diff --git a/crates/agent_ui/src/active_thread.rs b/crates/agent_ui/src/active_thread.rs
index 4da959d36e9f77ba06e71d722400a60d9f5be25b..5f9dfc7ab2ee844d7a8f4b6077861ff24e6d03cf 100644
--- a/crates/agent_ui/src/active_thread.rs
+++ b/crates/agent_ui/src/active_thread.rs
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ pub(crate) fn default_markdown_style(window: &Window, cx: &App) -> MarkdownStyle
     MarkdownStyle {
         base_text_style: text_style.clone(),
         syntax: cx.theme().syntax().clone(),
-        selection_background_color: cx.theme().players().local().selection,
+        selection_background_color: cx.theme().colors().element_selection_background,
         code_block_overflow_x_scroll: true,
         table_overflow_x_scroll: true,
         heading_level_styles: Some(HeadingLevelStyles {
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ fn tool_use_markdown_style(window: &Window, cx: &mut App) -> MarkdownStyle {
     MarkdownStyle {
         base_text_style: text_style,
         syntax: cx.theme().syntax().clone(),
-        selection_background_color: cx.theme().players().local().selection,
+        selection_background_color: cx.theme().colors().element_selection_background,
         code_block_overflow_x_scroll: false,
         code_block: StyleRefinement {
             margin: EdgesRefinement::default(),
diff --git a/crates/agent_ui/src/agent_configuration/configure_context_server_modal.rs b/crates/agent_ui/src/agent_configuration/configure_context_server_modal.rs
index 30fad51cfcbc100bdf469278c0210a220c7e2833..af08eaf935ba9887a36ef6093ca3dcd53f1608f0 100644
--- a/crates/agent_ui/src/agent_configuration/configure_context_server_modal.rs
+++ b/crates/agent_ui/src/agent_configuration/configure_context_server_modal.rs
@@ -748,7 +748,7 @@ pub(crate) fn default_markdown_style(window: &Window, cx: &App) -> MarkdownStyle
 
     MarkdownStyle {
         base_text_style: text_style.clone(),
-        selection_background_color: cx.theme().players().local().selection,
+        selection_background_color: colors.element_selection_background,
         link: TextStyleRefinement {
             background_color: Some(colors.editor_foreground.opacity(0.025)),
             underline: Some(UnderlineStyle {
diff --git a/crates/assistant_tools/src/edit_file_tool.rs b/crates/assistant_tools/src/edit_file_tool.rs
index fde697b00eb2177bf3ac0382fd7d0c78daa0907e..fcf82856922c2e1c78345cc129aaea871a63ecfa 100644
--- a/crates/assistant_tools/src/edit_file_tool.rs
+++ b/crates/assistant_tools/src/edit_file_tool.rs
@@ -1065,7 +1065,7 @@ fn markdown_style(window: &Window, cx: &App) -> MarkdownStyle {
 
     MarkdownStyle {
         base_text_style: text_style.clone(),
-        selection_background_color: cx.theme().players().local().selection,
+        selection_background_color: cx.theme().colors().element_selection_background,
         ..Default::default()
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/assistant_tools/src/terminal_tool.rs b/crates/assistant_tools/src/terminal_tool.rs
index 5ec0ce7b8f0a4f5f5a34efd01069cd0487104b58..2c582a531069eb9a81340af7eb07731e8df8a96e 100644
--- a/crates/assistant_tools/src/terminal_tool.rs
+++ b/crates/assistant_tools/src/terminal_tool.rs
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ fn markdown_style(window: &Window, cx: &App) -> MarkdownStyle {
 
