diff --git a/editors/vscode/themes/lume-color-theme.json b/editors/vscode/themes/lume-color-theme.json
index 18c2e7d..145183f 100644
--- a/editors/vscode/themes/lume-color-theme.json
+++ b/editors/vscode/themes/lume-color-theme.json
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@
 
     "terminal.background": "#12101e",
     "terminal.foreground": "#d8d0e4",
-    "terminal.ansiBlack": "#1e1a2c",
+    "terminal.ansiBlack": "#56526c",
     "terminal.ansiRed": "#c49080",
     "terminal.ansiGreen": "#a0d4a8",
     "terminal.ansiYellow": "#c4b080",
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@
     "terminal.ansiMagenta": "#b8a0e0",
     "terminal.ansiCyan": "#88c0b8",
     "terminal.ansiWhite": "#b0a8c4",
-    "terminal.ansiBrightBlack": "#302c42",
+    "terminal.ansiBrightBlack": "#68647e",
     "terminal.ansiBrightRed": "#d0a0b8",
     "terminal.ansiBrightGreen": "#a8d4b8",
     "terminal.ansiBrightYellow": "#e8b4a0",
diff --git a/editors/zed/themes/lume.json b/editors/zed/themes/lume.json
index c6f6345..4af1d36 100644
--- a/editors/zed/themes/lume.json
+++ b/editors/zed/themes/lume.json
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@
         "terminal.foreground": "#d8d0e4",
         "terminal.bright_foreground": "#d8d0e4",
         "terminal.dim_foreground": "#b0a8c4",
-        "terminal.ansi.black": "#1e1a2c",
+        "terminal.ansi.black": "#56526c",
         "terminal.ansi.red": "#c49080",
         "terminal.ansi.green": "#a0d4a8",
         "terminal.ansi.yellow": "#c4b080",
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@
         "terminal.ansi.magenta": "#b8a0e0",
         "terminal.ansi.cyan": "#88c0b8",
         "terminal.ansi.white": "#b0a8c4",
-        "terminal.ansi.bright_black": "#302c42",
+        "terminal.ansi.bright_black": "#68647e",
         "terminal.ansi.bright_red": "#d0a0b8",
         "terminal.ansi.bright_green": "#a8d4b8",
         "terminal.ansi.bright_yellow": "#e8b4a0",
diff --git a/lua/lume/palette.lua b/lua/lume/palette.lua
index 95ab658..3a17f6f 100644
--- a/lua/lume/palette.lua
+++ b/lua/lume/palette.lua
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ M.accents = {
 }
 
 M.ansi = {
-  black = "#1e1a2c",
+  black = "#56526c",
   red = "#c49080",
   green = "#a0d4a8",
   yellow = "#c4b080",
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ M.ansi = {
   magenta = "#b8a0e0",
   cyan = "#88c0b8",
   white = "#b0a8c4",
-  brightBlack = "#302c42",
+  brightBlack = "#68647e",
   brightRed = "#d0a0b8",
   brightGreen = "#a8d4b8",
   brightYellow = "#e8b4a0",
diff --git a/palette.json b/palette.json
index a3906b8..50bd242 100644
--- a/palette.json
+++ b/palette.json
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
     "honey": "#c4b080"
   },
   "ansi": {
-    "black": "#1e1a2c",
+    "black": "#56526c",
     "red": "#c49080",
     "green": "#a0d4a8",
     "yellow": "#c4b080",
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
     "magenta": "#b8a0e0",
     "cyan": "#88c0b8",
     "white": "#b0a8c4",
-    "brightBlack": "#302c42",
+    "brightBlack": "#68647e",
     "brightRed": "#d0a0b8",
     "brightGreen": "#a8d4b8",
     "brightYellow": "#e8b4a0",
diff --git a/scripts/validate-contrast.ts b/scripts/validate-contrast.ts
index 12499ce..88ebdef 100644
--- a/scripts/validate-contrast.ts
+++ b/scripts/validate-contrast.ts
@@ -99,5 +99,10 @@ export function validatePalette(palette: Palette): ValidationResult {
     if (bg.surface0) check(`${name} on surface0`, hex, bg.surface0, 3);
   }
 
+  // ANSI black/brightBlack: must be readable as foreground on base
+  const ansi = palette.ansi || {};
+  if (ansi.black) check("ansi black on base", ansi.black, bg.base, 2);
+  if (ansi.brightBlack) check("ansi brightBlack on base", ansi.brightBlack, bg.base, 3);
+
   return { pass: failures.length === 0, failures };
 }
diff --git a/terminals/alacritty/lume.toml b/terminals/alacritty/lume.toml
index 4b2d639..a39f1aa 100644
--- a/terminals/alacritty/lume.toml
+++ b/terminals/alacritty/lume.toml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ foreground = "#d8d0e4"
 background = "#0e0c18"
 
 [colors.normal]
-black = "#1e1a2c"
+black = "#56526c"
 red = "#c49080"
 green = "#a0d4a8"
 yellow = "#c4b080"
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ cyan = "#88c0b8"
 white = "#b0a8c4"
 
 [colors.bright]
-black = "#302c42"
+black = "#68647e"
 red = "#d0a0b8"
 green = "#a8d4b8"
 yellow = "#e8b4a0"
diff --git a/terminals/foot/lume.ini b/terminals/foot/lume.ini
index 21d9093..a5d3316 100644
--- a/terminals/foot/lume.ini
+++ b/terminals/foot/lume.ini
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ selection-foreground = d8d0e4
 selection-background = 262236
 urls = 8cc0e0
 
-regular0 = 1e1a2c
+regular0 = 56526c
 regular1 = c49080
 regular2 = a0d4a8
 regular3 = c4b080
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ regular5 = b8a0e0
 regular6 = 88c0b8
 regular7 = b0a8c4
 
