diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/scrollback.surface.ts b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/scrollback.surface.ts
index 2ec45d3cc1..9cebae92f8 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/scrollback.surface.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/scrollback.surface.ts
@@ -182,37 +182,37 @@ export class RunScrollbackStream {
     const renderable =
       body.type === "text"
         ? new TextRenderable(surface.renderContext, {
-            id,
-            content: "",
-            width: "100%",
-            wrapMode: "word",
-            fg: look(commit, this.theme.entry).fg,
-            attributes: look(commit, this.theme.entry).attrs,
-          })
+          id,
+          content: "",
+          width: "100%",
+          wrapMode: "word",
+          fg: look(commit, this.theme.entry).fg,
+          attributes: look(commit, this.theme.entry).attrs,
+        })
         : body.type === "code"
           ? new CodeRenderable(surface.renderContext, {
-              id,
-              content: "",
-              filetype: body.filetype,
-              syntaxStyle: syntaxFor(commit, this.theme),
-              width: "100%",
-              wrapMode: "word",
-              drawUnstyledText: false,
-              streaming: true,
-              fg: entryColor(commit, this.theme),
-              treeSitterClient: this.treeSitterClient,
-            })
+            id,
+            content: "",
+            filetype: body.filetype,
+            syntaxStyle: syntaxFor(commit, this.theme),
+            width: "100%",
+            wrapMode: "word",
+            drawUnstyledText: false,
+            streaming: true,
+            fg: entryColor(commit, this.theme),
+            treeSitterClient: this.treeSitterClient,
+          })
           : new MarkdownRenderable(surface.renderContext, {
-              id,
-              content: "",
-              syntaxStyle: syntaxFor(commit, this.theme),
-              width: "100%",
-              streaming: true,
-              internalBlockMode: "top-level",
-              tableOptions: { widthMode: "content" },
-              fg: entryColor(commit, this.theme),
-              treeSitterClient: this.treeSitterClient,
-            })
+            id,
+            content: "",
+            syntaxStyle: syntaxFor(commit, this.theme),
+            width: "100%",
+            streaming: true,
+            internalBlockMode: "top-level",
+            tableOptions: { widthMode: "content" },
+            fg: entryColor(commit, this.theme),
+            treeSitterClient: this.treeSitterClient,
+          })
 
     surface.root.add(renderable)
 
diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/scrollback.writer.tsx b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/scrollback.writer.tsx
index 97c67a06d4..ae4e97ab9d 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/scrollback.writer.tsx
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/scrollback.writer.tsx
@@ -103,21 +103,6 @@ function entryColor(commit: StreamCommit, theme: RunTheme): ColorInput {
   return look(commit, theme.entry).fg
 }
 
-function blankWriter(): ScrollbackWriter {
-  return (ctx) => ({
-    root: new TextRenderable(ctx.renderContext, {
-      id: "run-scrollback-spacer",
-      width: Math.max(1, Math.trunc(ctx.width)),
-      height: 1,
-      content: "",
-    }),
-    width: Math.max(1, Math.trunc(ctx.width)),
-    height: 1,
-    startOnNewLine: true,
-    trailingNewline: true,
-  })
-}
-
 function todoText(item: { status: string; content: string }): string {
   if (item.status === "completed") {
     return `[x] ${item.content}`
@@ -359,5 +344,16 @@ export function entryWriter(input: {
 }
 
 export function spacerWriter(): ScrollbackWriter {
-  return blankWriter()
+  return (ctx) => ({
+    root: new TextRenderable(ctx.renderContext, {
+      id: "run-scrollback-spacer",
+      width: Math.max(1, Math.trunc(ctx.width)),
+      height: 1,
+      content: "",
+    }),
+    width: Math.max(1, Math.trunc(ctx.width)),
+    height: 1,
+    startOnNewLine: true,
+    trailingNewline: true,
+  })
 }
diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/theme.ts b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/theme.ts
index 344fb9f287..4993a04cf1 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/theme.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/run/theme.ts
@@ -99,8 +99,42 @@ function fade(color: RGBA, base: RGBA, fallback: number, scale: number, limit: n
   )
 }
 
+function blend(color: RGBA, bg: RGBA): RGBA {
+  if (color.a >= 1) {
+    return color
+  }
+
+  return RGBA.fromValues(
+    bg.r + (color.r - bg.r) * color.a,
+    bg.g + (color.g - bg.g) * color.a,
+    bg.b + (color.b - bg.b) * color.a,
+    1,
+  )
+}
+
+export function opaqueSyntaxStyle(style: SyntaxStyle | undefined, bg: RGBA): SyntaxStyle | undefined {
+  if (!style) {
+    return
+  }
+
+  return SyntaxStyle.fromStyles(
+    Object.fromEntries(
+      [...style.getAllStyles()].map(([name, value]) => [
+        name,
+        {
+          ...value,
+          fg: value.fg ? blend(value.fg, bg) : value.fg,
+          bg: value.bg ? blend(value.bg, bg) : value.bg,
+        },
+      ]),
+    ),
+  )
+}
+
 function map(theme: TuiThemeCurrent, syntax?: SyntaxStyle, subtleSyntax?: SyntaxStyle): RunTheme {
   const bg = theme.background
+  const opaqueSubtleSyntax = opaqueSyntaxStyle(subtleSyntax, bg)
+  subtleSyntax?.destroy()
   const pane = theme.backgroundElement
   const shade = fade(pane, bg, 0.12, 0.56, 0.72)
   const surface = fade(pane, bg, 0.18, 0.76, 0.9)
@@ -146,7 +180,7 @@ function map(theme: TuiThemeCurrent, syntax?: SyntaxStyle, subtleSyntax?: Syntax
       text: theme.text,
       muted: theme.textMuted,
       syntax,
-      subtleSyntax,
+      subtleSyntax: opaqueSubtleSyntax,
       diffAdded: theme.diffAdded,
       diffRemoved: theme.diffRemoved,
       diffAddedBg: theme.diffAddedBg,
diff --git a/packages/opencode/test/cli/run/theme.test.ts b/packages/opencode/test/cli/run/theme.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f2ebbc709e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/opencode/test/cli/run/theme.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test"
+import { RGBA, SyntaxStyle } from "@opentui/core"
+import { opaqueSyntaxStyle } from "../../../src/cli/cmd/run/theme"
+
+describe("run theme", () => {
+  test("flattens subtle syntax alpha against the run background", () => {
+    const syntax = SyntaxStyle.fromStyles({
+      default: {
+        fg: RGBA.fromInts(169, 177, 214, 153),
+      },
+      emphasis: {
+        fg: RGBA.fromInts(224, 175, 104, 153),
+        italic: true,
+        bold: true,
+      },
+    })
+    const subtle = opaqueSyntaxStyle(syntax, RGBA.fromInts(42, 43, 61))
+
+    try {
+      expect(subtle?.getStyle("default")?.fg?.toInts()).toEqual([118, 123, 153, 255])
+      expect(subtle?.getStyle("emphasis")?.fg?.toInts()).toEqual([151, 122, 87, 255])
+      expect(subtle?.getStyle("emphasis")?.italic).toBe(true)
+      expect(subtle?.getStyle("emphasis")?.bold).toBe(true)
+    } finally {
+      syntax.destroy()
+      subtle?.destroy()
+    }
+  })
+})