     MarkdownStyle {
         base_text_style: text_style.clone(),
-        selection_background_color: cx.theme().players().local().selection,
+        selection_background_color: cx.theme().colors().element_selection_background,
         ..Default::default()
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/editor/src/hover_popover.rs b/crates/editor/src/hover_popover.rs
index b174a3ba62ed3924cf4a0da151ad20330a77eafa..9e6fc356ea6ee840824b174fd216d0ea10828d59 100644
--- a/crates/editor/src/hover_popover.rs
+++ b/crates/editor/src/hover_popover.rs
@@ -648,7 +648,7 @@ pub fn hover_markdown_style(window: &Window, cx: &App) -> MarkdownStyle {
             ..Default::default()
         },
         syntax: cx.theme().syntax().clone(),
-        selection_background_color: { cx.theme().players().local().selection },
+        selection_background_color: cx.theme().colors().element_selection_background,
         heading: StyleRefinement::default()
             .font_weight(FontWeight::BOLD)
             .text_base()
@@ -697,7 +697,7 @@ pub fn diagnostics_markdown_style(window: &Window, cx: &App) -> MarkdownStyle {
             ..Default::default()
         },
         syntax: cx.theme().syntax().clone(),
-        selection_background_color: { cx.theme().players().local().selection },
+        selection_background_color: cx.theme().colors().element_selection_background,
         height_is_multiple_of_line_height: true,
         heading: StyleRefinement::default()
             .font_weight(FontWeight::BOLD)
diff --git a/crates/markdown/examples/markdown.rs b/crates/markdown/examples/markdown.rs
index 16387a8000c2bbe1ae38a9979f96e5e1b1dda85d..bf685bd9acfe9f678454dffc538ca66e3ca0910d 100644
--- a/crates/markdown/examples/markdown.rs
+++ b/crates/markdown/examples/markdown.rs
@@ -107,11 +107,7 @@ impl Render for MarkdownExample {
                 ..Default::default()
             },
             syntax: cx.theme().syntax().clone(),
-            selection_background_color: {
-                let mut selection = cx.theme().players().local().selection;
-                selection.fade_out(0.7);
-                selection
-            },
+            selection_background_color: cx.theme().colors().element_selection_background,
             ..Default::default()
         };
 
diff --git a/crates/markdown/examples/markdown_as_child.rs b/crates/markdown/examples/markdown_as_child.rs
index 62a35629b1dedfb33b08c0ce52d5fab94ee18ccf..862b657c8c50c7adc88642f1af21a4c075ff77f2 100644
--- a/crates/markdown/examples/markdown_as_child.rs
+++ b/crates/markdown/examples/markdown_as_child.rs
@@ -91,11 +91,7 @@ impl Render for HelloWorld {
                 ..Default::default()
             },
             syntax: cx.theme().syntax().clone(),
-            selection_background_color: {
-                let mut selection = cx.theme().players().local().selection;
-                selection.fade_out(0.7);
-                selection
-            },
+            selection_background_color: cx.theme().colors().element_selection_background,
             heading: Default::default(),
             ..Default::default()
         };
diff --git a/crates/markdown/src/markdown.rs b/crates/markdown/src/markdown.rs
index ac959d13b5c0236b0d4b3caf99df1970d2f73031..9c057baec97840d81317d828f635a9aad0f6c9fc 100644
--- a/crates/markdown/src/markdown.rs
+++ b/crates/markdown/src/markdown.rs
@@ -504,7 +504,6 @@ impl MarkdownElement {
         let selection = self.markdown.read(cx).selection;
         let selection_start = rendered_text.position_for_source_index(selection.start);
         let selection_end = rendered_text.position_for_source_index(selection.end);
-
         if let Some(((start_position, start_line_height), (end_position, end_line_height))) =
             selection_start.zip(selection_end)
         {
diff --git a/crates/recent_projects/src/ssh_connections.rs b/crates/recent_projects/src/ssh_connections.rs
index 070d8dc4e35295f43d3dbad37e4ce6ea3bd9d4be..5a38e1aadb00e75f9139eb4eccdacacb5e967593 100644
--- a/crates/recent_projects/src/ssh_connections.rs
+++ b/crates/recent_projects/src/ssh_connections.rs
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ impl Render for SshPrompt {
         text_style.refine(&refinement);
         let markdown_style = MarkdownStyle {
             base_text_style: text_style,
-            selection_background_color: cx.theme().players().local().selection,
+            selection_background_color: cx.theme().colors().element_selection_background,
             ..Default::default()
         };
 
