diff --git a/tools/cabana/binaryview.cc b/tools/cabana/binaryview.cc
index 8d28080790..84c2dd2a52 100644
--- a/tools/cabana/binaryview.cc
+++ b/tools/cabana/binaryview.cc
@@ -242,8 +242,9 @@ void BinaryItemDelegate::paint(QPainter *painter, const QStyleOptionViewItem &op
     painter->fillRect(option.rect, selection_color);
     painter->setPen(option.palette.color(QPalette::BrightText));
   } else if (!item->sigs.isEmpty() && (!bin_view->selectionModel()->hasSelection() || !item->sigs.contains(bin_view->resize_sig))) {
-    painter->fillRect(option.rect, item->bg_color);
-    painter->setPen(item->sigs.contains(bin_view->hovered_sig) ? option.palette.color(QPalette::BrightText) : Qt::black);
+    bool sig_hovered = item->sigs.contains(bin_view->hovered_sig);
+    painter->fillRect(option.rect, sig_hovered ? item->bg_color.darker(125) : item->bg_color);  // 4/5x brightness
+    painter->setPen(sig_hovered ? option.palette.color(QPalette::BrightText) : Qt::black);
   }
 
   painter->drawText(option.rect, Qt::AlignCenter, item->val);
diff --git a/tools/cabana/signaledit.cc b/tools/cabana/signaledit.cc
index e2025dcc82..cc57cf0f3e 100644
--- a/tools/cabana/signaledit.cc
+++ b/tools/cabana/signaledit.cc
@@ -89,6 +89,8 @@ SignalEdit::SignalEdit(int index, QWidget *parent) : form_idx(index), QWidget(pa
   main_layout->setContentsMargins(0, 0, 0, 0);
   main_layout->setSpacing(0);
 
+  bg_color = QColor(getColor(form_idx));
+
   // title bar
   auto title_bar = new QWidget(this);
   title_bar->setFixedHeight(32);
@@ -142,7 +144,7 @@ void SignalEdit::setSignal(const QString &message_id, const Signal *signal) {
   updateForm(msg_id == message_id && form->isVisible());
   msg_id = message_id;
   color_label->setText(QString::number(form_idx + 1));
-  color_label->setStyleSheet(QString("color:black; background-color:%2").arg(getColor(form_idx)));
+  color_label->setStyleSheet(QString("color:black; background-color:%2").arg(bg_color.name()));
   title->setText(sig->name.c_str());
   show();
 }
@@ -199,8 +201,9 @@ void SignalEdit::updateForm(bool visible) {
 }
 
 void SignalEdit::signalHovered(const Signal *s) {
-  auto color = sig == s ? "white" : "black";
-  color_label->setStyleSheet(QString("color:%1; background-color:%2").arg(color).arg(getColor(form_idx)));
+  auto text_color = sig == s ? "white" : "black";
+  auto _bg_color = sig == s ? bg_color.darker(125) : bg_color;  // 4/5x brightness
+  color_label->setStyleSheet(QString("color:%1; background-color:%2").arg(text_color).arg(_bg_color.name()));
 }
 
 void SignalEdit::enterEvent(QEvent *event) {
diff --git a/tools/cabana/signaledit.h b/tools/cabana/signaledit.h
index fcc27baeb1..90df3fd3f4 100644
--- a/tools/cabana/signaledit.h
+++ b/tools/cabana/signaledit.h
@@ -54,5 +54,6 @@ protected:
   QLabel *color_label;
   QLabel *icon;
   int form_idx = 0;
+  QColor bg_color;
   QToolButton *plot_btn;
 };