diff --git a/chat/message/theme.go b/chat/message/theme.go
index 54886a4..37eb724 100644
--- a/chat/message/theme.go
+++ b/chat/message/theme.go
@@ -174,6 +174,9 @@ var Themes []Theme
 // Default theme to use
 var DefaultTheme *Theme
 
+// MonoTheme is a simple theme without colors, useful for testing and bots.
+var MonoTheme *Theme
+
 func allColors256() *Palette {
 	colors := []uint8{}
 	var i uint8
@@ -225,6 +228,7 @@ func init() {
 	}
 
 	DefaultTheme = &Themes[0]
+	MonoTheme = &Themes[3]
 
 	/* Some debug helpers for your convenience:
 
diff --git a/chat/message/user.go b/chat/message/user.go
index faea90c..3bfca1b 100644
--- a/chat/message/user.go
+++ b/chat/message/user.go
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ func (u *User) render(m Message) string {
 		} else {
 			ts = ts.UTC()
 		}
-		return cfg.Theme.Timestamp(ts.Format(*cfg.Timeformat) + "  " + out + Newline)
+		return cfg.Theme.Timestamp(ts.Format(*cfg.Timeformat)) + "  " + out + Newline
 	}
 	return out + Newline
 }
@@ -238,6 +238,7 @@ func init() {
 	DefaultUserConfig = UserConfig{
 		Bell:  true,
 		Quiet: false,
+		Theme: DefaultTheme,
 	}
 
 	// TODO: Seed random?
diff --git a/chat/message/user_test.go b/chat/message/user_test.go
index f70e674..de8b6dc 100644
--- a/chat/message/user_test.go
+++ b/chat/message/user_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package message
 
 import (
+	"math/rand"
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 )
@@ -10,6 +11,11 @@ func TestMakeUser(t *testing.T) {
 
 	s := &MockScreen{}
 	u := NewUserScreen(SimpleID("foo"), s)
+
+	cfg := u.Config()
+	cfg.Theme = MonoTheme // Mono
+	u.SetConfig(cfg)
+
 	m := NewAnnounceMsg("hello")
 
 	defer u.Close()
@@ -22,3 +28,33 @@ func TestMakeUser(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Got: `%s`; Expected: `%s`", actual, expected)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestRenderTimestamp(t *testing.T) {
+	var actual, expected []byte
+
+	// Reset seed for username color
+	rand.Seed(1)
+	s := &MockScreen{}
+	u := NewUserScreen(SimpleID("foo"), s)
+
+	cfg := u.Config()
+	timefmt := "AA:BB"
+	cfg.Timeformat = &timefmt
+	u.SetConfig(cfg)
+
+	if got, want := cfg.Theme.Timestamp("foo"), `foo`+Reset; got != want {
+		t.Errorf("Wrong timestamp formatting:\n got: %q\nwant: %q", got, want)
+	}
+
+	m := NewPublicMsg("hello", u)
+
+	defer u.Close()
+	u.Send(m)
+	u.HandleMsg(u.ConsumeOne())
+
+	s.Read(&actual)
+	expected = []byte(`AA:BB` + Reset + `  [foo] hello` + Newline)
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(actual, expected) {
+		t.Errorf("Wrong screen output:\n Got: `%q`;\nWant: `%q`", actual, expected)
+	}
+}