diff --git a/crates/theme/src/default_colors.rs b/crates/theme/src/default_colors.rs
index 33d7b86e3db7a2e311acf9c3cf1fc9548185b42d..3424e0fe04cdbc11544fa81018edba4ff2b357c1 100644
--- a/crates/theme/src/default_colors.rs
+++ b/crates/theme/src/default_colors.rs
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ impl ThemeColors {
             element_active: neutral().light_alpha().step_5(),
             element_selected: neutral().light_alpha().step_5(),
             element_disabled: neutral().light_alpha().step_3(),
+            element_selection_background: blue().light().step_3().alpha(0.25),
             drop_target_background: blue().light_alpha().step_2(),
             ghost_element_background: system.transparent,
             ghost_element_hover: neutral().light_alpha().step_3(),
@@ -174,6 +175,7 @@ impl ThemeColors {
             element_active: neutral().dark_alpha().step_5(),
             element_selected: neutral().dark_alpha().step_5(),
             element_disabled: neutral().dark_alpha().step_3(),
+            element_selection_background: blue().dark().step_3().alpha(0.25),
             drop_target_background: blue().dark_alpha().step_2(),
             ghost_element_background: system.transparent,
             ghost_element_hover: neutral().dark_alpha().step_4(),
diff --git a/crates/theme/src/fallback_themes.rs b/crates/theme/src/fallback_themes.rs
index afc977d7fdd1ad4cba18d63c899746837d79325f..5e9967d4603a5bac8c9f1a7e461c7319f52f82d7 100644
--- a/crates/theme/src/fallback_themes.rs
+++ b/crates/theme/src/fallback_themes.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ use gpui::{FontStyle, FontWeight, HighlightStyle, Hsla, WindowBackgroundAppearan
 
 use crate::{
     AccentColors, Appearance, PlayerColors, StatusColors, StatusColorsRefinement, SyntaxTheme,
-    SystemColors, Theme, ThemeColors, ThemeFamily, ThemeStyles, default_color_scales,
+    SystemColors, Theme, ThemeColors, ThemeColorsRefinement, ThemeFamily, ThemeStyles,
+    default_color_scales,
 };
 
 /// The default theme family for Zed.
@@ -41,6 +42,19 @@ pub(crate) fn apply_status_color_defaults(status: &mut StatusColorsRefinement) {
     }
 }
 
+pub(crate) fn apply_theme_color_defaults(
+    theme_colors: &mut ThemeColorsRefinement,
+    player_colors: &PlayerColors,
+) {
+    if theme_colors.element_selection_background.is_none() {
+        let mut selection = player_colors.local().selection;
+        if selection.a == 1.0 {
+            selection.a = 0.25;
+        }
+        theme_colors.element_selection_background = Some(selection);
+    }
+}
+
 pub(crate) fn zed_default_dark() -> Theme {
     let bg = hsla(215. / 360., 12. / 100., 15. / 100., 1.);
     let editor = hsla(220. / 360., 12. / 100., 18. / 100., 1.);
@@ -74,6 +88,7 @@ pub(crate) fn zed_default_dark() -> Theme {
         a: 1.0,
     };
 
+    let player = PlayerColors::dark();
     Theme {
         id: "one_dark".to_string(),
         name: "One Dark".into(),
@@ -97,6 +112,7 @@ pub(crate) fn zed_default_dark() -> Theme {
                 element_active: hsla(220.0 / 360., 11.8 / 100., 20.0 / 100., 1.0),
                 element_selected: hsla(224.0 / 360., 11.3 / 100., 26.1 / 100., 1.0),
                 element_disabled: SystemColors::default().transparent,
+                element_selection_background: player.local().selection.alpha(0.25),
                 drop_target_background: hsla(220.0 / 360., 8.3 / 100., 21.4 / 100., 1.0),
                 ghost_element_background: SystemColors::default().transparent,
                 ghost_element_hover: hsla(225.0 / 360., 11.8 / 100., 26.7 / 100., 1.0),
@@ -258,7 +274,7 @@ pub(crate) fn zed_default_dark() -> Theme {
                 warning_background: yellow,
                 warning_border: yellow,
             },
-            player: PlayerColors::dark(),
+            player,
             syntax: Arc::new(SyntaxTheme {
                 highlights: vec![
                     ("attribute".into(), purple.into()),
diff --git a/crates/theme/src/schema.rs b/crates/theme/src/schema.rs
index a071ca26c8b0105828aa0f42ab315c6d67902823..01fdafd94df58f182074bc9c5ffeaa49fe36ab62 100644
--- a/crates/theme/src/schema.rs
+++ b/crates/theme/src/schema.rs
@@ -219,6 +219,10 @@ pub struct ThemeColorsContent {
     #[serde(rename = "element.disabled")]
     pub element_disabled: Option<String>,
 
