diff --git a/share/qtcreator/themes/dark.creatortheme b/share/qtcreator/themes/dark.creatortheme
index a91be662f17..774222439a4 100644
--- a/share/qtcreator/themes/dark.creatortheme
+++ b/share/qtcreator/themes/dark.creatortheme
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ OutputPaneToggleButtonTextColorChecked=text
 OutputPaneToggleButtonTextColorUnchecked=text
 PanelButtonToolBackgroundColorHover=hoverBackground
 PanelStatusBarBackgroundColor=shadowBackground
-PanelTextColor=text
+PanelTextColorLight=text
+PanelTextColorDark=text
 PanelsWidgetSeparatorLineColor=0
 ProgressBarColorError=error
 ProgressBarColorFinished=ff5aaa3c
diff --git a/share/qtcreator/themes/default.creatortheme b/share/qtcreator/themes/default.creatortheme
index 2cc678136a7..d2dc35fc6c7 100644
--- a/share/qtcreator/themes/default.creatortheme
+++ b/share/qtcreator/themes/default.creatortheme
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ OutputFormatter_StdOutTextColor=ff000000
 OutputPaneButtonFlashColor=ffff0000
 OutputPaneToggleButtonTextColorChecked=ffffffff
 OutputPaneToggleButtonTextColorUnchecked=ff000000
-PanelTextColor=brightText
+PanelTextColorLight=brightText
+PanelTextColorDark=darkText
 PanelButtonToolBackgroundColorHover=25ffffff
 PanelStatusBarBackgroundColor=ffff0000
 PanelsWidgetSeparatorLineColor=ffbfbcb8
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/theme/theme.h b/src/libs/utils/theme/theme.h
index 7407e9df50a..d9b41c15ca2 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/theme/theme.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/theme/theme.h
@@ -103,7 +103,8 @@ public:
         OutputPaneToggleButtonTextColorChecked,
         OutputPaneToggleButtonTextColorUnchecked,
         PanelButtonToolBackgroundColorHover,
-        PanelTextColor,
+        PanelTextColorLight,
+        PanelTextColorDark,
         PanelsWidgetSeparatorLineColor,
         PanelStatusBarBackgroundColor,
         ProgressBarTitleColor,
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/manhattanstyle.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/manhattanstyle.cpp
index 8728b7fb752..ef849f427c3 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/manhattanstyle.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/manhattanstyle.cpp
@@ -245,8 +245,8 @@ void ManhattanStyle::unpolish(QApplication *app)
 
 QPalette panelPalette(const QPalette &oldPalette, bool lightColored = false)
 {
-    Q_UNUSED(lightColored);
-    QColor color = creatorTheme()->color(Theme::PanelTextColor);
+    QColor color = creatorTheme()->color(lightColored ? Theme::PanelTextColorDark
+                                                      : Theme::PanelTextColorLight);
     QPalette pal = oldPalette;
     pal.setBrush(QPalette::All, QPalette::WindowText, color);
     pal.setBrush(QPalette::All, QPalette::ButtonText, color);