '../Types';
-import { INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR } from './atlas/Types';
+import { INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR, DEFAULT_COLOR } from './atlas/Types';
 import { GridCache } from './GridCache';
 import { BaseRenderLayer } from './BaseRenderLayer';
+import { is256Color } from './atlas/CharAtlasUtils';
 
 /**
  * This CharData looks like a null character, which will forc a clear and render
@@ -143,10 +144,10 @@ export class TextRenderLayer extends BaseRenderLayer {
           const temp = bg;
           bg = fg;
           fg = temp;
-          if (fg === 256) {
+          if (fg === DEFAULT_COLOR) {
             fg = INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR;
           }
-          if (bg === 257) {
+          if (bg === DEFAULT_COLOR) {
             bg = INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR;
           }
         }
@@ -186,7 +187,7 @@ export class TextRenderLayer extends BaseRenderLayer {
       let nextFillStyle = null; // null represents default background color
       if (bg === INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR) {
         nextFillStyle = this._colors.foreground.css;
-      } else if (bg < 256) {
+      } else if (is256Color(bg)) {
         nextFillStyle = this._colors.ansi[bg].css;
       }
 
@@ -230,7 +231,7 @@ export class TextRenderLayer extends BaseRenderLayer {
         this._ctx.save();
         if (fg === INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR) {
           this._ctx.fillStyle = this._colors.background.css;
-        } else if (fg < 256) {
+        } else if (is256Color(fg)) {
           // 256 color support
           this._ctx.fillStyle = this._colors.ansi[fg].css;
         } else {
diff --git a/src/renderer/atlas/CharAtlasUtils.ts b/src/renderer/atlas/CharAtlasUtils.ts
index 59ac07df63..c504f77e21 100644
--- a/src/renderer/atlas/CharAtlasUtils.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/atlas/CharAtlasUtils.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import { ITerminal } from '../../Types';
 import { IColorSet } from '../Types';
 import { ICharAtlasConfig } from '../../shared/atlas/Types';
+import { DEFAULT_COLOR } from './Types';
 
 export function generateConfig(scaledCharWidth: number, scaledCharHeight: number, terminal: ITerminal, colors: IColorSet): ICharAtlasConfig {
   // null out some fields that don't matter
@@ -51,3 +52,7 @@ export function configEquals(a: ICharAtlasConfig, b: ICharAtlasConfig): boolean
       a.colors.foreground === b.colors.foreground &&
       a.colors.background === b.colors.background;
 }
+
+export function is256Color(colorCode: number): boolean {
+  return colorCode < DEFAULT_COLOR;
+}
diff --git a/src/renderer/atlas/DynamicCharAtlas.ts b/src/renderer/atlas/DynamicCharAtlas.ts
index 633369000f..b6b323f084 100644
--- a/src/renderer/atlas/DynamicCharAtlas.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/atlas/DynamicCharAtlas.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ interface IGlyphCacheValue {
   inBitmap: boolean;
 }
 
-function getGlyphCacheKey(glyph: IGlyphIdentifier): number {
+export function getGlyphCacheKey(glyph: IGlyphIdentifier): number {
   // Note that this only returns a valid key when code < 256
   // Layout:
   // 0b00000000000000000000000000000001: italic (1)
diff --git a/src/renderer/atlas/StaticCharAtlas.ts b/src/renderer/atlas/StaticCharAtlas.ts
index c0d8a81442..8dc8be74e9 100644
--- a/src/renderer/atlas/StaticCharAtlas.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/atlas/StaticCharAtlas.ts
@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@
  * @license MIT
  */
 
-import { DIM_OPACITY, IGlyphIdentifier } from './Types';
+import { DIM_OPACITY, IGlyphIdentifier, DEFAULT_COLOR } from './Types';
 import { CHAR_ATLAS_CELL_SPACING, ICharAtlasConfig } from '../../shared/atlas/Types';
 import { generateStaticCharAtlasTexture } from '../../shared/atlas/CharAtlasGenerator';
 import BaseCharAtlas from './BaseCharAtlas';
+import { is256Color } from './CharAtlasUtils';
 
 export default class StaticCharAtlas extends BaseCharAtlas {
   private _texture: HTMLCanvasElement | ImageBitmap;
@@ -41,8 +42,8 @@ export default class StaticCharAtlas extends BaseCharAtlas {
     const isAscii = glyph.code < 256;
     // A color is basic if it is one of the 4 bit ANSI colors.
     const isBasicColor = glyph.fg < 16;
-    const isDefaultColor = glyph.fg >= 256;
-    const isDefaultBackground = glyph.bg >= 256;
+    const isDefaultColor = glyph.fg === DEFAULT_COLOR;
+    const isDefaultBackground = glyph.bg === DEFAULT_COLOR;
     return isAscii && (isBasicColor || isDefaultColor) && isDefaultBackground && !glyph.italic;
   }
 
