diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index 8ab0005..0108c5c 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@ static const char *url_regex = "(ftp|http)s?://[-a-zA-Z0-9.?$%&/=_~#.,:;+]*";
 // 0.0: opaque, 1.0: transparent
 //#define TRANSPARENCY 0.2
 
-static const char *foreground_color = "#dcdccc";
-static const char *background_color = "#3f3f3f";
-
 static const char *palette_s[16] = {
     "#3f3f3f", // black
     "#705050", // red
diff --git a/termite.c b/termite.c
index 293cf0a..4ef59f4 100644
--- a/termite.c
+++ b/termite.c
@@ -334,14 +334,27 @@ static void load_config(GtkWindow *window, VteTerminal *vte,
             g_free(icon_name);
         }
 
-        gdk_color_parse(foreground_color, &colors->foreground);
-        gdk_color_parse(background_color, &colors->background);
-
         for (unsigned i = 0; i < 16; i++) {
             gdk_color_parse(palette_s[i], &colors->palette[i]);
         }
 
-        vte_terminal_set_colors(vte, &colors->foreground, &colors->background, colors->palette, 16);
+        vte_terminal_set_colors(vte, NULL, NULL, colors->palette, 16);
+
+        gchar *foreground_color = g_key_file_get_string(config, "colors", "foreground", &error);
+        IGNORE_ON_ERROR(error) {
+            if (gdk_color_parse(foreground_color, &colors->foreground)) {
+                vte_terminal_set_color_foreground(vte, &colors->foreground);
+            }
+            g_free(foreground_color);
+        }
+
+        gchar *background_color = g_key_file_get_string(config, "colors", "background", &error);
+        IGNORE_ON_ERROR(error) {
+            if (gdk_color_parse(background_color, &colors->background)) {
+                vte_terminal_set_color_background(vte, &colors->background);
+            }
+            g_free(background_color);
+        }
 
         gchar *cursor_color = g_key_file_get_string(config, "colors", "cursor", &error);
         IGNORE_ON_ERROR(error) {
diff --git a/termite.cfg b/termite.cfg
index 2dca298..2689fd3 100644
--- a/termite.cfg
+++ b/termite.cfg
@@ -19,4 +19,6 @@ cursor_blink = SYSTEM
 cursor_shape = BLOCK
 
 [colors]
+foreground = #dcdccc
+background = #3f3f3f
 cursor = #dcdccc