diff --git a/renderdocui/Code/Helpers.cs b/renderdocui/Code/Helpers.cs
index 6e4e3c316..3375575d4 100644
--- a/renderdocui/Code/Helpers.cs
+++ b/renderdocui/Code/Helpers.cs
@@ -90,6 +90,11 @@ namespace renderdocui.Code
             return (x + (a - 1)) & (~(a - 1));
         }
 
+        public static float GetLuminance(this System.Drawing.Color c)
+        {
+            return (float)(0.2126 * Math.Pow(c.R * 255.0, 2.2) + 0.7152 * Math.Pow(c.G * 255.0, 2.2) + 0.0722 * Math.Pow(c.B * 255.0, 2.2));
+        }
+
         public static string SafeGetFileName(string filename)
         {
             try
diff --git a/renderdocui/Interop/FetchInfo.cs b/renderdocui/Interop/FetchInfo.cs
index 0b67eb6f6..ce17a5291 100644
--- a/renderdocui/Interop/FetchInfo.cs
+++ b/renderdocui/Interop/FetchInfo.cs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 using System;
 using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
+using renderdocui.Code;
 
 namespace renderdoc
 {
@@ -544,16 +545,23 @@ namespace renderdoc
                 );
         }
 
-        public bool ShouldUseWhiteText()
+        public System.Drawing.Color GetTextColor(System.Drawing.Color defaultTextCol)
         {
-            float red = markerColour[0];
-            float green = markerColour[1];
-            float blue = markerColour[2];
-            float alpha = markerColour[3];
+            float backLum = GetColor().GetLuminance();
+            float textLum = defaultTextCol.GetLuminance();
 
-            double luminance = 0.2126 * Math.Pow(red, 2.2) + 0.7152 * Math.Pow(green, 2.2) + 0.0722 * Math.Pow(blue, 2.2);
+            bool backDark = backLum < 0.2f;
+            bool textDark = textLum < 0.2f;
 
-            return luminance < 0.2;
+            // if they're contrasting, use the text colour desired
+            if (backDark != textDark)
+                return defaultTextCol;
+
+            // otherwise pick a contrasting colour
+            if (backDark)
+                return System.Drawing.Color.White;
+            else
+                return System.Drawing.Color.Black;
         }
 
         public UInt32 numIndices;
diff --git a/renderdocui/Windows/EventBrowser.cs b/renderdocui/Windows/EventBrowser.cs
index 46b2f0760..f2886e268 100644
--- a/renderdocui/Windows/EventBrowser.cs
+++ b/renderdocui/Windows/EventBrowser.cs
@@ -277,8 +277,7 @@ namespace renderdocui.Windows
                     if (m_Core.Config.EventBrowser_ColourEventRow)
                     {
                         drawNode.BackColor = drawcall.GetColor();
-                        if (drawcall.ShouldUseWhiteText())
-                            drawNode.ForeColor = Color.White;
+                        drawNode.ForeColor = drawcall.GetTextColor(eventView.ForeColor);
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/renderdocui/Windows/TimelineBar.cs b/renderdocui/Windows/TimelineBar.cs
index 69e7f242c..5dfbf3cfd 100644
--- a/renderdocui/Windows/TimelineBar.cs
+++ b/renderdocui/Windows/TimelineBar.cs
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ namespace renderdocui.Windows
                     if (m_Core.Config.EventBrowser_ApplyColours)
                     {
                         sec.color = s[0].GetColor();
-                        sec.textcolor = s[0].ShouldUseWhiteText() ? Color.White : Color.Black;
+                        sec.textcolor = s[0].GetTextColor(Color.Black);
                     }
                     else
                     {