diff --git a/advent.tlv b/advent.tlv
index 5a7f5be..3daa628 100644
--- a/advent.tlv
+++ b/advent.tlv
@@ -186,7 +186,6 @@
     >  curses.init_pair(13, 7, 5)
     >  curses.init_pair(14, 7, 6)
     >  curses.init_pair(15, -1, 15)
-    >  curses.init_pair(255, 15, 1)  -- reserved for Teliva error messages
     >end
 - main:
     >function main()
diff --git a/chesstv.tlv b/chesstv.tlv
index 36b1a7e..91d8d07 100644
--- a/chesstv.tlv
+++ b/chesstv.tlv
@@ -198,7 +198,6 @@
     >  curses.init_pair(6, dark_piece, light_last_moved_square)
     >  curses.init_pair(7, light_piece, dark_last_moved_square)
     >  curses.init_pair(8, dark_piece, dark_last_moved_square)
-    >  curses.init_pair(255, 15, 1)  -- reserved for Teliva error messages
     >end
 - __teliva_timestamp: original
   main:
diff --git a/counter.tlv b/counter.tlv
index a4b41a5..b709ccc 100644
--- a/counter.tlv
+++ b/counter.tlv
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@
     >  for i=1,7 do
     >    curses.init_pair(i, 0, i)
     >  end
-    >  curses.init_pair(255, 15, 1)  -- reserved for Teliva error messages
     >
     >  while true do
     >    render(window)
diff --git a/hanoi.tlv b/hanoi.tlv
index ba177ae..aa1f5ba 100644
--- a/hanoi.tlv
+++ b/hanoi.tlv
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@
     >    curses.init_pair(i, 0, i)
     >  end
     >  curses.init_pair(15, 0, 250)  -- tower frames
-    >  curses.init_pair(255, 15, 1)  -- reserved for Teliva error messages
     >
     >  while true do
     >    render(window)
diff --git a/life.tlv b/life.tlv
index 606aca5..143de31 100644
--- a/life.tlv
+++ b/life.tlv
@@ -234,7 +234,6 @@
 - __teliva_timestamp: original
   main:
     >function main()
-    >  curses.init_pair(255, 15, 1)  -- reserved for Teliva error messages
     >  curses.init_pair(1, 22, 189)
     >
     >  -- initialize grid based on commandline args
diff --git a/src/lcurses/window.c b/src/lcurses/window.c
index 66820de..452f8b2 100644
--- a/src/lcurses/window.c
+++ b/src/lcurses/window.c
@@ -309,12 +309,12 @@ Refresh the window terminal display from the virtual screen.
 @see curses.doupdate
 @see noutrefresh
 */
-extern void draw_menu (lua_State *L);
+extern void render_trusted_teliva_data (lua_State *L);
 static int
 Wrefresh(lua_State *L)
 {
 	int result = wrefresh(checkwin(L, 1));
-	draw_menu(L);
+	render_trusted_teliva_data(L);
 	return pushokresult(result);
 }
 
@@ -1307,9 +1307,9 @@ static int
 Wgetch(lua_State *L)
 {
 	WINDOW *w = checkwin(L, 1);
-	draw_menu(L);  /* Apps can draw what they want on screen,
-	                * but Teliva's menu is always visible when
-	                * asking the user to make a decision. */
+	render_trusted_teliva_data(L);  /* Apps can draw what they want on screen,
+	                                 * but Teliva's UI is always visible when
+	                                 * asking the user to make a decision. */
 	int c = wgetch(w);
 
 	if (c == ERR)
diff --git a/src/lua.c b/src/lua.c
index c46f9c4..22872a6 100644
--- a/src/lua.c
+++ b/src/lua.c
@@ -1126,6 +1126,11 @@ static int pmain (lua_State *L) {
 
 
 extern void draw_menu (lua_State *);
+void render_trusted_teliva_data (lua_State *L) {
+  init_pair(COLOR_PAIR_ERROR, COLOR_ERROR_FOREGROUND, COLOR_ERROR_BACKGROUND);
+  init_pair(COLOR_PAIR_MENU, COLOR_FOREGROUND, COLOR_BACKGROUND);
+  draw_menu(L);
+}
 
 
 int main (int argc, char **argv) {
@@ -1145,7 +1150,7 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv) {
   keypad(stdscr, 1);
   start_color();
   assume_default_colors(COLOR_FOREGROUND, COLOR_BACKGROUND);
-  draw_menu(L);
+  render_trusted_teliva_data(L);
   echo();
   s.argc = argc;
   s.argv = argv;
diff --git a/src/menu.c b/src/menu.c
index b5173bb..b02c522 100644
--- a/src/menu.c
+++ b/src/menu.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 
 #include "lua.h"
+#include "teliva.h"
 
 
 int menu_column = 0;
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ void draw_menu_item (const char* key, const char* name) {
 }
 
 void draw_menu (lua_State *L) {
-  attron(A_BOLD|A_REVERSE);
+  attron(A_BOLD|A_REVERSE|COLOR_PAIR(COLOR_PAIR_MENU));
   for (int x = 0; x < COLS; ++x)
     mvaddch(LINES-1, x, ' ');
   menu_column = 2;
@@ -36,5 +37,5 @@ void draw_menu (lua_State *L) {
       draw_menu_item(lua_tostring(L, -2), lua_tostring(L, -1));
 
   lua_pop(L, 1);
-  attroff(A_BOLD|A_REVERSE);
+  attrset(A_NORMAL);
 }
diff --git a/src/teliva.h b/src/teliva.h
index 3ae7651..c5bbc46 100644
--- a/src/teliva.h
+++ b/src/teliva.h
@@ -112,7 +112,8 @@ enum color_pair {
   COLOR_PAIR_LUA_KEYWORD = 5,
   COLOR_PAIR_LUA_CONSTANT = 6,
   COLOR_PAIR_MATCH = 7,
-  COLOR_PAIR_ERROR = 255,
+  COLOR_PAIR_MENU = 254,  // reserved for teliva; apps shouldn't use it
+  COLOR_PAIR_ERROR = 255,  // reserved for teliva; apps shouldn't use it
 };
 
 #endif