diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7cadd8fa..e45b2e58 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@
   not possible to add a command to these actions when used in mouse
   bindings, making them useless
   (https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/issues/183).
+* **bold-text-in-bright** option to `foot.ini`. When enabled, bold
+  text is rendered in a brighter color
+  (https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/issues/199).
 
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index b7909f9e..3e47179b 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -519,6 +519,9 @@ parse_section_main(const char *key, const char *value, struct config *conf,
         conf->pad_y = y;
     }
 
+    else if (strcmp(key, "bold-text-in-bright") == 0)
+        conf->bold_in_bright = str_to_bool(value);
+
     else if (strcmp(key, "bell") == 0) {
         if (strcmp(value, "set-urgency") == 0)
             conf->bell_is_urgent = true;
@@ -2017,6 +2020,7 @@ config_load(struct config *conf, const char *conf_path,
         },
         .pad_x = 2,
         .pad_y = 2,
+        .bold_in_bright = false,
         .bell_is_urgent = false,
         .startup_mode = STARTUP_WINDOWED,
         .fonts = {tll_init(), tll_init(), tll_init(), tll_init()},
diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index 48961790..a173015f 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ struct config {
     unsigned pad_x;
     unsigned pad_y;
 
+    bool bold_in_bright;
     bool bell_is_urgent;
 
     enum { STARTUP_WINDOWED, STARTUP_MAXIMIZED, STARTUP_FULLSCREEN } startup_mode;
diff --git a/doc/foot.ini.5.scd b/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
index fea26fcf..cfa5b667 100644
--- a/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
+++ b/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
@@ -101,6 +101,10 @@ in this order:
 	(including SMT). Note that this is not always the best value. In
 	some cases, the number of physical _cores_ is better.
 
+*bold-text-in-bright*
+	Boolean. When enabled, bold text is rendered in a brighter color
+	(in addition to using a bold font). Default: _no_.
+
 *bell*
 	Action to perform when receiving a *BEL* character. Can be set to
 	either *set-urgency* or *none*.
diff --git a/foot.ini b/foot.ini
index b22ed049..7ab950c5 100644
--- a/foot.ini
+++ b/foot.ini
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 # term=foot
 # login-shell=no
 # workers=<number of logical CPUs>
+# bold-text-in-bright=no
 # bell=none
 # word-delimiters=,│`|:"'()[]{}<>
 
diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index 96822a33..cec569da 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -239,6 +239,14 @@ color_dim(pixman_color_t *color)
     color->blue /= 2;
 }
 
+static inline void
+color_brighten(pixman_color_t *color)
+{
+    color->red = color->red * 2 <= 0xffff ? color->red * 2 : 0xffff;
+    color->green = color->green * 2 <= 0xffff ? color->green * 2 : 0xffff;
+    color->blue = color->blue * 2 <= 0xffff ? color->blue * 2 : 0xffff;
+}
+
 static inline void
 color_dim_for_search(pixman_color_t *color)
 {
@@ -407,6 +415,8 @@ render_cell(struct terminal *term, pixman_image_t *pix,
 
     if (cell->attrs.dim)
         color_dim(&fg);
+    if (term->conf->bold_in_bright && cell->attrs.bold)
+        color_brighten(&fg);
 
     if (cell->attrs.blink && term->blink.state == BLINK_OFF)
         color_dim(&fg);