diff --git a/crates/cli/src/ui.rs b/crates/cli/src/ui.rs
index 6013e3a0..c04cdc63 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/ui.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/ui.rs
@@ -22194,9 +22194,7 @@ fn render_playbook_inline_spans<'a>(
                 link_idx += 1;
             }
             PlaybookInlineToken::Code { content, .. } => {
-                let code_style = base_style
-                    .fg(app.theme.highlight_fg)
-                    .bg(app.theme.inactive_highlight_bg);
+                let code_style = playbook_inline_code_style(&app.theme, base_style);
                 spans.extend(playbook_text_spans(
                     &app.theme,
                     content,
@@ -22227,6 +22225,12 @@ fn render_playbook_inline_spans<'a>(
     spans
 }
 
+fn playbook_inline_code_style(theme: &Theme, base_style: Style) -> Style {
+    base_style
+        .fg(theme.text)
+        .bg(theme.inactive_highlight_bg)
+}
+
 /// Attachment chip painter (spec 0099): the compact `[Image: name]` /
 /// `[File: name]` pill an inline attachment link renders as. Static styling —
 /// liveness/status concepts don't apply to files; the hover card carries the
@@ -23846,6 +23850,22 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn playbook_inline_code_uses_readable_inactive_highlight_pair_across_themes() {
+        for theme in [
+            Theme::dark(),
+            Theme::light(),
+            Theme::basic_dark(),
+            Theme::basic_light(),
+            Theme::dark_ui(),
+            Theme::light_ui(),
+        ] {
+            let style = playbook_inline_code_style(&theme, Style::default());
+            assert_eq!(style.fg, Some(theme.text));
+            assert_eq!(style.bg, Some(theme.inactive_highlight_bg));
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Without expansion state the chip keeps its collapsed label; when
     /// expanded, `playbook_md_chip_label` returns None and the source
     /// occupies zero cells — asserted end-to-end (label absence, no chip
diff --git a/crates/daemon/assets/index.html b/crates/daemon/assets/index.html
index 6c177d68..ebf2b967 100644
--- a/crates/daemon/assets/index.html
+++ b/crates/daemon/assets/index.html
@@ -3208,7 +3208,7 @@
   /* One source line. Empty lines keep height via a <br>. */
   .playbook-line { min-height: 1.6em; }
   .playbook-inline-code {
-    color: var(--fg-strong, var(--fg));
+    color: var(--fg);
     background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 16%, var(--bg-elev));
     border-radius: 4px;
     padding: 0 2px;
diff --git a/crates/e2e/tests/playbook_view.rs b/crates/e2e/tests/playbook_view.rs
index 3dd630d3..fa58beb2 100644
--- a/crates/e2e/tests/playbook_view.rs
+++ b/crates/e2e/tests/playbook_view.rs
@@ -136,6 +136,19 @@ async fn web_playbook_view_full_parity() {
               const sourceBefore = playbookSerialize();
               const visibleBefore = code ? code.textContent : null;
               const lineTextBefore = playbookInputEl.querySelector(".playbook-line").textContent;
+              const stylesByTheme = {};
+              for (const themeName of Object.keys(WEB_THEMES)) {
+                applyWebTheme(themeName, { persist: false });
+                const codeStyle = getComputedStyle(code);
+                const editorStyle = getComputedStyle(playbookInputEl);
+                stylesByTheme[themeName] = {
+                  foreground: codeStyle.color,
+                  editorForeground: editorStyle.color,
+                  background: codeStyle.backgroundColor,
+                  editorBackground: editorStyle.backgroundColor,
+                };
+              }
+              applyWebTheme("dark", { persist: false });
               const sel = window.getSelection();
               const range = document.createRange();
               range.setStartAfter(code); range.collapse(true);
@@ -145,7 +158,7 @@ async fn web_playbook_view_full_parity() {
               const formattedAfterBackspace = !!playbookInputEl.querySelector(".playbook-inline-code");
               document.execCommand("insertText", false, "`");
               return {
-                sourceBefore, visibleBefore, lineTextBefore,
+                sourceBefore, visibleBefore, lineTextBefore, stylesByTheme,
                 sourceAfterBackspace, formattedAfterBackspace,
                 sourceAfterRetype: playbookSerialize(),
                 formattedAfterRetype: !!playbookInputEl.querySelector(".playbook-inline-code"),
@@ -160,6 +173,17 @@ async fn web_playbook_view_full_parity() {
     assert_eq!(inline_code["sourceBefore"], "run `cargo test` now\n", "{inline_code:?}");
     assert_eq!(inline_code["visibleBefore"], "cargo test", "{inline_code:?}");
     assert_eq!(inline_code["lineTextBefore"], "run cargo test now", "{inline_code:?}");
+    for theme in ["dark", "light", "matrix"] {
+        let style = &inline_code["stylesByTheme"][theme];
+        assert_eq!(
+            style["foreground"], style["editorForeground"],
+            "{theme} inline code should use the editor's readable foreground: {style:?}"
+        );
+        assert_ne!(
+            style["background"], style["editorBackground"],
+            "{theme} inline code should retain its highlighted background: {style:?}"
+        );
+    }
     assert_eq!(inline_code["sourceAfterBackspace"], "run `cargo test now\n", "{inline_code:?}");
     assert_eq!(inline_code["formattedAfterBackspace"], false, "{inline_code:?}");
     assert_eq!(inline_code["sourceAfterRetype"], "run `cargo test` now\n", "{inline_code:?}");