diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/test/modes/theme/birch-contrast.test.ts b/packages/coding-agent/test/modes/theme/birch-contrast.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9a6c08a4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/test/modes/theme/birch-contrast.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "bun:test";
+import { loadTheme } from "../../../src/modes/theme/loader";
+
+describe("Birch card contrast", () => {
+	it("renders user and custom cards with explicit dark foregrounds", async () => {
+		const birch = await loadTheme("birch", { mode: "truecolor" });
+		const darkInk = "\x1b[38;2;40;40;32m";
+
+		expect(birch.fg("userMessageText", "user")).toBe(`${darkInk}user\x1b[39m`);
+		expect(birch.fg("customMessageText", "custom")).toBe(`${darkInk}custom\x1b[39m`);
+	});
+});