diff --git a/Software/PC_Application/Traces/Marker/marker.cpp b/Software/PC_Application/Traces/Marker/marker.cpp
index a8d679f..1375563 100644
--- a/Software/PC_Application/Traces/Marker/marker.cpp
+++ b/Software/PC_Application/Traces/Marker/marker.cpp
@@ -619,8 +619,7 @@ void Marker::updateSymbol()
         p.setPen(traceColor);
         p.setBrush(traceColor);
         p.drawConvexPolygon(points, 3);
-        auto brightness = traceColor.redF() * 0.299 + traceColor.greenF() * 0.587 + traceColor.blueF() * 0.114;
-        p.setPen((brightness > 0.6) ? Qt::black : Qt::white);
+        p.setPen(Util::getFontColorFromBackground(traceColor));
         p.drawText(QRectF(0,0,width, height*2.0/3.0), Qt::AlignCenter, QString::number(number) + suffix);
     } else {
         symbol = QPixmap(1,1);
diff --git a/Software/PC_Application/Traces/traceplot.cpp b/Software/PC_Application/Traces/traceplot.cpp
index 1d88cab..f0c18f8 100644
--- a/Software/PC_Application/Traces/traceplot.cpp
+++ b/Software/PC_Application/Traces/traceplot.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <QDebug>
 #include "unit.h"
 #include "Marker/markermodel.h"
+#include "Util/util.h"
 
 std::set<TracePlot*> TracePlot::plots;
 
@@ -176,7 +177,7 @@ void TracePlot::paintEvent(QPaintEvent *event)
         path.addRoundedRect(usedLabelArea, borderRadius, borderRadius);
         p.fillPath(path, t.first->color());
         p.drawPath(path);
-        p.setPen(QColor(Qt::white));
+        p.setPen(Util::getFontColorFromBackground(t.first->color()));
         p.drawText(textArea, 0, label);
         p.setPen(t.first->color());
         x += usedLabelArea.width()+labelMarginRight;
@@ -206,7 +207,7 @@ void TracePlot::paintEvent(QPaintEvent *event)
             p.fillPath(pathM, t.first->color());
             p.drawPath(pathM);
 
-            p.setPen(QColor(Qt::white));
+            p.setPen(Util::getFontColorFromBackground(t.first->color()));
             p.drawText(textArea, 0, label);
             p.setPen(t.first->color());
             p.drawText(textAreaConsumed.x()+textAreaConsumed.width(), textAreaConsumed.y(), textArea.width(), textArea.height(), 0, description);
diff --git a/Software/PC_Application/Util/util.h b/Software/PC_Application/Util/util.h
index 7a44343..9bd3044 100644
--- a/Software/PC_Application/Util/util.h
+++ b/Software/PC_Application/Util/util.h
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 #include <math.h>
 #include <limits>
 
+#include <QColor>
+
 namespace Util {
     template<typename T> T Scale(T value, T from_low, T from_high, T to_low, T to_high) {
         value -= from_low;
@@ -48,6 +50,11 @@ namespace Util {
     static inline double SparamToQualityFactor(std::complex<double> d) {
         return abs(d.imag()) / d.real();
     }
+    // attempts to return a font color with good contrast against the given background color
+    static inline QColor getFontColorFromBackground(QColor q) {
+        auto brightness = q.redF() * 0.299 + q.greenF() * 0.587 + q.blueF() * 0.114;
+        return brightness > 0.6 ? Qt::black : Qt::white;
+    }
 }
 
 #endif // UTILH_H