diff --git a/src/console.c b/src/console.c
index 177c182..ebc67b9 100644
--- a/src/console.c
+++ b/src/console.c
@@ -763,8 +763,17 @@ static void kmscon_buffer_draw(struct kmscon_buffer *buf,
 
 		for (j = 0; j < num; ++j) {
 			cell = &line->cells[j];
+
+			/* TODO: do some more sophisticated inverse here. When
+			 * INVERSE mode is set, we should instead just select
+			 * inverse colors instead of switching background and
+			 * foreground */
+			if (buf->flags & KMSCON_CONSOLE_INVERSE)
+				cell->attr.inverse = !cell->attr.inverse;
 			font_screen_draw_char(fscr, cell->ch, &cell->attr,
 					      j, i, 1, 1);
+			if (buf->flags & KMSCON_CONSOLE_INVERSE)
+				cell->attr.inverse = !cell->attr.inverse;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/console.h b/src/console.h
index d48bc06..bdeefba 100644
--- a/src/console.h
+++ b/src/console.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ struct kmscon_console;
 #define KMSCON_CONSOLE_WRAP		0x02
 /* modes for kmscon_console_re/set() */
 #define KMSCON_CONSOLE_REL_ORIGIN	0x04
+#define KMSCON_CONSOLE_INVERSE		0x08
 
 int kmscon_console_new(struct kmscon_console **out);
 void kmscon_console_ref(struct kmscon_console *con);
diff --git a/src/terminal.c b/src/terminal.c
index 87e54dd..6f5f4f0 100644
--- a/src/terminal.c
+++ b/src/terminal.c
@@ -86,9 +86,11 @@ static void draw_all(struct ev_eloop *eloop, void *unused, void *data)
 	struct screen *iter;
 	struct uterm_screen *screen;
 	int ret;
+	unsigned int cflags;
 
 	ev_eloop_unregister_idle_cb(term->eloop, draw_all, term);
 	term->redraw = false;
+	cflags = kmscon_console_get_flags(term->console);
 
 	iter = term->screens;
 	for (; iter; iter = iter->next) {
@@ -99,7 +101,10 @@ static void draw_all(struct ev_eloop *eloop, void *unused, void *data)
 			continue;
 
 		gl_viewport(screen);
-		glClearColor(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
+		if (cflags & KMSCON_CONSOLE_INVERSE)
+			glClearColor(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0);
+		else
+			glClearColor(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
 		glClear(GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT | GL_DEPTH_BUFFER_BIT);
 		kmscon_console_draw(term->console, iter->fscr);
 		uterm_screen_swap(screen);
diff --git a/src/vte.c b/src/vte.c
index 160868d..1c75855 100644
--- a/src/vte.c
+++ b/src/vte.c
@@ -907,6 +907,12 @@ static void csi_mode(struct kmscon_vte *vte, bool set)
 			continue;
 		case 5: /* DECSCNM */
 			set_reset_flag(vte, set, FLAG_INVERSE_SCREEN_MODE);
+			if (set)
+				kmscon_console_set_flags(vte->con,
+						KMSCON_CONSOLE_INVERSE);
+			else
+				kmscon_console_reset_flags(vte->con,
+						KMSCON_CONSOLE_INVERSE);
 			continue;
 		case 6: /* DECOM */
 			set_reset_flag(vte, set, FLAG_ORIGIN_MODE);