diff --git a/ThemeProvider.ImGui/ImGuiPaletteMapper.cs b/ThemeProvider.ImGui/ImGuiPaletteMapper.cs
index 60417ad..8f51942 100644
--- a/ThemeProvider.ImGui/ImGuiPaletteMapper.cs
+++ b/ThemeProvider.ImGui/ImGuiPaletteMapper.cs
@@ -87,12 +87,14 @@ public IReadOnlyDictionary<ImGuiCol, Vector4> MapTheme(ISemanticTheme theme)
 			{ ImGuiCol.TreeLines, new(SemanticMeaning.Neutral, Priority.MediumHigh)},
 
 			{ ImGuiCol.Tab, new(SemanticMeaning.Neutral, Priority.Low)},
-			{ ImGuiCol.TabSelected, new(SemanticMeaning.Primary, Priority.VeryLow)},
-			{ ImGuiCol.TabHovered, new(SemanticMeaning.Primary, Priority.Low)},
+			// The tab bar is filled with the title bar's color, so the selected tab sits one step above it
+			// to read as the open tab, and hovering steps up once more.
+			{ ImGuiCol.TabSelected, new(SemanticMeaning.Primary, Priority.Low)},
+			{ ImGuiCol.TabHovered, new(SemanticMeaning.Primary, Priority.MediumLow)},
 			{ ImGuiCol.TabSelectedOverline, new(SemanticMeaning.Primary, Priority.High)},
 			// Tabs in an unfocused window drop to neutral so the focused window's tabs stand out.
 			{ ImGuiCol.TabDimmed, new(SemanticMeaning.Neutral, Priority.VeryLow)},
-			{ ImGuiCol.TabDimmedSelected, new(SemanticMeaning.Neutral, Priority.Low)},
+			{ ImGuiCol.TabDimmedSelected, new(SemanticMeaning.Neutral, Priority.MediumLow)},
 			{ ImGuiCol.TabDimmedSelectedOverline, new(SemanticMeaning.Primary, Priority.High)},
 
 			// Alternate elements spread across the full 20-82% non-neutral range for better contrast
diff --git a/ThemeProvider.Test/ImGuiPaletteMapperTests.cs b/ThemeProvider.Test/ImGuiPaletteMapperTests.cs
index 67d4dbe..c98873b 100644
--- a/ThemeProvider.Test/ImGuiPaletteMapperTests.cs
+++ b/ThemeProvider.Test/ImGuiPaletteMapperTests.cs
@@ -233,6 +233,30 @@ public void MapTheme_AlternateRowDiffersFromFrame()
 		}
 	}
 
+	/// <summary>
+	/// ImGui fills a dock node's tab bar with TitleBgActive when focused and TitleBg otherwise, and draws
+	/// the selected tab with TabSelected or TabDimmedSelected. Each selected tab must differ from the bar
+	/// it sits on, or only the 1px overline shows which tab is open. Hovering must also read differently
+	/// from being selected.
+	/// </summary>
+	[TestMethod]
+	public void MapTheme_SelectedTabsDifferFromTheirTabBar()
+	{
+		ImGuiPaletteMapper mapper = new();
+
+		foreach (ThemeRegistry.ThemeInfo info in ThemeRegistry.AllThemes)
+		{
+			IReadOnlyDictionary<ImGuiCol, Vector4> palette = mapper.MapTheme(info.CreateInstance());
+
+			AssertDistinct(palette, ImGuiCol.TabSelected, ImGuiCol.TitleBgActive, info.Name);
+			AssertDistinct(palette, ImGuiCol.TabDimmedSelected, ImGuiCol.TitleBg, info.Name);
+			AssertDistinct(palette, ImGuiCol.TabHovered, ImGuiCol.TabSelected, info.Name);
+		}
+	}
+
+	private static void AssertDistinct(IReadOnlyDictionary<ImGuiCol, Vector4> palette, ImGuiCol first, ImGuiCol second, string themeName) =>
+		Assert.IsGreaterThan(1f / 255f, Vector4.Distance(palette[first], palette[second]), $"{themeName}: {first} is drawn in the {second} color");
+
 	private sealed class NoNeutralTheme : ISemanticTheme
 	{
 		public Dictionary<SemanticMeaning, Collection<Color>> SemanticMapping { get; } = new()