-bright0 = 302c42
+bright0 = 68647e
 bright1 = d0a0b8
 bright2 = a8d4b8
 bright3 = e8b4a0
diff --git a/terminals/ghostty/lume b/terminals/ghostty/lume
index 4a72578..c27ae97 100644
--- a/terminals/ghostty/lume
+++ b/terminals/ghostty/lume
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ selection-background = 262236
 selection-foreground = d8d0e4
 
 # ANSI colors
-palette = 0=1e1a2c
+palette = 0=56526c
 palette = 1=c49080
 palette = 2=a0d4a8
 palette = 3=c4b080
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ palette = 4=8cc0e0
 palette = 5=b8a0e0
 palette = 6=88c0b8
 palette = 7=b0a8c4
-palette = 8=302c42
+palette = 8=68647e
 palette = 9=d0a0b8
 palette = 10=a8d4b8
 palette = 11=e8b4a0
diff --git a/terminals/iterm2/lume.itermcolors b/terminals/iterm2/lume.itermcolors
index e8b316b..92a1555 100644
--- a/terminals/iterm2/lume.itermcolors
+++ b/terminals/iterm2/lume.itermcolors
@@ -9,13 +9,13 @@
     <key>Alpha Component</key>
     <real>1</real>
     <key>Blue Component</key>
-    <real>0.172549</real>
+    <real>0.423529</real>
     <key>Color Space</key>
     <string>sRGB</string>
     <key>Green Component</key>
-    <real>0.101961</real>
+    <real>0.321569</real>
     <key>Red Component</key>
-    <real>0.117647</real>
+    <real>0.337255</real>
   </dict>
   <key>Ansi 1 Color</key>
   <dict>
@@ -113,13 +113,13 @@
     <key>Alpha Component</key>
     <real>1</real>
     <key>Blue Component</key>
-    <real>0.258824</real>
+    <real>0.494118</real>
     <key>Color Space</key>
     <string>sRGB</string>
     <key>Green Component</key>
-    <real>0.172549</real>
+    <real>0.392157</real>
     <key>Red Component</key>
-    <real>0.188235</real>
+    <real>0.407843</real>
   </dict>
   <key>Ansi 9 Color</key>
   <dict>
diff --git a/terminals/kitty/lume.conf b/terminals/kitty/lume.conf
index 40444d4..9a1339a 100644
--- a/terminals/kitty/lume.conf
+++ b/terminals/kitty/lume.conf
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ cursor_text_color #12101e
 url_color #8cc0e0
 
 # Black
-color0 #1e1a2c
-color8 #302c42
+color0 #56526c
+color8 #68647e
 
 # Red
 color1 #c49080
diff --git a/terminals/wezterm/lume.toml b/terminals/wezterm/lume.toml
index de5817b..f5c5177 100644
--- a/terminals/wezterm/lume.toml
+++ b/terminals/wezterm/lume.toml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ scrollbar_thumb = "#302c42"
 split = "#262236"
 compose_cursor = "#c4b080"
 ansi = [
-  "#1e1a2c",
+  "#56526c",
   "#c49080",
   "#a0d4a8",
   "#c4b080",
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ ansi = [
   "#b0a8c4",
 ]
 brights = [
-  "#302c42",
+  "#68647e",
   "#d0a0b8",
   "#a8d4b8",
   "#e8b4a0",
diff --git a/terminals/windows-terminal/lume.json b/terminals/windows-terminal/lume.json
index 2a7fd4f..e783629 100644
--- a/terminals/windows-terminal/lume.json
+++ b/terminals/windows-terminal/lume.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   "foreground": "#d8d0e4",
   "cursorColor": "#d0a0b8",
   "selectionBackground": "#262236",
-  "black": "#1e1a2c",
+  "black": "#56526c",
   "red": "#c49080",
   "green": "#a0d4a8",
   "yellow": "#c4b080",
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
   "purple": "#b8a0e0",
   "cyan": "#88c0b8",
   "white": "#b0a8c4",
-  "brightBlack": "#302c42",
+  "brightBlack": "#68647e",
   "brightRed": "#d0a0b8",
   "brightGreen": "#a8d4b8",
   "brightYellow": "#e8b4a0",
diff --git a/tests/contrast.test.ts b/tests/contrast.test.ts
index 82e16e3..3261aea 100644
--- a/tests/contrast.test.ts
+++ b/tests/contrast.test.ts
@@ -82,4 +82,34 @@ describe("validatePalette", () => {
   it("throws on missing required palette groups", () => {
     expect(() => validatePalette({} as any)).toThrow("Palette missing required group");
   });
+
+  it("fails when ansi black has insufficient contrast against base", () => {
+    const badPalette = {
+      name: "bad",
+      variant: "dark",
+      backgrounds: { base: "#12101e" },
+      foregrounds: { text: "#d8d0e4" },
+      accents: {},
+      ansi: { black: "#12101e" },
+      special: {},
+    };
+    const results = validatePalette(badPalette as any);
+    expect(results.pass).toBe(false);
+    expect(results.failures.some(f => f.name.includes("ansi black"))).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("fails when ansi brightBlack has insufficient contrast against base", () => {
+    const badPalette = {
+      name: "bad",
+      variant: "dark",
+      backgrounds: { base: "#12101e" },
+      foregrounds: { text: "#d8d0e4" },
+      accents: {},
+      ansi: { brightBlack: "#1e1a2c" },
+      special: {},
+    };
+    const results = validatePalette(badPalette as any);
+    expect(results.pass).toBe(false);
+    expect(results.failures.some(f => f.name.includes("ansi brightBlack"))).toBe(true);
+  });
 });