diff --git a/extensions/theme-defaults/themes/light_vs.json b/extensions/theme-defaults/themes/light_vs.json
index 084e2d27424..47206239e29 100644
--- a/extensions/theme-defaults/themes/light_vs.json
+++ b/extensions/theme-defaults/themes/light_vs.json
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@
 		"tab.lastPinnedBorder": "#61616130",
 		"notebook.cellBorderColor": "#E8E8E8",
 		"notebook.selectedCellBackground": "#c8ddf150",
-		"statusBarItem.errorBackground": "#c72e0f"
+		"statusBarItem.errorBackground": "#c72e0f",
+		"list.focusHighlightForeground": "#fff"
 	},
 	"tokenColors": [
 		{
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry.ts b/src/vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry.ts
index 9bbd38f69ac..06666033f0b 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry.ts
@@ -383,7 +383,8 @@ export const listInactiveFocusOutline = registerColor('list.inactiveFocusOutline
 export const listHoverBackground = registerColor('list.hoverBackground', { dark: '#2A2D2E', light: '#F0F0F0', hc: null }, nls.localize('listHoverBackground', "List/Tree background when hovering over items using the mouse."));
 export const listHoverForeground = registerColor('list.hoverForeground', { dark: null, light: null, hc: null }, nls.localize('listHoverForeground', "List/Tree foreground when hovering over items using the mouse."));
 export const listDropBackground = registerColor('list.dropBackground', { dark: '#062F4A', light: '#D6EBFF', hc: null }, nls.localize('listDropBackground', "List/Tree drag and drop background when moving items around using the mouse."));
-export const listHighlightForeground = registerColor('list.highlightForeground', { dark: '#0097fb', light: '#0066BF', hc: focusBorder }, nls.localize('highlight', 'List/Tree foreground color of the match highlights when searching inside the list/tree.'));
+export const listHighlightForeground = registerColor('list.highlightForeground', { dark: '#18A3FF', light: '#0066BF', hc: focusBorder }, nls.localize('highlight', 'List/Tree foreground color of the match highlights when searching inside the list/tree.'));
+export const listFocusHighlightForeground = registerColor('list.focusHighlightForeground', { dark: listHighlightForeground, light: listHighlightForeground, hc: listHighlightForeground }, nls.localize('listFocusHighlightForeground', 'List/Tree foreground color of the match highlights on actively focused items when searching inside the list/tree.'));
 export const listInvalidItemForeground = registerColor('list.invalidItemForeground', { dark: '#B89500', light: '#B89500', hc: '#B89500' }, nls.localize('invalidItemForeground', 'List/Tree foreground color for invalid items, for example an unresolved root in explorer.'));
 export const listErrorForeground = registerColor('list.errorForeground', { dark: '#F88070', light: '#B01011', hc: null }, nls.localize('listErrorForeground', 'Foreground color of list items containing errors.'));
 export const listWarningForeground = registerColor('list.warningForeground', { dark: '#CCA700', light: '#855F00', hc: null }, nls.localize('listWarningForeground', 'Foreground color of list items containing warnings.'));
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/browser/style.ts b/src/vs/workbench/browser/style.ts
index c83278bda46..abd7e9f8a7b 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/browser/style.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/browser/style.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 import 'vs/css!./media/style';
 import { registerThemingParticipant } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/themeService';
-import { iconForeground, foreground, selectionBackground, focusBorder, scrollbarShadow, scrollbarSliderActiveBackground, scrollbarSliderBackground, scrollbarSliderHoverBackground, listHighlightForeground, inputPlaceholderForeground, toolbarHoverBackground, toolbarActiveBackground, toolbarHoverOutline } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry';
+import { iconForeground, foreground, selectionBackground, focusBorder, scrollbarShadow, scrollbarSliderActiveBackground, scrollbarSliderBackground, scrollbarSliderHoverBackground, listHighlightForeground, inputPlaceholderForeground, toolbarHoverBackground, toolbarActiveBackground, toolbarHoverOutline, listFocusHighlightForeground } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry';
 import { WORKBENCH_BACKGROUND, TITLE_BAR_ACTIVE_BACKGROUND } from 'vs/workbench/common/theme';
 import { isWeb, isIOS, isMacintosh, isWindows } from 'vs/base/common/platform';
 import { createMetaElement } from 'vs/base/browser/dom';
@@ -61,6 +61,16 @@ registerThemingParticipant((theme, collector) => {
 		`);
 	}
 
+	// List highlight w/ focus
+	const listHighlightFocusForegroundColor = theme.getColor(listFocusHighlightForeground);
+	if (listHighlightForegroundColor) {
+		collector.addRule(`
+			.monaco-workbench .monaco-list .monaco-list-row.focused .monaco-highlighted-label .highlight {
+				color: ${listHighlightFocusForegroundColor} !important;
+			}
+		`);
+	}
+
 	// Scrollbars
 	const scrollbarShadowColor = theme.getColor(scrollbarShadow);
 	if (scrollbarShadowColor) {