diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/terminal/electron-browser/media/xterm.css b/src/vs/workbench/parts/terminal/electron-browser/media/xterm.css
index 66487fab2141f..866fc265e4fd8 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/terminal/electron-browser/media/xterm.css
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/terminal/electron-browser/media/xterm.css
@@ -140,14 +140,6 @@
 
 .monaco-workbench .panel.integrated-terminal .xterm .xterm-selection div {
 	position: absolute;
-	opacity: 0.5;
-	background-color: #808080;
-}
-.vs-dark .monaco-workbench .panel.integrated-terminal .xterm .xterm-selection div {
-	background-color: #808080;
-}
-.hc-black .monaco-workbench .panel.integrated-terminal .xterm .xterm-selection div {
-	background-color: #FFF;
 }
 
 .monaco-workbench .panel.integrated-terminal .xterm .xterm-bold {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/terminal/electron-browser/terminalColorRegistry.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/terminal/electron-browser/terminalColorRegistry.ts
index ae1d524a91223..92206287ac904 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/terminal/electron-browser/terminalColorRegistry.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/terminal/electron-browser/terminalColorRegistry.ts
@@ -17,8 +17,13 @@ export const TERMINAL_BACKGROUND_COLOR = registerColor('terminal.background', nu
 export const TERMINAL_FOREGROUND_COLOR = registerColor('terminal.foreground', {
 	light: '#333333',
 	dark: '#CCCCCC',
-	hc: 'FFFFFF'
+	hc: '#FFFFFF'
 }, nls.localize('terminal.foreground', 'The foreground color of the terminal.'));
+export const TERMINAL_SELECTION_BACKGROUND_COLOR = registerColor('terminal.selectionBackground', {
+	light: '#B0B0B0',
+	dark: '#404040',
+	hc: '#808080'
+}, nls.localize('terminal.selectionBackground', 'The selection background color of the terminal.'));
 
 const ansiColorMap = {
 	'terminal.ansiBlack': {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/terminal/electron-browser/terminalPanel.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/terminal/electron-browser/terminalPanel.ts
index ee9222682125f..7d362f8440b17 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/terminal/electron-browser/terminalPanel.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/terminal/electron-browser/terminalPanel.ts
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ import { ITelemetryService } from 'vs/platform/telemetry/common/telemetry';
 import { ITerminalService, ITerminalFont, TERMINAL_PANEL_ID } from 'vs/workbench/parts/terminal/common/terminal';
 import { IThemeService, ITheme } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/themeService';
 import { TerminalFindWidget } from './terminalFindWidget';
-import { ansiColorIdentifiers, TERMINAL_BACKGROUND_COLOR, TERMINAL_FOREGROUND_COLOR } from './terminalColorRegistry';
-import { ColorIdentifier, selectionBackground } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry';
+import { ansiColorIdentifiers, TERMINAL_BACKGROUND_COLOR, TERMINAL_FOREGROUND_COLOR, TERMINAL_SELECTION_BACKGROUND_COLOR } from './terminalColorRegistry';
+import { ColorIdentifier } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry';
 import { KillTerminalAction, CreateNewTerminalAction, SwitchTerminalInstanceAction, SwitchTerminalInstanceActionItem, CopyTerminalSelectionAction, TerminalPasteAction, ClearTerminalAction } from 'vs/workbench/parts/terminal/electron-browser/terminalActions';
 import { Panel } from 'vs/workbench/browser/panel';
 import { StandardMouseEvent } from 'vs/base/browser/mouseEvent';
@@ -277,13 +277,9 @@ export class TerminalPanel extends Panel {
 				`.monaco-workbench .panel.integrated-terminal .xterm.xterm-cursor-style-bar.focus.xterm-cursor-blink .terminal-cursor::before,` +
 				`.monaco-workbench .panel.integrated-terminal .xterm.xterm-cursor-style-underline.focus.xterm-cursor-blink .terminal-cursor::before { background-color: ${fgColor}; }`;
 		}
-		// Use selection.background as the terminal selection, this is temporary
-		// until proper color inverting is implemented to ensure contrast.
-		const selectionColor = theme.getColor(selectionBackground);
+		const selectionColor = theme.getColor(TERMINAL_SELECTION_BACKGROUND_COLOR);
 		if (selectionColor) {
-			// selection.background is set to null when not defined by the
-			// theme, as such it's default values are defined in CSS.
-			css += `.monaco-workbench .panel.integrated-terminal .xterm .xterm-selection div { background-color: ${selectionColor} !important; }`;
+			css += `.monaco-workbench .panel.integrated-terminal .xterm .xterm-selection div { background-color: ${selectionColor}; }`;
 		}
 
 		this._themeStyleElement.innerHTML = css;