diff --git a/src/renderer/BaseRenderLayer.ts b/src/renderer/BaseRenderLayer.ts
index 9714eaaf27..c73c0a561e 100644
--- a/src/renderer/BaseRenderLayer.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/BaseRenderLayer.ts
@@ -248,12 +248,13 @@ export abstract class BaseRenderLayer implements IRenderLayer {
     const isBasicColor = fg < 16;
     const isDefaultColor = fg >= 256;
     const isDefaultBackground = bg >= 256;
+    const drawInBrightColor = (terminal.options.drawBoldTextInBrightColors !== false && bold && fg < 8);
     if (this._charAtlas && isAscii && (isBasicColor || isDefaultColor) && isDefaultBackground) {
       let colorIndex: number;
       if (isDefaultColor) {
         colorIndex = (bold && terminal.options.enableBold ? 1 : 0);
       } else {
-        colorIndex = 2 + fg + (bold && terminal.options.enableBold ? 16 : 0);
+        colorIndex = 2 + fg + (bold && terminal.options.enableBold ? 16 : 0) + (drawInBrightColor ? 8 : 0);
       }
 
       // ImageBitmap's draw about twice as fast as from a canvas
@@ -275,7 +276,7 @@ export abstract class BaseRenderLayer implements IRenderLayer {
           charAtlasCellWidth,
           this._scaledCharHeight);
     } else {
-      this._drawUncachedChar(terminal, char, width, fg, x, y, bold && terminal.options.enableBold, dim);
+      this._drawUncachedChar(terminal, char, width, fg + (drawInBrightColor ? 8 : 0), x, y, bold && terminal.options.enableBold, dim);
     }
     // This draws the atlas (for debugging purposes)
     // this._ctx.clearRect(0, 0, this._canvas.width, this._canvas.height);
diff --git a/typings/xterm.d.ts b/typings/xterm.d.ts
index 65d533def6..3107589e70 100644
--- a/typings/xterm.d.ts
+++ b/typings/xterm.d.ts
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ declare module 'xterm' {
      */
     disableStdin?: boolean;
 
+    /**
+     * Whether to draw bold text in bright colors. The default is true.
+     */
+    drawBoldTextInBrightColors?: boolean;
+
     /**
      * Whether to enable the rendering of bold text.
      *