diff --git a/byobu-config b/byobu-config
index 51bcdac8..cb72e4d9 100755
--- a/byobu-config
+++ b/byobu-config
@@ -140,7 +140,14 @@ def select_color(screen, size, layer):
     li = Listbox(height = 8, width = 60, scroll = 1, returnExit = 1)
 
     for choice in commands.getoutput('byobu-select-profile -l').splitlines():
-        li.append(choice, choice)
+        (intensity, color) = choice.split("_")
+        if choice == "light_grey":
+            choice_desc = "white"
+        elif intensity == "dark":
+            choice_desc = color
+        else:
+            choice_desc = "%s (light)" % color
+        li.append(choice_desc, choice)
 
     bb = ButtonBar(screen, ((_("Apply"), "apply"), (_("Cancel"), "cancel", ESC)), compact = 1)
 
diff --git a/byobu-select-profile b/byobu-select-profile
index 01a5df8d..bb6ace35 100755
--- a/byobu-select-profile
+++ b/byobu-select-profile
@@ -89,11 +89,11 @@ prompt() {
 		i=1
 		for x in $COLORS; do
 			test $i -lt 10 2>/dev/null && echo -n "  " || echo -n " "
-			echo "$i. dark_$x"
+			echo "$i. $x"
 			i=$(expr $i + 1)
 			[ "$simple" = "$x" ] && simple=$i
 			test $i -lt 10 2>/dev/null && echo -n "  " || echo -n " "
-			echo "$i. light_$x"
+			echo "$i. $x (light)"
 			i=$(expr $i + 1)
 		done
 		echo
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 773b2ccb..c63b37c5 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ byobu (2.40) unreleased; urgency=low
     default values, making it easier for users to customize themselves
   * bin/custom, byobu-config, byobu.1, profiles/common, rpm/byobu.spec,
     statusrc: add support for a custom status script indicator
+  * byobu-config, byobu-select-profile: make color selection more readable
 
  -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:18:20 -0600