diff --git a/src/backend/wayland/wl_window.c b/src/backend/wayland/wl_window.c
index cf2b353..69bf25e 100644
--- a/src/backend/wayland/wl_window.c
+++ b/src/backend/wayland/wl_window.c
@@ -468,6 +468,20 @@ void wl_menu_paint_entry(WMenu *menu, int index, int selected)
     /* Draw text using WINGs font backend (renders via PangoFT2 → pixman) */
     WMColor *color = selected ? scr->select_text_color :
                      (entry->flags.enabled ? scr->mtext_color : scr->dtext_color);
+    /* Ensure text is readable against background: if text color is too
+     * close to bg (dark theme with black text), use white instead. */
+    if (color && !selected) {
+        unsigned tr = WMRedComponentOfColor(color) >> 8;
+        unsigned tg = WMGreenComponentOfColor(color) >> 8;
+        unsigned tb = WMBlueComponentOfColor(color) >> 8;
+        unsigned br = (bg >> 16) & 0xFF;
+        unsigned bg_ = (bg >> 8) & 0xFF;
+        unsigned bb = bg & 0xFF;
+        int text_lum = (int)(tr * 299 + tg * 587 + tb * 114) / 1000;
+        int bg_lum = (int)(br * 299 + bg_ * 587 + bb * 114) / 1000;
+        if (abs(text_lum - bg_lum) < 64)
+            color = (bg_lum < 128) ? scr->white : scr->black;
+    }
     WMFont *font = scr->menu_entry_font;
     WMDrawable d = (WMDrawable)(uintptr_t)fb->image;