diff --git a/desktop/src/main/kotlin/com/greenart7c3/nostrsigner/desktop/ui/App.kt b/desktop/src/main/kotlin/com/greenart7c3/nostrsigner/desktop/ui/App.kt
index 4bac1f7f..0a25bde1 100644
--- a/desktop/src/main/kotlin/com/greenart7c3/nostrsigner/desktop/ui/App.kt
+++ b/desktop/src/main/kotlin/com/greenart7c3/nostrsigner/desktop/ui/App.kt
@@ -245,7 +245,13 @@ private fun SidebarItem(
                 Text(
                     shortcut,
                     style = MaterialTheme.typography.labelSmall,
-                    color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant,
+                    // On the selected (amber) row inherit the container's dark
+                    // on-color; otherwise use the muted variant.
+                    color = if (selected) {
+                        MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSecondaryContainer.copy(alpha = 0.7f)
+                    } else {
+                        MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant
+                    },
                     maxLines = 1,
                     softWrap = false,
                 )
diff --git a/desktop/src/main/kotlin/com/greenart7c3/nostrsigner/desktop/ui/Theme.kt b/desktop/src/main/kotlin/com/greenart7c3/nostrsigner/desktop/ui/Theme.kt
index 8a6bcb86..0727323a 100644
--- a/desktop/src/main/kotlin/com/greenart7c3/nostrsigner/desktop/ui/Theme.kt
+++ b/desktop/src/main/kotlin/com/greenart7c3/nostrsigner/desktop/ui/Theme.kt
@@ -27,21 +27,35 @@ val primaryVariant = Color(0xFFC8541A)
 val secondaryColor = Color(0xFFFFCA62)
 val orange = Color(0xFFFF6B00)
 
+// The accent (amber / orange) is light, so anything painted on top of it —
+// primary buttons, selected chips, the selected sidebar row — must use dark
+// text. The default dark scheme pairs these containers with light on-colors,
+// which is what produced the unreadable light-on-amber elements.
+private val onAccent = Color(0xFF201A0B)
+
 private val DarkColorPalette = darkColorScheme(
     primary = primaryColor,
-    onPrimary = Color.White,
+    onPrimary = onAccent,
     secondary = primaryVariant,
+    onSecondary = Color.White,
     tertiary = secondaryColor,
+    onTertiary = onAccent,
     primaryContainer = secondaryColor,
+    onPrimaryContainer = onAccent,
     secondaryContainer = secondaryColor,
+    onSecondaryContainer = onAccent,
 )
 
 private val LightColorPalette = lightColorScheme(
     primary = primaryColor,
+    onPrimary = onAccent,
     secondary = primaryVariant,
     tertiary = secondaryColor,
+    onTertiary = onAccent,
     primaryContainer = secondaryColor,
+    onPrimaryContainer = onAccent,
     secondaryContainer = secondaryColor,
+    onSecondaryContainer = onAccent,
     surface = Color(0xFFFFDE9E),
     surfaceContainer = Color(0xFFFFDE9E),
 )