diff --git a/src/Theme.cpp b/src/Theme.cpp
index 7696e86cb..53ca95c1a 100644
--- a/src/Theme.cpp
+++ b/src/Theme.cpp
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ void Theme::RegisterColours()
 ThemeBase::ThemeBase(void)
 {
    bRecolourOnLoad = false;
-   bRecolouringIsActive = false;
+   bIsUsingSystemTextColour = false;
 }
 
 ThemeBase::~ThemeBase(void)
@@ -322,9 +322,25 @@ void ThemeBase::LoadTheme( teThemeType Theme )
       CreateImageCache();
 #endif
    }
-   bRecolouringIsActive = false;
+
    if( bRecolourOnLoad )
       RecolourTheme();
+
+   wxColor Back        = theTheme.Colour( clrTrackInfo );
+   wxColor CurrentText = theTheme.Colour( clrTrackPanelText );
+   wxColor DesiredText = wxSystemSettings::GetColour( wxSYS_COLOUR_WINDOWTEXT );
+
+   int TextColourDifference =  ColourDistance( CurrentText, DesiredText );
+
+   bIsUsingSystemTextColour = ( TextColourDifference == 0 );
+   // Theming is very accepting of alternative text colours.  They just need to 
+   // have decent contrast to the background colour, if we're blending themes. 
+   if( !bIsUsingSystemTextColour ){
+      int ContrastLevel        =  ColourDistance( Back, DesiredText );
+      bIsUsingSystemTextColour = bRecolourOnLoad && (ContrastLevel > 250);
+      if( bIsUsingSystemTextColour )
+         Colour( clrTrackPanelText ) = DesiredText;
+   }
    bRecolourOnLoad = false;
 
    // Next line is not required as we haven't yet built the GUI
@@ -365,7 +381,6 @@ void ThemeBase::RecolourTheme()
    // Don't recolour if difference is too big.
    if( d  > 120 )
       return;
-   bRecolouringIsActive = true;
 
    // A minor tint difference from standard does not need 
    // to be recouloured either.  Includes case of d==0 which is nothing
diff --git a/src/Theme.h b/src/Theme.h
index d983e3c15..1e7bd8b8c 100644
--- a/src/Theme.h
+++ b/src/Theme.h
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ public:
    void WriteImageDefs( );
    void WriteImageMap( );
    static bool LoadPreferredTheme();
-   bool RecolouringIsActive(){ return bRecolouringIsActive;};
+   bool IsUsingSyestemTextColour(){ return bIsUsingSystemTextColour;};
    void RecolourBitmap( int iIndex, wxColour From, wxColour To );
    void RecolourTheme();
 
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ public:
    wxFont   & Font( int iIndex );
    wxSize ImageSize( int iIndex );
    bool bRecolourOnLoad;  // Request to recolour.
-   bool bRecolouringIsActive;  // We're actually doing it.
+   bool bIsUsingSystemTextColour;
 
    void ReplaceImage( int iIndex, wxImage * pImage );
 
diff --git a/src/toolbars/SelectionBar.cpp b/src/toolbars/SelectionBar.cpp
index 2d9e1ba2e..e0a8a2c5c 100644
--- a/src/toolbars/SelectionBar.cpp
+++ b/src/toolbars/SelectionBar.cpp
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ void SelectionBar::Populate()
    gPrefs->Read(wxT("/ShowSelectionLength"), &showSelectionLength);
 
    {
-      bool bCustomRadioLabels = !theTheme.RecolouringIsActive();
+      bool bSysTextColour = theTheme.IsUsingSyestemTextColour();
       // Can't set textcolour of radio buttons.
       // so instead we make the text empty and add in two wxStaticTexts
       // and we can set the colour of those.
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ void SelectionBar::Populate()
       // Should not be a hardship for them, as themes make little difference 
       // for them, except Hi-Contrast, which should be used with recolouring.
       auto hSizer = std::make_unique<wxBoxSizer>(wxHORIZONTAL);
-      mRightEndButton = safenew wxRadioButton(this, OnEndRadioID, bCustomRadioLabels ? wxT("") : _("End"),
+      mRightEndButton = safenew wxRadioButton(this, OnEndRadioID, bSysTextColour ? _("End") : wxT("") ,
          wxDefaultPosition, wxDefaultSize,
          wxRB_GROUP);
       mRightEndButton->SetName(_("End"));
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ void SelectionBar::Populate()
       mRightEndButton->SetValue(!showSelectionLength);
       hSizer->Add(mRightEndButton,
          0, wxRIGHT | wxALIGN_CENTER_VERTICAL, 5);
-      if( bCustomRadioLabels )
+      if( !bSysTextColour )
       {
          wxStaticText * pEndText = safenew wxStaticText(this, -1, _("End"));
          pEndText->SetForegroundColour( clrText );
@@ -191,13 +191,13 @@ void SelectionBar::Populate()
             0, wxRIGHT | wxALIGN_CENTER_VERTICAL, 5);
       }
 
-      mRightLengthButton = safenew wxRadioButton(this, OnLengthRadioID, bCustomRadioLabels ? wxT(""): _("Length"));
+      mRightLengthButton = safenew wxRadioButton(this, OnLengthRadioID,bSysTextColour ? _("Length") : wxT("") );
       mRightLengthButton->SetName(_("Length"));
       mRightLengthButton->SetForegroundColour( clrText );
       mRightLengthButton->SetValue(showSelectionLength);
       hSizer->Add(mRightLengthButton,
          0, wxALIGN_CENTER_VERTICAL | wxRIGHT, 5);
-      if( bCustomRadioLabels )
+      if( !bSysTextColour )
       {
          wxStaticText * pLengthText = safenew wxStaticText(this, -1, _("Length"));
          pLengthText->SetForegroundColour( clrText );