diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 534f8f5f..aa13101b 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 byobu (5.57) unreleased; urgency=low
 
-  * UNRELEASED
+  * usr/bin/byobu, usr/share/byobu/profiles/bashrc:
+    - try to ensure that 256 colors stick, per feedback from Josh
+      Poulson in G+
 
  -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Fri, 16 Aug 2013 16:29:11 -0500
 
diff --git a/usr/bin/byobu b/usr/bin/byobu
index 1cefd6d2..de6cca76 100755
--- a/usr/bin/byobu
+++ b/usr/bin/byobu
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ case $BYOBU_BACKEND in
 	tmux)
 		# Use 256 colors if possible
 		if $BYOBU_TEST tput >/dev/null; then
-			if [ "$(tput colors 2>/dev/null || echo 0)" = "256" ] || [ "$COLORTERM" = "gnome-terminal" ] || [ "$TERM" = "xterm" ]; then
+			if [ "$(tput colors 2>/dev/null || echo 0)" = "256" ] || [ "$COLORTERM" = "gnome-terminal" ] || [ "$TERM" = "xterm" ] || [ "$TERM" = "xterm-256color" ]; then
 				[ -z "$SCREEN_TERM" ] && SCREEN_TERM="-2"
 			fi
 		fi
diff --git a/usr/share/byobu/profiles/bashrc b/usr/share/byobu/profiles/bashrc
index 1fac63fc..70af8f85 100644
--- a/usr/share/byobu/profiles/bashrc
+++ b/usr/share/byobu/profiles/bashrc
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@
 #    along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 # Ensure that we're in a tmux or screen session
+case "$TERM" in
+	xterm)
+		# Try to ensure we have 256 colors
+		export TERM="xterm-256color"
+	;;
+esac
 if [ -n "$TMUX" ] || [ "${TERMCAP#*screen}" != "${TERMCAP}" ]; then
 	# Ensure that we're in bash, in a byobu environment
 	if [ -n "$BYOBU_BACKEND" ] && [ "$SHELL" = "/bin/bash" ]; then