@@ -58,9 +59,9 @@ export default class StaticCharAtlas extends BaseCharAtlas {
     }
 
     let colorIndex = 0;
-    if (glyph.fg < 256) {
+    if (is256Color(glyph.fg)) {
       colorIndex = 2 + glyph.fg + (glyph.bold ? 16 : 0);
-    } else {
+    } else if (glyph.fg === DEFAULT_COLOR) {
       // If default color and bold
       if (glyph.bold) {
         colorIndex = 1;
diff --git a/src/renderer/atlas/Types.ts b/src/renderer/atlas/Types.ts
index 6fb3c5d16c..76cfd07da3 100644
--- a/src/renderer/atlas/Types.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/atlas/Types.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
  * @license MIT
  */
 
-export const INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR = -1;
+export const DEFAULT_COLOR = 256;
+export const INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR = 257;
 export const DIM_OPACITY = 0.5;
 
 export interface IGlyphIdentifier {
diff --git a/src/renderer/dom/DomRenderer.ts b/src/renderer/dom/DomRenderer.ts
index 73c63b4652..a0cefd677c 100644
--- a/src/renderer/dom/DomRenderer.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/dom/DomRenderer.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { EventEmitter } from '../../common/EventEmitter';
 import { ColorManager } from '../ColorManager';
 import { RenderDebouncer } from '../../ui/RenderDebouncer';
 import { BOLD_CLASS, ITALIC_CLASS, CURSOR_CLASS, CURSOR_STYLE_BLOCK_CLASS, CURSOR_STYLE_BAR_CLASS, CURSOR_STYLE_UNDERLINE_CLASS, DomRendererRowFactory } from './DomRendererRowFactory';
+import { INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR } from '../atlas/Types';
 
 const TERMINAL_CLASS_PREFIX = 'xterm-dom-renderer-owner-';
 const ROW_CONTAINER_CLASS = 'xterm-rows';
@@ -199,6 +200,9 @@ export class DomRenderer extends EventEmitter implements IRenderer {
           `${this._terminalSelector} .${FG_CLASS_PREFIX}${i} { color: ${c.css}; }` +
           `${this._terminalSelector} .${BG_CLASS_PREFIX}${i} { background-color: ${c.css}; }`;
     });
+    styles +=
+        `${this._terminalSelector} .${FG_CLASS_PREFIX}${INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR} { color: ${this.colorManager.colors.background.css}; }` +
+        `${this._terminalSelector} .${BG_CLASS_PREFIX}${INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR} { background-color: ${this.colorManager.colors.foreground.css}; }`;
 
     this._themeStyleElement.innerHTML = styles;
     return this.colorManager.colors;
diff --git a/src/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.test.ts b/src/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.test.ts
index 03f4178445..67342da01b 100644
--- a/src/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.test.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { DEFAULT_ATTR, NULL_CELL_CODE, NULL_CELL_WIDTH, NULL_CELL_CHAR } from '.
 import { FLAGS } from '../Types';
 import { BufferLine } from '../../BufferLine';
 import { IBufferLine } from '../../Types';
+import { DEFAULT_COLOR } from '../atlas/Types';
 
 describe('DomRendererRowFactory', () => {
   let dom: jsdom.JSDOM;
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ describe('DomRendererRowFactory', () => {
       });
 
       it('should add classes for 256 foreground colors', () => {
-        const defaultAttrNoFgColor = (0 << 9) | (256 << 0);
+        const defaultAttrNoFgColor = (0 << 9) | (DEFAULT_COLOR << 0);
         for (let i = 0; i < 256; i++) {
           lineData.set(0, [defaultAttrNoFgColor | (i << 9), 'a', 1, 'a'.charCodeAt(0)]);
           const fragment = rowFactory.createRow(lineData, false, undefined, 0, 5, 20);
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ describe('DomRendererRowFactory', () => {
       });
 
