diff --git a/src/generic/dirctrlg.cpp b/src/generic/dirctrlg.cpp
index b9ba4dd4e5..5e1a3ffbfe 100644
--- a/src/generic/dirctrlg.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/dirctrlg.cpp
@@ -544,6 +544,7 @@ bool wxGenericDirCtrl::Create(wxWindow *parent,
         return false;
 
     SetBackgroundColour(wxSystemSettings::GetColour(wxSYS_COLOUR_3DFACE));
+    SetForegroundColour(wxSystemSettings::GetColour(wxSYS_COLOUR_WINDOWTEXT));
 
     Init();