diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/view.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/view.py
index 2669298c4e..edf62be7df 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/view.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/view.py
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class TagsView(QTreeView): # {{{
         self.setStyleSheet('''
                 QTreeView {
                     background-color: palette(window);
-                    color: palette(text);
+                    color: palette(window-text);
                     border: none;
                 }
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/toc.py b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/toc.py
index f8add78ed6..ae03b3ed26 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/toc.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/toc.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ class TOCView(QTreeView):
         self.setStyleSheet('''
                 QTreeView {
                     background-color: palette(window);
-                    color: palette(text);
+                    color: palette(window-text);
                     border: none;
                 }
                 QTreeView::item {