       it('should add classes for 256 background colors', () => {
-        const defaultAttrNoBgColor = (257 << 9) | (0 << 0);
+        const defaultAttrNoBgColor = (DEFAULT_ATTR << 9) | (0 << 0);
         for (let i = 0; i < 256; i++) {
           lineData.set(0, [defaultAttrNoBgColor | (i << 0), 'a', 1, 'a'.charCodeAt(0)]);
           const fragment = rowFactory.createRow(lineData, false, undefined, 0, 5, 20);
@@ -106,24 +107,24 @@ describe('DomRendererRowFactory', () => {
       });
 
       it('should correctly invert default fg color', () => {
-        lineData.set(0, [(FLAGS.INVERSE << 18) | (257 << 9) | (1 << 0), 'a', 1, 'a'.charCodeAt(0)]);
+        lineData.set(0, [(FLAGS.INVERSE << 18) | (DEFAULT_ATTR << 9) | (1 << 0), 'a', 1, 'a'.charCodeAt(0)]);
         const fragment = rowFactory.createRow(lineData, false, undefined, 0, 5, 20);
         assert.equal(getFragmentHtml(fragment),
-          '<span class="xterm-fg-1 xterm-bg-15">a</span>'
+          '<span class="xterm-fg-1 xterm-bg-257">a</span>'
         );
       });
 
       it('should correctly invert default bg color', () => {
-        lineData.set(0, [(FLAGS.INVERSE << 18) | (1 << 9) | (256 << 0), 'a', 1, 'a'.charCodeAt(0)]);
+        lineData.set(0, [(FLAGS.INVERSE << 18) | (1 << 9) | (DEFAULT_COLOR << 0), 'a', 1, 'a'.charCodeAt(0)]);
         const fragment = rowFactory.createRow(lineData, false, undefined, 0, 5, 20);
         assert.equal(getFragmentHtml(fragment),
-          '<span class="xterm-fg-0 xterm-bg-1">a</span>'
+          '<span class="xterm-fg-257 xterm-bg-1">a</span>'
         );
       });
 
       it('should turn bold fg text bright', () => {
         for (let i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
-          lineData.set(0, [(FLAGS.BOLD << 18) | (i << 9) | (256 << 0), 'a', 1, 'a'.charCodeAt(0)]);
+          lineData.set(0, [(FLAGS.BOLD << 18) | (i << 9) | (DEFAULT_COLOR << 0), 'a', 1, 'a'.charCodeAt(0)]);
           const fragment = rowFactory.createRow(lineData, false, undefined, 0, 5, 20);
           assert.equal(getFragmentHtml(fragment),
             `<span class="xterm-bold xterm-fg-${i + 8}">a</span>`
diff --git a/src/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.ts b/src/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.ts
index 07303e2427..54f088d453 100644
--- a/src/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/dom/DomRendererRowFactory.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import { CHAR_DATA_CHAR_INDEX, CHAR_DATA_ATTR_INDEX, CHAR_DATA_WIDTH_INDEX, CHAR_DATA_CODE_INDEX, NULL_CELL_CODE } from '../../Buffer';
 import { FLAGS } from '../Types';
 import { IBufferLine } from '../../Types';
+import { DEFAULT_COLOR, INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR } from '../atlas/Types';
 
 export const BOLD_CLASS = 'xterm-bold';
 export const ITALIC_CLASS = 'xterm-italic';
@@ -79,16 +80,17 @@ export class DomRendererRowFactory {
         const temp = bg;
         bg = fg;
         fg = temp;
-        if (fg === 256) {
-          fg = 0;
+        if (fg === DEFAULT_COLOR) {
+          fg = INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR;
         }
-        if (bg === 257) {
-          bg = 15;
+        if (bg === DEFAULT_COLOR) {
+          bg = INVERTED_DEFAULT_COLOR;
         }
       }
 
       if (flags & FLAGS.BOLD) {
-        // Convert the FG color to the bold variant
+        // Convert the FG color to the bold variant. This should not happen when
+        // the fg is the inverse default color as there is no bold variant.
         if (fg < 8) {
           fg += 8;
         }
@@ -100,10 +102,10 @@ export class DomRendererRowFactory {
       }
 
       charElement.textContent = char;
-      if (fg !== 257) {
+      if (fg !== DEFAULT_COLOR) {
         charElement.classList.add(`xterm-fg-${fg}`);
       }
-      if (bg !== 256) {
+      if (bg !== DEFAULT_COLOR) {
         charElement.classList.add(`xterm-bg-${bg}`);
       }
       fragment.appendChild(charElement);