diff --git a/include/components/renderer.hpp b/include/components/renderer.hpp
index 8e0d971a..c4c14fab 100644
--- a/include/components/renderer.hpp
+++ b/include/components/renderer.hpp
@@ -30,9 +30,10 @@ struct alignment_block {
 class renderer
     : public signal_receiver<SIGN_PRIORITY_RENDERER, signals::ui::request_snapshot, signals::parser::change_background,
           signals::parser::change_foreground, signals::parser::change_underline, signals::parser::change_overline,
-          signals::parser::change_font, signals::parser::change_alignment, signals::parser::offset_pixel,
-          signals::parser::attribute_set, signals::parser::attribute_unset, signals::parser::attribute_toggle,
-          signals::parser::action_begin, signals::parser::action_end, signals::parser::text> {
+          signals::parser::change_font, signals::parser::change_alignment, signals::parser::reverse_colors,
+          signals::parser::offset_pixel, signals::parser::attribute_set, signals::parser::attribute_unset,
+          signals::parser::attribute_toggle, signals::parser::action_begin, signals::parser::action_end,
+          signals::parser::text> {
  public:
   using make_type = unique_ptr<renderer>;
   static make_type make(const bar_settings& bar);
@@ -73,6 +74,7 @@ class renderer
   bool on(const signals::parser::change_overline& evt);
   bool on(const signals::parser::change_font& evt);
   bool on(const signals::parser::change_alignment& evt);
+  bool on(const signals::parser::reverse_colors&);
   bool on(const signals::parser::offset_pixel& evt);
   bool on(const signals::parser::attribute_set& evt);
   bool on(const signals::parser::attribute_unset& evt);
diff --git a/include/events/signal.hpp b/include/events/signal.hpp
index 24351bd1..b9fc4250 100644
--- a/include/events/signal.hpp
+++ b/include/events/signal.hpp
@@ -144,6 +144,9 @@ namespace signals {
     struct change_alignment : public detail::value_signal<change_alignment, alignment> {
       using base_type::base_type;
     };
+    struct reverse_colors : public detail::base_signal<reverse_colors> {
+      using base_type::base_type;
+    };
     struct offset_pixel : public detail::value_signal<offset_pixel, int> {
       using base_type::base_type;
     };
diff --git a/include/events/signal_fwd.hpp b/include/events/signal_fwd.hpp
index f2b0fe84..a2ffb911 100644
--- a/include/events/signal_fwd.hpp
+++ b/include/events/signal_fwd.hpp
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ namespace signals {
     struct change_overline;
     struct change_font;
     struct change_alignment;
+    struct reverse_colors;
     struct offset_pixel;
     struct attribute_set;
     struct attribute_unset;
diff --git a/src/components/parser.cpp b/src/components/parser.cpp
index af68a645..83c50500 100644
--- a/src/components/parser.cpp
+++ b/src/components/parser.cpp
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ void parser::codeblock(string&& data, const bar_settings& bar) {
 
     switch (tag) {
       case 'B': {
-        m_sig.emit(change_background{parse_color(m_bg, value, 0UL)});
+        m_sig.emit(change_background{parse_color(m_bg, value, bar.background)});
         break;
       }
 
@@ -110,8 +110,7 @@ void parser::codeblock(string&& data, const bar_settings& bar) {
         break;
 
       case 'R':
-        m_sig.emit(change_background{parse_color_string(value, bar.foreground)});
-        m_sig.emit(change_foreground{parse_color_string(value, bar.background)});
+        m_sig.emit(reverse_colors{});
         break;
 
       case 'O':
diff --git a/src/components/renderer.cpp b/src/components/renderer.cpp
index 964e8826..039256a6 100644
--- a/src/components/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/components/renderer.cpp
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ void renderer::begin(xcb_rectangle_t rect) {
   m_align = alignment::NONE;
 
   // Reset colors
-  m_bg = 0;
+  m_bg = m_bar.background;
   m_fg = m_bar.foreground;
   m_ul = m_bar.underline.color;
   m_ol = m_bar.overline.color;
@@ -700,6 +700,14 @@ bool renderer::on(const signals::parser::change_alignment& evt) {
   return true;
 }
 
+bool renderer::on(const signals::parser::reverse_colors&) {
+  m_log.trace_x("renderer: reverse_colors");
+  m_fg = m_fg + m_bg;
+  m_bg = m_fg - m_bg;
+  m_fg = m_fg - m_bg;
+  return true;
+}
+
 bool renderer::on(const signals::parser::offset_pixel& evt) {
   m_log.trace_x("renderer: offset_pixel(%f)", evt.cast());
   m_blocks[m_align].x += evt.cast();