diff --git a/kitty/cell_fragment.glsl b/kitty/cell_fragment.glsl
index 113b3c8c2..88080f359 100644
--- a/kitty/cell_fragment.glsl
+++ b/kitty/cell_fragment.glsl
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ uniform sampler2DArray sprites;
 uniform int text_old_gamma;
 uniform float text_contrast;
 uniform float text_gamma_adjustment;
+uniform float text_fg_override_threshold;
 in float effective_text_alpha;
 in vec3 sprite_pos;
 in vec3 underline_pos;
@@ -130,6 +131,16 @@ float clamp_to_unit_float(float x) {
 vec4 foreground_contrast(vec4 over, vec3 under) {
     float underL = dot(under, Y);
     float overL = dot(over.rgb, Y);
+
+    // If the difference in luminance is too small,
+    // force the foreground color to be black or white.
+    float diffL = abs(underL - overL);
+    if (0.5 < underL && diffL < text_fg_override_threshold) {
+        over.rgb = vec3(0, 0, 0);
+    } else if (underL < 0.5 && diffL < text_fg_override_threshold) {
+        over.rgb = vec3(1, 1, 1);
+    }
+
     // Apply additional gamma-adjustment scaled by the luminance difference, the darker the foreground the more adjustment we apply.
     // A multiplicative contrast is also available to increase saturation.
     over.a = clamp_to_unit_float(mix(over.a, pow(over.a, text_gamma_adjustment), (1 - overL + underL) * text_gamma_scaling) * text_contrast);
diff --git a/kitty/options/definition.py b/kitty/options/definition.py
index 435e1c7cc..5288309f9 100644
--- a/kitty/options/definition.py
+++ b/kitty/options/definition.py
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@
 the strokes are uneven.
 
 You can fine tune the actual contrast curve used for glyph composition by
-specifying two space separated numbers for this setting.
+specifying up to three space-separated numbers for this setting.
 
 The first number is the gamma adjustment, which controls the thickness of dark
 text on light backgrounds. Increasing the value will make text appear thicker.
@@ -263,6 +263,11 @@
 ranging from :code:`0` to :code:`100`. The default value is :code:`0` on Linux
 and :code:`30` on macOS.
 
