diff --git a/internal/tui/permission_prompt_test.go b/internal/tui/permission_prompt_test.go
index 34d3df547..34101a26f 100644
--- a/internal/tui/permission_prompt_test.go
+++ b/internal/tui/permission_prompt_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package tui
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -376,3 +377,58 @@ func TestShiftDownComposerGuard(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Shift+Down with non-empty composer scrolled offset to %d, want 3 (unchanged)", got)
 	}
 }
+
+// The highlighted permission option must use the selected-row tint, not the
+// brand chip. zeroTheme.badge is the accent-filled chip for short labels
+// (" 0 ", " ASK ", " SPEC REVIEW "); using it for a whole row painted a
+// full-brightness accent slab across a card whose palette is deliberately amber
+// (warning), and skipped the card tint every other line composes onto. selBg is
+// the tint tuned for a highlighted row against a panel, and onSel is what every
+// other selectable list in the TUI uses.
+func TestFocusedPermissionSelectedRowUsesSelectionTintNotBrandChip(t *testing.T) {
+	request := agent.PermissionRequest{ToolName: "exec_command", SideEffect: "shell"}
+	card, _ := renderFocusedPermissionPrompt(request, 0, 70)
+
+	var selected string
+	for _, line := range strings.Split(card, "\n") {
+		if strings.Contains(ansiPattern.ReplaceAllString(line, ""), "▸ ") {
+			selected = line
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	if selected == "" {
+		t.Fatal("no highlighted option row rendered")
+	}
+
+	accentBg := backgroundCode(darkPalette.accent)
+	selBg := backgroundCode(darkPalette.selBg)
+	if strings.Contains(selected, accentBg) {
+		t.Errorf("selected row is filled with the brand accent %s (zeroTheme.badge); want the selection tint:\n%q", darkPalette.accent, selected)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(selected, selBg) {
+		t.Errorf("selected row should carry the selection tint %s:\n%q", darkPalette.selBg, selected)
+	}
+
+	// The PERMISSION chip keeps its amber fill — the card must still read as a
+	// warning surface, so this fix must not flatten it.
+	if !strings.Contains(card, backgroundCode(darkPalette.amber)) {
+		t.Errorf("PERMISSION badge lost its amber fill:\n%q", card)
+	}
+
+	// The card BODY carries no warm permBg wash any more: it matches the other
+	// prompt cards (ask_user, spec) whose bodies are transparent. Warning identity
+	// comes from the amber badge + border, not a full-body tint that clashes on
+	// cool themes.
+	if strings.Contains(card, backgroundCode(darkPalette.permBg)) {
+		t.Errorf("permission card body still tinted with permBg %s; want a transparent body:\n%q", darkPalette.permBg, card)
+	}
+}
+
+// backgroundCode renders the SGR truecolor background sequence for a #rrggbb
+// palette entry, so assertions compare against the palette rather than
+// hardcoded numbers that drift when a theme is retuned.
+func backgroundCode(hex string) string {
+	var r, g, b int
+	fmt.Sscanf(hex, "#%02x%02x%02x", &r, &g, &b)
+	return fmt.Sprintf("48;2;%d;%d;%d", r, g, b)
+}
diff --git a/internal/tui/rendering.go b/internal/tui/rendering.go
index bdf651734..28e09d7ad 100644
--- a/internal/tui/rendering.go
+++ b/internal/tui/rendering.go
@@ -1112,7 +1112,14 @@ func renderFocusedPermissionPrompt(request agent.PermissionRequest, cursor int,
 	if name == "" {
 		name = "tool"
 	}
-	fill := zeroTheme.onPerm
+	// The card body carries no background fill, matching every other prompt card
+	// (ask_user, spec review, plan) — see the lipgloss.NewStyle() fills below. The
+	// permission card used to tint its whole body with permBg, an amber-family
+	// wash that reads as a warm slab on cool themes (e.g. a brown-yellow box over
+	// dracula's purples) and made it the one outlier. The amber PERMISSION badge
+	// and the amber-mixed border still carry the "this is a permission gate"
+	// signal; the body no longer clashes with the surrounding theme.
+	fill := func(style lipgloss.Style) lipgloss.Style { return style }
 
 	top := zeroTheme.permBadge.Render(" PERMISSION ")
 
@@ -1147,8 +1154,16 @@ func renderFocusedPermissionPrompt(request agent.PermissionRequest, cursor int,
 		hotkey := fill(zeroTheme.faint).Render(" [" + option.hotkey + "]")
 		optionLabel := permissionOptionLabel(option, request)
 		if index == cursor {
+			// onSel, not badge. zeroTheme.badge is the brand chip (" 0 ", " ASK ",
+			// " SPEC REVIEW ") — a full-brightness accent fill meant for short
+			// labels. Using it for a selected ROW painted a bright accent slab
+			// across the permission card, fighting the card's amber warning palette
+			// and ignoring the card tint every other line composes onto. selBg is
+			// the tint tuned for exactly this job ("separates from the panel while
+			// ink label contrast stays ~9.4:1"), and onSel is what every other
+			// selectable list in the TUI uses for its highlighted row.
 			marker := fill(zeroTheme.accent).Render("▸ ")
-			label := zeroTheme.badge.Render(" " + optionLabel + " ")
+			label := zeroTheme.onSel(zeroTheme.ink).Bold(true).Render(" " + optionLabel + " ")
 			lines = append(lines, marker+label+hotkey)
 		} else {
 			label := fill(zeroTheme.ink).Render(optionLabel)
@@ -1163,7 +1178,7 @@ func renderFocusedPermissionPrompt(request agent.PermissionRequest, cursor int,
 	}
 	lines = append(lines, fill(zeroTheme.faint).Render(footer))
 
-	return styledBlockFill(width, lines, zeroTheme.permBorder, zeroTheme.permBg), offsets
+	return styledBlockFill(width, lines, zeroTheme.permBorder, lipgloss.NewStyle()), offsets
 }
 
 func permissionScopeLine(request agent.PermissionRequest, scope string) string {