diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/canvas_vars.h b/gtk2_ardour/canvas_vars.h
index 272fe6233d..9f93a101d0 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/canvas_vars.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/canvas_vars.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_MarkerBar, "marker bar")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_MarkerBarSeparator, "marker bar separator")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_MarkerDragLine, "marker drag line")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_MarkerLabel, "marker label")
+CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_SelectedMarkerLabel, "selected marker label")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_MarkerTrack, "marker track")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_MeasureLineBar, "measure line bar")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_MeasureLineBeat, "measure line beat")
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/default_ui_config.in b/gtk2_ardour/default_ui_config.in
index e9ed74800a..1dae9f9d61 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/default_ui_config.in
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/default_ui_config.in
@@ -49,12 +49,12 @@
     <Option name="inactive group tab" value="434343ff"/>
     <Option name="location cd marker" value="B700FFff"/>
     <Option name="location loop" value="acacac60"/>
-    <Option name="location marker" value="025951ff"/>
+    <Option name="location marker" value="1DB0EDff"/>
     <Option name="location punch" value="B700FFff"/>
     <Option name="location skip" value="6c6c6cff"/>
     <Option name="location skipping" value="eb7801ff"/>
     <Option name="location range" value="E0922Fff"/>
-    <Option name="location selected" value="1d9b9b60"/>
+    <Option name="location selected" value="1DB0EDFF"/>
     <Option name="location outline" value="ffffff33"/>
     <Option name="location handle" value="ffffffcc"/>
     <Option name="loop range marker: active" value="1d9b9b60"/>
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@
     <Option name="marker bar" value="575757ff"/>
     <Option name="marker bar separator" value="ffffff15"/>
     <Option name="marker drag line" value="004f00f9"/>
-    <Option name="marker label" value="000000ff"/>
+    <Option name="marker label" value="ffffffff"/>
+    <Option name="selected marker label" value="000000ff"/>
     <Option name="marker track" value="ddddd8ff"/>
     <Option name="measure line bar" value="ffffff25"/>
     <Option name="measure line beat" value="ffffff15"/>
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/marker.cc b/gtk2_ardour/marker.cc
index 677f1f29f7..050477502b 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/marker.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/marker.cc
@@ -85,11 +85,11 @@ RulerMarker::RulerMarker (ARDOUR::Location* l, PublicEditor& editor, ArdourCanva
 void
 RulerMarker::use_color ()
 {
-        Marker::use_color ();
+	Marker::use_color ();
 
-        if (_end_line) {
-                _end_line->set_outline_color (_color);
-        }
+	if (_end_line) {
+		_end_line->set_outline_color (_color);
+	}
 }
 
 void
@@ -782,45 +782,46 @@ Marker::hide ()
 void
 Marker::use_color ()
 {
-        if (mark) {
-                mark->set_fill_color (_color);
-                mark->set_outline_color (_color);
-        }
+    if (mark) {
+        mark->set_fill_color (_color);
+        mark->set_outline_color (_color);
+    }
 
 	if (_start_line) {
 		_start_line->set_outline_color (_color);
 	}
         
-        if (_name_background) {
-                _name_background->set_fill (true);
+    if (_name_background) {
+        _name_background->set_fill (true);
 
-                if (_have_scene_change && _location && !_location->scene_change()->color_out_of_bounds()) {
-                        _name_background->set_fill_color (_location->scene_change()->color());
-                } else {
-                        _name_background->set_fill_color (_color);
-                }
-
-                /* white with 20% opacity */
-                _name_background->set_outline_color (ARDOUR_UI::config()->get_canvasvar_LocationOutline());
-                _name_background->set_outline_what (ArdourCanvas::Rectangle::What (ArdourCanvas::Rectangle::TOP|
-                                                                                   ArdourCanvas::Rectangle::LEFT|
-                                                                                   ArdourCanvas::Rectangle::RIGHT));
+        if (_have_scene_change && _location && !_location->scene_change()->color_out_of_bounds()) {
+                _name_background->set_fill_color (_location->scene_change()->color());
+        } else {
+                _name_background->set_fill_color (_color);
         }
 
-        ArdourCanvas::Color contrast = ArdourCanvas::contrasting_text_color (_color);
+        /* white with 20% opacity */
+        _name_background->set_outline_color (ARDOUR_UI::config()->get_canvasvar_LocationOutline());
+        _name_background->set_outline_what (ArdourCanvas::Rectangle::What (ArdourCanvas::Rectangle::TOP|
+                                                                            ArdourCanvas::Rectangle::LEFT|
+                                                                            ArdourCanvas::Rectangle::RIGHT));
+    }
 
-        if (_name_item) {
-                _name_item->set_color (contrast);
-        }
-        if (_scene_change_rect) {
-                _scene_change_rect->set_outline_color (contrast);
-        }
-        if (_scene_change_text) {
-                _scene_change_text->set_color (contrast);
-        }
-        if (_marker_lock_text) {
-                _marker_lock_text->set_color (contrast);
-        }
+    ArdourCanvas::Color contrast = (_selected ? ARDOUR_UI::config()->get_canvasvar_SelectedMarkerLabel() :
+												ARDOUR_UI::config()->get_canvasvar_MarkerLabel());
+
+    if (_name_item) {
+        _name_item->set_color (contrast);
+    }
+    if (_scene_change_rect) {
+        _scene_change_rect->set_outline_color (contrast);
+    }
+    if (_scene_change_text) {
+        _scene_change_text->set_color (contrast);
+    }
+    if (_marker_lock_text) {
+        _marker_lock_text->set_color (contrast);
+    }
 }
 
 /** Set the number of pixels that are available for a label to the left of the centre of this marker */