+The third number is an override threshold. It is percentage ranging from :code:`0`
+to :code:`100`. If the difference in luminance of the foreground and background
+is below this threshold, the foreground color will be set to white if the background
+is dark or black if the background is light. The default value is :code:`0`.
+
 If you wish to achieve similar looking thickness in light and dark themes, a good way
 to experiment is start by setting the value to :code:`1.0 0` and use a dark theme.
 Then adjust the second parameter until it looks good. Then switch to a light theme
diff --git a/kitty/options/to-c.h b/kitty/options/to-c.h
index fce4c8820..bbdd31285 100644
--- a/kitty/options/to-c.h
+++ b/kitty/options/to-c.h
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ static void
 text_composition_strategy(PyObject *val, Options *opts) {
     if (!PyUnicode_Check(val)) { PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "text_rendering_strategy must be a string"); return; }
     opts->text_old_gamma = false;
-    opts->text_gamma_adjustment = 1.0f; opts->text_contrast = 0.f;
+    opts->text_gamma_adjustment = 1.0f; opts->text_contrast = 0.f; opts->text_fg_override_threshold = 0.f;
     if (PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(val, "platform") == 0) {
 #ifdef __APPLE__
         opts->text_gamma_adjustment = 1.7f; opts->text_contrast = 30.f;
@@ -192,15 +192,29 @@ text_composition_strategy(PyObject *val, Options *opts) {
     else if (PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(val, "legacy") == 0) {
         opts->text_old_gamma = true;
     } else {
-        DECREF_AFTER_FUNCTION PyObject *parts = PyUnicode_Split(val, NULL, 1);
-        if (PyList_GET_SIZE(parts) != 2) { PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "text_rendering_strategy must be of the form number:number"); return; }
-        DECREF_AFTER_FUNCTION PyObject *ga = PyFloat_FromString(PyList_GET_ITEM(parts, 0));
-        if (PyErr_Occurred()) return;
-        opts->text_gamma_adjustment = MAX(0.01f, PyFloat_AsFloat(ga));
-        DECREF_AFTER_FUNCTION PyObject *contrast = PyFloat_FromString(PyList_GET_ITEM(parts, 1));
-        if (PyErr_Occurred()) return;
-        opts->text_contrast = MAX(0.0f, PyFloat_AsFloat(contrast));
-        opts->text_contrast = MIN(100.0f, opts->text_contrast);
+        DECREF_AFTER_FUNCTION PyObject *parts = PyUnicode_Split(val, NULL, 2);
+        int size = PyList_GET_SIZE(parts);
+        if (size < 1 || 3 < size) { PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "text_rendering_strategy must be of the form number:[number]:[number]"); return; }
+
+        if (size > 0) {
+            DECREF_AFTER_FUNCTION PyObject *ga = PyFloat_FromString(PyList_GET_ITEM(parts, 0));
+            if (PyErr_Occurred()) return;
+            opts->text_gamma_adjustment = MAX(0.01f, PyFloat_AsFloat(ga));
+        }
+
+        if (size > 1) {
+            DECREF_AFTER_FUNCTION PyObject *contrast = PyFloat_FromString(PyList_GET_ITEM(parts, 1));
+            if (PyErr_Occurred()) return;
+            opts->text_contrast = MAX(0.0f, PyFloat_AsFloat(contrast));
+            opts->text_contrast = MIN(100.0f, opts->text_contrast);
+        }
+
+        if (size > 2) {
+            DECREF_AFTER_FUNCTION PyObject *text_fg_override_threshold = PyFloat_FromString(PyList_GET_ITEM(parts, 2));
+            if (PyErr_Occurred()) return;
+            opts->text_fg_override_threshold = MAX(0.f, PyFloat_AsFloat(text_fg_override_threshold));
+            opts->text_fg_override_threshold = MIN(100.f, PyFloat_AsFloat(text_fg_override_threshold));
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.c b/kitty/shaders.c
index d9b8005f2..5d77d6bb4 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.c
+++ b/kitty/shaders.c
@@ -576,6 +576,9 @@ set_cell_uniforms(float current_inactive_text_alpha, bool force) {
         S(CELL_PROGRAM, text_contrast, text_contrast, 1f); S(CELL_FG_PROGRAM, text_contrast, text_contrast, 1f);
         float text_gamma_adjustment = OPT(text_gamma_adjustment) < 0.01f ? 1.0f : 1.0f / OPT(text_gamma_adjustment);
         S(CELL_PROGRAM, text_gamma_adjustment, text_gamma_adjustment, 1f); S(CELL_FG_PROGRAM, text_gamma_adjustment, text_gamma_adjustment, 1f);
+
+        float text_fg_override_threshold = OPT(text_fg_override_threshold) * 0.01f;
+        S(CELL_PROGRAM, text_fg_override_threshold, text_fg_override_threshold, 1f); S(CELL_FG_PROGRAM, text_fg_override_threshold, text_fg_override_threshold, 1f);
 #undef S
 #define SV(prog, name, num, val, type) { bind_program(prog); glUniform##type(glGetUniformLocation(program_id(prog), #name), num, val); }
         SV(CELL_PROGRAM, gamma_lut, 256, srgb_lut, 1fv); SV(CELL_FG_PROGRAM, gamma_lut, 256, srgb_lut, 1fv);
diff --git a/kitty/state.h b/kitty/state.h
index 454aa90d0..08a4557c7 100644
--- a/kitty/state.h
+++ b/kitty/state.h
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ typedef struct {
     WindowTitleIn macos_show_window_title_in;
     char *bell_path, *bell_theme;
     float background_opacity, dim_opacity;
-    float text_contrast, text_gamma_adjustment;
+    float text_contrast, text_gamma_adjustment, text_fg_override_threshold;
     bool text_old_gamma;
 
     char *background_image, *default_window_logo;