diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 2a7bee0d..fc715efd 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -175,6 +175,15 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(true-color,
 	fi,
 	want_truecolor=no)
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(force-256color,
+[  --enable-force-256color Force using 256-color escapes],
+	if text x$enableval = xno ; then
+		want_force256color=no
+	else
+		want_force256color=yes
+	fi,
+	want_force256color=no)
+
 dnl **
 dnl ** SSL Library checks (OpenSSL)
 dnl **
@@ -669,6 +678,12 @@ else
 	want_truecolor=no
 fi
 
+if test "x$want_force256color" = "xyes" ; then
+	AC_DEFINE([HACK_FORCE_256COLOR], [], [force 256color escapes in terminal])
+else
+	want_force256color=no
+fi
+
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([
 Makefile
 src/Makefile
@@ -802,6 +817,7 @@ echo "Building with 64bit DCC support .. : $offt_64bit"
 echo "Building with garbage collector .. : $have_gc"
 echo "Building with DANE support ....... : $have_dane"
 echo "Building with true color support.. : $want_truecolor"
+echo "Building with force 256color hack. : $want_force256color"
 
 echo
 echo "If there are any problems, read the INSTALL file."
diff --git a/src/fe-text/terminfo-core.c b/src/fe-text/terminfo-core.c
index d16987fe..8c97d0a5 100644
--- a/src/fe-text/terminfo-core.c
+++ b/src/fe-text/terminfo-core.c
@@ -451,7 +451,11 @@ void terminfo_setup_colors(TERM_REC *term, int force)
 	terminfo_colors_deinit(term);
 
 	if (force && term->TI_setf == NULL && term->TI_setaf == NULL)
+#ifdef HACK_FORCE_256COLOR
+		term->TI_colors = 256;
+#else
 		term->TI_colors = 8;
+#endif
 
 	if ((term->TI_setf || term->TI_setaf || force) &&
 	     term->TI_colors > 0) {
@@ -464,8 +468,19 @@ void terminfo_setup_colors(TERM_REC *term, int force)
 		term->TI_colors = 0;
 		term->set_fg = term->set_bg = _ignore_parm;
 	}
-
+#ifdef HACK_FORCE_256COLOR
+	/* force 256-color escapes for base colors also, lets you have bold
+	 * font in konsole without bright
+	 */
+	if (force) {
+		for (i = 0; i < term->TI_colors; i++) {
+			color = i < 16 ? ansitab[i] : i;
+			term->TI_fg[i] = g_strdup_printf("\033[38;5;%dm", color);
+		}
+	} else if (term->TI_setaf) {
+#else
 	if (term->TI_setaf) {
+#endif
 		for (i = 0; i < term->TI_colors; i++) {
 			color = i < 16 ? ansitab[i] : i;
 			term->TI_fg[i] = g_strdup(tparm(term->TI_setaf, color, 0));
@@ -473,12 +488,24 @@ void terminfo_setup_colors(TERM_REC *term, int force)
 	} else if (term->TI_setf) {
 		for (i = 0; i < term->TI_colors; i++)
                         term->TI_fg[i] = g_strdup(tparm(term->TI_setf, i, 0));
+#ifdef HACK_FORCE_256COLOR
+	}
+#else
 	} else if (force) {
 		for (i = 0; i < 8; i++)
                         term->TI_fg[i] = g_strdup_printf("\033[%dm", 30+ansitab[i]);
 	}
-
+#endif
+#ifdef HACK_FORCE_256COLOR
+	if (force) {
+		for (i = 0; i < term->TI_colors; i++) {
+			color = i < 16 ? ansitab[i] : i;
+			term->TI_bg[i] = g_strdup_printf("\033[48;5;%dm", color);
+		}
+	} else if (term->TI_setab) {
+#else
 	if (term->TI_setab) {
+#endif
 		for (i = 0; i < term->TI_colors; i++) {
 			color = i < 16 ? ansitab[i] : i;
 			term->TI_bg[i] = g_strdup(tparm(term->TI_setab, color, 0));
@@ -486,10 +513,14 @@ void terminfo_setup_colors(TERM_REC *term, int force)
 	} else if (term->TI_setb) {
 		for (i = 0; i < term->TI_colors; i++)
                         term->TI_bg[i] = g_strdup(tparm(term->TI_setb, i, 0));
+#ifdef HACK_FORCE_256COLOR
+	}
+#else
 	} else if (force) {
 		for (i = 0; i < 8; i++)
                         term->TI_bg[i] = g_strdup_printf("\033[%dm", 40+ansitab[i]);
 	}
+#endif /* HACK_FORCE_256COLOR */
 }
 
 static void terminfo_input_init(TERM_REC *term)