diff --git a/src/game_base.c b/src/game_base.c
index 0c764ec..41fb352 100644
--- a/src/game_base.c
+++ b/src/game_base.c
@@ -540,20 +540,20 @@ static void game_draw_border(const GameData *game, const int max_x, const int ma
     const int x = (max_x - game_max_x) / 2;
     const int y = (max_y - game_max_y) / 2;
 
-    wattron(win, A_BOLD | COLOR_PAIR(GAME_BORDER_COLOUR));
+    wattron(win, COLOR_PAIR(GAME_BORDER_COLOUR));
 
-    mvwaddch(win, y, x, ' ');
-    mvwhline(win, y, x + 1, ' ', game_max_x - 1);
-    mvwvline(win, y + 1, x, ' ', game_max_y - 1);
-    mvwvline(win, y, x - 1, ' ', game_max_y + 1);
-    mvwaddch(win, y, x + game_max_x, ' ');
-    mvwvline(win, y + 1, x + game_max_x, ' ', game_max_y - 1);
-    mvwvline(win, y, x + game_max_x + 1, ' ', game_max_y + 1);
-    mvwaddch(win, y + game_max_y, x, ' ');
-    mvwhline(win, y + game_max_y, x + 1, ' ', game_max_x - 1);
-    mvwaddch(win, y + game_max_y, x + game_max_x, ' ');
+    mvwaddch(win, y, x, ACS_ULCORNER);
+    mvwhline(win, y, x + 1, ACS_HLINE, game_max_x - 1);
+    mvwvline(win, y + 1, x, ACS_VLINE, game_max_y - 1);
+    mvwvline(win, y, x - 1, ACS_VLINE, game_max_y + 1);
+    mvwaddch(win, y, x + game_max_x, ACS_URCORNER);
+    mvwvline(win, y + 1, x + game_max_x, ACS_VLINE, game_max_y - 1);
+    mvwvline(win, y, x + game_max_x + 1, ACS_VLINE, game_max_y + 1);
+    mvwaddch(win, y + game_max_y, x, ACS_LLCORNER);
+    mvwhline(win, y + game_max_y, x + 1, ACS_HLINE, game_max_x - 1);
+    mvwaddch(win, y + game_max_y, x + game_max_x, ACS_LRCORNER);
 
-    wattroff(win, A_BOLD | COLOR_PAIR(GAME_BORDER_COLOUR));
+    wattroff(win, COLOR_PAIR(GAME_BORDER_COLOUR));
 }
 
 static void game_draw_status(const GameData *game, const int max_x, const int max_y)
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ static void game_draw_status(const GameData *game, const int max_x, const int ma
     WINDOW *win = game->window;
 
     int x = ((max_x - game->game_max_x) / 2) - 1;
-    int y = ((max_y - game->game_max_y) / 2) - 1;
+    const int y = ((max_y - game->game_max_y) / 2) - 1;
 
     wattron(win, A_BOLD);
 
diff --git a/src/game_base.h b/src/game_base.h
index 672a01c..d8658e6 100644
--- a/src/game_base.h
+++ b/src/game_base.h
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 #include "game_util.h"
 #include "windows.h"
 
-#define GAME_BORDER_COLOUR BAR_TEXT
+#define GAME_BORDER_COLOUR BAR_SOLID
 
 
 /* Max size of a default square game window */
diff --git a/src/toxic.c b/src/toxic.c
index 28409b0..082bc6e 100644
--- a/src/toxic.c
+++ b/src/toxic.c
@@ -383,6 +383,7 @@ static void init_term(void)
         init_pair(BLACK_BG, COLOR_BLACK, bar_bg_color);
         init_pair(PURPLE_BG, COLOR_MAGENTA, bar_bg_color);
         init_pair(BAR_TEXT, bar_fg_color, bar_bg_color);
+        init_pair(BAR_SOLID, bar_bg_color, bar_bg_color);
         init_pair(BAR_ACCENT, bar_accent_color, bar_bg_color);
         init_pair(BAR_NOTIFY, bar_notify_color, bar_bg_color);
         init_pair(STATUS_ONLINE, COLOR_GREEN, bar_bg_color);
diff --git a/src/windows.h b/src/windows.h
index a33ae2f..b4e5fb8 100644
--- a/src/windows.h
+++ b/src/windows.h
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ typedef enum {
     STATUS_BUSY,
     STATUS_AWAY,
     BAR_NOTIFY,
+    BAR_SOLID,
 } C_COLOURS;
 
 /* tab alert types: lower types take priority (this relies on the order of C_COLOURS) */