diff --git a/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl b/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl
index 18241907a..e44c57053 100644
--- a/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl
+++ b/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 // Inputs {{{
 layout(std140) uniform CellRenderData {
-    float xstart, ystart, dx, dy, sprite_dx, sprite_dy, background_opacity, use_cell_for_selection_fg, use_cell_for_selection_bg;
+    float xstart, ystart, dx, dy, sprite_dx, sprite_dy, background_opacity, use_cell_bg_for_selection_fg, use_cell_fg_for_selection_fg, use_cell_for_selection_bg;
 
     uint default_fg, default_bg, highlight_fg, highlight_bg, cursor_fg, cursor_bg, url_color, url_style, inverted;
 
@@ -188,7 +188,8 @@ void main() {
     float in_url = float((is_selected & TWO) >> 1);
     decoration_fg = choose_color(in_url, color_to_vec(url_color), to_color(colors[2], fg_as_uint));
     // Selection
-    vec3 selection_color = choose_color(use_cell_for_selection_fg, bg, color_to_vec(highlight_fg));
+    vec3 selection_color = choose_color(use_cell_bg_for_selection_fg, bg, color_to_vec(highlight_fg));
+    selection_color = choose_color(use_cell_fg_for_selection_fg, foreground, selection_color);
     foreground = choose_color(float(is_selected & ONE), selection_color, foreground);
     decoration_fg = choose_color(float(is_selected & ONE), selection_color, decoration_fg);
     // Underline and strike through (rendered via sprites)
diff --git a/kitty/options/definition.py b/kitty/options/definition.py
index ac8ed20ee..2aa7a8d27 100644
--- a/kitty/options/definition.py
+++ b/kitty/options/definition.py
@@ -1214,7 +1214,8 @@ opt('selection_foreground', '#000000',
 The foreground and background colors for text selected with the mouse. Setting both of
 these to :code:`none` will cause a "reverse video" effect for selections, where the
 selection will be the cell text color and the text will become the cell background color.
-Note that these colors can be overridden by the program running in the terminal.
+Setting only selection_foreground to :code:`none` will cause the foreground color to be
+used unchanged. Note that these colors can be overridden by the program running in the terminal.
 ''')
 
 opt('selection_background', '#fffacd', option_type='to_color_or_none',)
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.c b/kitty/shaders.c
index 1a57826ff..a4e3e99bb 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.c
+++ b/kitty/shaders.c
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ pick_cursor_color(Line *line, ColorProfile *color_profile, color_type cell_fg, c
 static void
 cell_update_uniform_block(ssize_t vao_idx, Screen *screen, int uniform_buffer, const CellRenderData *crd, CursorRenderInfo *cursor, bool inverted, OSWindow *os_window) {
     struct GPUCellRenderData {
-        GLfloat xstart, ystart, dx, dy, sprite_dx, sprite_dy, background_opacity, use_cell_for_selection_fg, use_cell_for_selection_bg;
+        GLfloat xstart, ystart, dx, dy, sprite_dx, sprite_dy, background_opacity, use_cell_bg_for_selection_fg, use_cell_fg_for_selection_color, use_cell_for_selection_bg;
 
         GLuint default_fg, default_bg, highlight_fg, highlight_bg, cursor_fg, cursor_bg, url_color, url_style, inverted;
 
@@ -303,7 +303,15 @@ cell_update_uniform_block(ssize_t vao_idx, Screen *screen, int uniform_buffer, c
     rd->default_fg = COLOR(default_fg); rd->default_bg = COLOR(default_bg);
     rd->highlight_fg = COLOR(highlight_fg); rd->highlight_bg = COLOR(highlight_bg);
     // selection
-    rd->use_cell_for_selection_fg = IS_SPECIAL_COLOR(highlight_fg) ? 1. : 0.;
+    if (IS_SPECIAL_COLOR(highlight_fg)) {
+        if (IS_SPECIAL_COLOR(highlight_bg)) {
+            rd->use_cell_bg_for_selection_fg = 1.f; rd->use_cell_fg_for_selection_color = 0.f;
+        } else {
+            rd->use_cell_bg_for_selection_fg = 0.f; rd->use_cell_fg_for_selection_color = 1.f;
+        }
+    } else {
+        rd->use_cell_bg_for_selection_fg = 0.f; rd->use_cell_fg_for_selection_color = 0.f;
+    }
     rd->use_cell_for_selection_bg = IS_SPECIAL_COLOR(highlight_bg) ? 1. : 0.;
     // Cursor position
     enum { BLOCK_IDX = 0, BEAM_IDX = 6, UNDERLINE_IDX = 7, UNFOCUSED_IDX = 8 };