diff --git a/programs/src/terminal/main.cpp b/programs/src/terminal/main.cpp
index 33bd112..b1ca8f3 100644
--- a/programs/src/terminal/main.cpp
+++ b/programs/src/terminal/main.cpp
@@ -381,6 +381,24 @@ extern "C" void _start() {
     if (!g_win.create("Terminal", INIT_W, INIT_H))
         montauk::exit(1);
 
+    // The kernel seeds newly created window surfaces with white so apps that
+    // haven't drawn their first frame don't show as transparent/black. For
+    // Terminal that produces a visible white flash while we run terminal_init
+    // and the first TrueType render. Paint the dark background and present
+    // immediately so the compositor sees terminal colors from frame one.
+    {
+        uint32_t bar_px = Color::from_hex(0x1C1C1C).to_pixel();
+        uint32_t bg_px  = colors::TERM_BG.to_pixel();
+        int bar_pixels  = TERM_TAB_BAR_H * g_win.width;
+        if (bar_pixels > g_win.width * g_win.height)
+            bar_pixels = g_win.width * g_win.height;
+        for (int i = 0; i < bar_pixels; i++)
+            g_win.pixels[i] = bar_px;
+        for (int i = bar_pixels; i < g_win.width * g_win.height; i++)
+            g_win.pixels[i] = bg_px;
+        g_win.present();
+    }
+
     int term_h = g_win.height - TERM_TAB_BAR_H;
     g_last_win_w = g_win.width;
     g_last_win_h = term_h;