diff --git a/liblangutil/SourceReferenceFormatter.cpp b/liblangutil/SourceReferenceFormatter.cpp
index 76cb1df61..0e84242a7 100644
--- a/liblangutil/SourceReferenceFormatter.cpp
+++ b/liblangutil/SourceReferenceFormatter.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,28 @@ std::string SourceReferenceFormatter::formatErrorInformation(Error const& _error
 	);
 }
 
+char const* SourceReferenceFormatter::errorTextColor(Error::Severity _severity)
+{
+	switch (_severity)
+	{
+	case Error::Severity::Error: return RED;
+	case Error::Severity::Warning: return YELLOW;
+	case Error::Severity::Info: return WHITE;
+	}
+	util::unreachable();
+}
+
+char const* SourceReferenceFormatter::errorHighlightColor(Error::Severity _severity)
+{
+	switch (_severity)
+	{
+	case Error::Severity::Error: return RED_BACKGROUND;
+	case Error::Severity::Warning: return ORANGE_BACKGROUND_256;
+	case Error::Severity::Info: return GRAY_BACKGROUND;
+	}
+	util::unreachable();
+}
+
 AnsiColorized SourceReferenceFormatter::normalColored() const
 {
 	return AnsiColorized(m_stream, m_colored, {WHITE});
@@ -67,18 +89,7 @@ AnsiColorized SourceReferenceFormatter::frameColored() const
 
 AnsiColorized SourceReferenceFormatter::errorColored(Error::Severity _severity) const
 {
-	// We used to color messages of any severity as errors so this seems like a good default
-	// for cases where severity cannot be determined.
-	char const* textColor = RED;
-
-	switch (_severity)
-	{
-	case Error::Severity::Error: textColor = RED; break;
-	case Error::Severity::Warning: textColor = YELLOW; break;
-	case Error::Severity::Info: textColor = WHITE; break;
-	}
-
-	return AnsiColorized(m_stream, m_colored, {BOLD, textColor});
+	return AnsiColorized(m_stream, m_colored, {BOLD, errorTextColor(_severity)});
 }
 
 AnsiColorized SourceReferenceFormatter::messageColored() const
diff --git a/liblangutil/SourceReferenceFormatter.h b/liblangutil/SourceReferenceFormatter.h
index 91f1d7ddd..46cd97490 100644
--- a/liblangutil/SourceReferenceFormatter.h
+++ b/liblangutil/SourceReferenceFormatter.h
@@ -118,6 +118,15 @@ public:
 
 	static std::string formatErrorInformation(Error const& _error, CharStream const& _charStream);
 
+	/// The default text color for printing error messages of a given severity in the terminal.
+	/// Only suitable for color schemes with a dark background.
+	static char const* errorTextColor(Error::Severity _severity);
+
+	/// The default background color for highlighting source fragments corresponding to an error
+	/// of a given severity in the terminal.
+	/// Only suitable for color schemes with a light text.
+	static char const* errorHighlightColor(Error::Severity _severity);
+
 private:
 	util::AnsiColorized normalColored() const;
 	util::AnsiColorized frameColored() const;
diff --git a/test/CommonSyntaxTest.cpp b/test/CommonSyntaxTest.cpp
index d26f60ccc..209a041ff 100644
--- a/test/CommonSyntaxTest.cpp
+++ b/test/CommonSyntaxTest.cpp
@@ -19,11 +19,16 @@
 #include <test/CommonSyntaxTest.h>
 #include <test/Common.h>
 #include <test/TestCase.h>
+
+#include <liblangutil/SourceReferenceFormatter.h>
+
 #include <libsolutil/CommonIO.h>
+
 #include <boost/algorithm/string.hpp>
 #include <boost/algorithm/string/predicate.hpp>
 #include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/throw_exception.hpp>
+
 #include <fstream>
 #include <memory>
 #include <stdexcept>
@@ -115,21 +120,17 @@ void CommonSyntaxTest::printSource(ostream& _stream, string const& _linePrefix,
 					assert(static_cast<size_t>(error.locationStart) <= source.length());
 					assert(static_cast<size_t>(error.locationEnd) <= source.length());
 					for (int i = error.locationStart; i < error.locationEnd; i++)
-						if (error.type == Error::Type::Info)
-						{
-							if (sourceFormatting[static_cast<size_t>(i)] == util::formatting::RESET)
-								sourceFormatting[static_cast<size_t>(i)] = util::formatting::GRAY_BACKGROUND;
-						}
-						else if (error.type == Error::Type::Warning)
-						{
-							if (
-								sourceFormatting[static_cast<size_t>(i)] == util::formatting::RESET ||
-								sourceFormatting[static_cast<size_t>(i)] == util::formatting::GRAY_BACKGROUND
-							)
-								sourceFormatting[static_cast<size_t>(i)] = util::formatting::ORANGE_BACKGROUND_256;
-						}
-						else
-							sourceFormatting[static_cast<size_t>(i)] = util::formatting::RED_BACKGROUND;
+					{
+						char const*& cellFormat = sourceFormatting[static_cast<size_t>(i)];
+						char const* infoBgColor = SourceReferenceFormatter::errorHighlightColor(Error::Severity::Info);
+
+						if (
+							(error.type != Error::Type::Warning && error.type != Error::Type::Info) ||
+							(error.type == Error::Type::Warning && (cellFormat == RESET || cellFormat == infoBgColor)) ||
+							(error.type == Error::Type::Info && cellFormat == RESET)
+						)
+							cellFormat = SourceReferenceFormatter::errorHighlightColor(Error::errorSeverity(error.type));
+					}
 				}
 
 			_stream << _linePrefix << sourceFormatting.front() << source.front();
@@ -202,7 +203,7 @@ void CommonSyntaxTest::printErrorList(
 				util::AnsiColorized scope(
 					_stream,
 					_formatted,
-					{BOLD, error.type == Error::Type::Info ? WHITE : (error.type == Error::Type::Warning ? YELLOW : RED)}
+					{BOLD, SourceReferenceFormatter::errorTextColor(Error::errorSeverity(error.type))}
 				);
 				_stream << _linePrefix << Error::formatErrorType(error.type);
 				if (error.errorId.has_value())