+    /// Background Color. Used for the background of selections in a UI element.
+    #[serde(rename = "element.selection_background")]
+    pub element_selection_background: Option<String>,
+
     /// Background Color. Used for the area that shows where a dragged element will be dropped.
     #[serde(rename = "drop_target.background")]
     pub drop_target_background: Option<String>,
@@ -726,6 +730,10 @@ impl ThemeColorsContent {
                 .element_disabled
                 .as_ref()
                 .and_then(|color| try_parse_color(color).ok()),
+            element_selection_background: self
+                .element_selection_background
+                .as_ref()
+                .and_then(|color| try_parse_color(color).ok()),
             drop_target_background: self
                 .drop_target_background
                 .as_ref()
diff --git a/crates/theme/src/styles/colors.rs b/crates/theme/src/styles/colors.rs
index fb821385f54fb72e4f445a0c88b9edc4814574f8..76d18c6d6553edbc57ba2666a433b857141ba05b 100644
--- a/crates/theme/src/styles/colors.rs
+++ b/crates/theme/src/styles/colors.rs
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ pub struct ThemeColors {
     ///
     /// This could include a selected checkbox, a toggleable button that is toggled on, etc.
     pub element_selected: Hsla,
+    /// Background Color. Used for the background of selections in a UI element.
+    pub element_selection_background: Hsla,
     /// Background Color. Used for the disabled state of an element that should have a different background than the surface it's on.
     ///
     /// Disabled states are shown when a user cannot interact with an element, like a disabled button or input.
diff --git a/crates/theme/src/theme.rs b/crates/theme/src/theme.rs
index 3b5306c216b8f6a100b75ce9d3e915c39989d620..bdb52693c0bad35107b79fc21bc127d496cec396 100644
--- a/crates/theme/src/theme.rs
+++ b/crates/theme/src/theme.rs
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ use serde::Deserialize;
 use uuid::Uuid;
 
 pub use crate::default_colors::*;
+use crate::fallback_themes::apply_theme_color_defaults;
 pub use crate::font_family_cache::*;
 pub use crate::icon_theme::*;
 pub use crate::icon_theme_schema::*;
@@ -165,12 +166,6 @@ impl ThemeFamily {
             AppearanceContent::Dark => Appearance::Dark,
         };
 
-        let mut refined_theme_colors = match theme.appearance {
-            AppearanceContent::Light => ThemeColors::light(),
-            AppearanceContent::Dark => ThemeColors::dark(),
-        };
-        refined_theme_colors.refine(&theme.style.theme_colors_refinement());
-
         let mut refined_status_colors = match theme.appearance {
             AppearanceContent::Light => StatusColors::light(),
             AppearanceContent::Dark => StatusColors::dark(),
@@ -185,6 +180,14 @@ impl ThemeFamily {
         };
         refined_player_colors.merge(&theme.style.players);
 
+        let mut refined_theme_colors = match theme.appearance {
+            AppearanceContent::Light => ThemeColors::light(),
+            AppearanceContent::Dark => ThemeColors::dark(),
+        };
+        let mut theme_colors_refinement = theme.style.theme_colors_refinement();
+        apply_theme_color_defaults(&mut theme_colors_refinement, &refined_player_colors);
+        refined_theme_colors.refine(&theme_colors_refinement);
+
         let mut refined_accent_colors = match theme.appearance {
             AppearanceContent::Light => AccentColors::light(),
             AppearanceContent::Dark => AccentColors::dark(),
diff --git a/crates/ui_prompt/src/ui_prompt.rs b/crates/ui_prompt/src/ui_prompt.rs
index dc6aee177d72dc5898f6dcc43895d02aa02f7714..2b6a030f26e752401a56a61a3f6a0a881bb89557 100644
--- a/crates/ui_prompt/src/ui_prompt.rs
+++ b/crates/ui_prompt/src/ui_prompt.rs
@@ -153,7 +153,10 @@ impl Render for ZedPromptRenderer {
                         });
                         MarkdownStyle {
                             base_text_style,
-                            selection_background_color: { cx.theme().players().local().selection },
+                            selection_background_color: cx
+                                .theme()
+                                .colors()
+                                .element_selection_background,
                             ..Default::default()
                         }
                     }))