diff --git a/byobu-janitor b/byobu-janitor
index c0a0a5b3..6173ad5c 100755
--- a/byobu-janitor
+++ b/byobu-janitor
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ fi
 # Affects: First runs with no configuration
 # Seed the configuration
 [ -d "$HOME/.$PKG" ] || mkdir -p "$HOME/.$PKG"
-[ -r "$HOME/.$PKG/color" ] || byobu-select-profile -b W -f k >/dev/null 2>&1
+[ -r "$HOME/.$PKG/color" ] || printf "BACKGROUND=w\nFOREGROUND=k" > "$HOME/.$PKG/color"
 [ -r "$PROFILE" ] || ln -sf /usr/share/$PKG/profiles/common "$PROFILE"
 
 # Affects: Symlinks pointing to color profiles
diff --git a/byobu-select-profile b/byobu-select-profile
index 09c6331a..91d0b916 100755
--- a/byobu-select-profile
+++ b/byobu-select-profile
@@ -98,10 +98,10 @@ prompt() {
 		echo
 		if [ "$which" = "foreground" ]; then
 			echo `gettext 'Select the foreground color: '`
-			simple="default"
+			simple="white"
 		else
 			echo `gettext 'Select the background color: '`
-			simple="default"
+			simple="black"
 		fi
 		i=1
 		for x in $COLORS; do
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 98d2ba84..66b0af10 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 byobu (2.46) unreleased; urgency=low
 
-  * UNRELEASED
+  * byobu-janitor: seed the default color choices more effciently, also
+    fixes some strange crashes on first run; default the colors to white
+    on black
 
  -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:53:14 -0600