diff --git a/app/build.gradle.kts b/app/build.gradle.kts
index ac4e667..4407614 100644
--- a/app/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/app/build.gradle.kts
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ android {
         applicationId = "dev.debene.gopher"
         minSdk = 24
         targetSdk = 35
-        versionCode = 3
-        versionName = "2.0.3"
+        versionCode = 4
+        versionName = "2.0.4"
 
         testInstrumentationRunner = "androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
     }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/dev/debene/gopher/ui/browser/TextViewer.kt b/app/src/main/java/dev/debene/gopher/ui/browser/TextViewer.kt
index 537cab1..f2da3a7 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/dev/debene/gopher/ui/browser/TextViewer.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/dev/debene/gopher/ui/browser/TextViewer.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package dev.debene.gopher.ui.browser
 
+import androidx.compose.foundation.background
 import androidx.compose.foundation.horizontalScroll
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Column
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize
@@ -35,7 +36,8 @@ import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp
  * - Long lines **wrap** by default (readable prose). A toggle switches to no-wrap +
  *   horizontal scroll for fixed-width ASCII art / maps.
  * - **ANSI** color codes (`ESC[…m`) in `.ansi` files are parsed into colored text instead
- *   of showing as escape-sequence gibberish.
+ *   of showing as escape-sequence gibberish. ANSI pages render on a forced black backdrop
+ *   (see [AnsiBackground]) rather than the Material surface.
  */
 @Composable
 fun TextViewer(text: String, modifier: Modifier = Modifier) {
@@ -64,7 +66,11 @@ fun TextViewer(text: String, modifier: Modifier = Modifier) {
     val vScroll = rememberScrollState()
     val hScroll = rememberScrollState()
 
-    Column(modifier.fillMaxSize()) {
+    Column(
+        modifier
+            .fillMaxSize()
+            .then(if (isAnsi) Modifier.background(AnsiBackground) else Modifier)
+    ) {
         FilledIconToggleButton(
             checked = wrap,
             onCheckedChange = { wrap = it },
@@ -84,6 +90,7 @@ fun TextViewer(text: String, modifier: Modifier = Modifier) {
 
         Text(
             text = annotated,
+            color = if (isAnsi) AnsiForeground else Color.Unspecified,
             fontFamily = FontFamily.Monospace,
             style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodySmall,
             softWrap = wrap,
@@ -91,3 +98,15 @@ fun TextViewer(text: String, modifier: Modifier = Modifier) {
         )
     }
 }
+
+/**
+ * ANSI art is authored for a black terminal, and [AnsiParser] emits the fixed xterm palette
+ * (unaware of the app theme). Painting that onto the light Material surface makes the light end
+ * of the palette — grey `argb(229,229,229)` and white `argb(255,255,255)` — near-invisible, so
+ * ANSI pages get the background their colors were chosen against. Pure black matches the
+ * palette's own color 0, so `ESC[40m` fills blend instead of showing as boxes.
+ */
+private val AnsiBackground = Color(0xFF000000)
+
+/** Terminal default foreground (xterm color 7) for runs with no explicit SGR color. */
+private val AnsiForeground = Color(0xFFE5E5E5)
diff --git a/fastlane/metadata/android/en-US/changelogs/4.txt b/fastlane/metadata/android/en-US/changelogs/4.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..36e0250
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fastlane/metadata/android/en-US/changelogs/4.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Readable ANSI art on the light theme.
+
+ANSI pages now render on a black backdrop, the background the xterm palette
+they use was drawn against. Previously the light end of that palette (grey and
+white text) was painted onto the light Material surface and was near-invisible.