diff --git a/src/renderer/ColorManager.test.ts b/src/renderer/ColorManager.test.ts
index 22407604..2dc60408 100644
--- a/src/renderer/ColorManager.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/ColorManager.test.ts
@@ -3,14 +3,21 @@
  * @license MIT
  */
 
+import jsdom = require('jsdom');
 import { assert } from 'chai';
 import { ColorManager } from './ColorManager';
 
 describe('ColorManager', () => {
   let cm: ColorManager;
+  let dom: jsdom.JSDOM;
+  let document: Document;
+  let window: Window;
 
   beforeEach(() => {
-    cm = new ColorManager();
+    dom = new jsdom.JSDOM('');
+    window = dom.window;
+    document = window.document;
+    cm = new ColorManager(document);
   });
 
   describe('constructor', () => {
diff --git a/src/renderer/ColorManager.ts b/src/renderer/ColorManager.ts
index 90ef0431..ddb928a5 100644
--- a/src/renderer/ColorManager.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/ColorManager.ts
@@ -67,8 +67,10 @@ function toPaddedHex(c: number): string {
  */
 export class ColorManager implements IColorManager {
   public colors: IColorSet;
+  private _document: Document;
 
-  constructor() {
+  constructor(document: Document) {
+    this._document = document;
     this.colors = {
       foreground: DEFAULT_FOREGROUND,
       background: DEFAULT_BACKGROUND,
@@ -85,26 +87,54 @@ export class ColorManager implements IColorManager {
    * colors will be used where colors are not defined.
    */
   public setTheme(theme: ITheme): void {
-    this.colors.foreground = theme.foreground || DEFAULT_FOREGROUND;
-    this.colors.background = theme.background || DEFAULT_BACKGROUND;
-    this.colors.cursor = theme.cursor || DEFAULT_CURSOR;
-    this.colors.cursorAccent = theme.cursorAccent || DEFAULT_CURSOR_ACCENT;
-    this.colors.selection = theme.selection || DEFAULT_SELECTION;
-    this.colors.ansi[0] = theme.black || DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[0];
-    this.colors.ansi[1] = theme.red || DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[1];
-    this.colors.ansi[2] = theme.green || DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[2];
-    this.colors.ansi[3] = theme.yellow || DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[3];
-    this.colors.ansi[4] = theme.blue || DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[4];
-    this.colors.ansi[5] = theme.magenta || DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[5];
-    this.colors.ansi[6] = theme.cyan || DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[6];
-    this.colors.ansi[7] = theme.white || DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[7];
-    this.colors.ansi[8] = theme.brightBlack || DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[8];
-    this.colors.ansi[9] = theme.brightRed || DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[9];
-    this.colors.ansi[10] = theme.brightGreen || DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[10];
-    this.colors.ansi[11] = theme.brightYellow || DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[11];
-    this.colors.ansi[12] = theme.brightBlue || DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[12];
-    this.colors.ansi[13] = theme.brightMagenta || DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[13];
-    this.colors.ansi[14] = theme.brightCyan || DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[14];
-    this.colors.ansi[15] = theme.brightWhite || DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[15];
+    this.colors.foreground = this._validateColor(theme.foreground, DEFAULT_FOREGROUND);
+    this.colors.background = this._validateColor(theme.background, DEFAULT_BACKGROUND);
+    this.colors.cursor = this._validateColor(theme.cursor, DEFAULT_CURSOR);
+    this.colors.cursorAccent = this._validateColor(theme.cursorAccent, DEFAULT_CURSOR_ACCENT);
+    this.colors.selection = this._validateColor(theme.selection, DEFAULT_SELECTION);
+    this.colors.ansi[0] = this._validateColor(theme.black, DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[0]);
+    this.colors.ansi[1] = this._validateColor(theme.red, DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[1]);
+    this.colors.ansi[2] = this._validateColor(theme.green, DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[2]);
+    this.colors.ansi[3] = this._validateColor(theme.yellow, DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[3]);
+    this.colors.ansi[4] = this._validateColor(theme.blue, DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[4]);
+    this.colors.ansi[5] = this._validateColor(theme.magenta, DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[5]);
+    this.colors.ansi[6] = this._validateColor(theme.cyan, DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[6]);
+    this.colors.ansi[7] = this._validateColor(theme.white, DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[7]);
+    this.colors.ansi[8] = this._validateColor(theme.brightBlack, DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[8]);
+    this.colors.ansi[9] = this._validateColor(theme.brightRed, DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[9]);
+    this.colors.ansi[10] = this._validateColor(theme.brightGreen, DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[10]);
+    this.colors.ansi[11] = this._validateColor(theme.brightYellow, DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[11]);
+    this.colors.ansi[12] = this._validateColor(theme.brightBlue, DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[12]);
+    this.colors.ansi[13] = this._validateColor(theme.brightMagenta, DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[13]);
+    this.colors.ansi[14] = this._validateColor(theme.brightCyan, DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[14]);
+    this.colors.ansi[15] = this._validateColor(theme.brightWhite, DEFAULT_ANSI_COLORS[15]);
+  }
+
+  private _validateColor(color: string, fallback: string): string {
+    if (!color) {
+      return fallback;
+    }
+
+    const isColorValid = this._isColorValid(color);
+
+    if (!isColorValid) {
+      console.warn(`Color: ${color} is invalid using fallback ${fallback}`);
+    }
+
+    return isColorValid ? color : fallback;
+  }
+
+  private _isColorValid(color: string): boolean {
+    const litmus = 'red';
+    const d = this._document.createElement('div');
+    d.style.color = litmus;
+    d.style.color = color;
+
+    // Element's style.color will be reverted to litmus or set to '' if an invalid color is given
+    if (color !== litmus && (d.style.color === litmus || d.style.color === '')) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    return true;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/renderer/Renderer.ts b/src/renderer/Renderer.ts
index fa1e34e6..fd2b56e4 100644
--- a/src/renderer/Renderer.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/Renderer.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export class Renderer extends EventEmitter implements IRenderer {
 
   constructor(private _terminal: ITerminal, theme: ITheme) {
     super();
-    this.colorManager = new ColorManager();
+    this.colorManager = new ColorManager(document);
     if (theme) {
       this.colorManager.setTheme(theme);
     }