diff --git a/data/style.css b/data/style.css
index 21455415..cd716cea 100644
--- a/data/style.css
+++ b/data/style.css
@@ -37,6 +37,12 @@
     background: @theme_bg_color;
 }
 
+.opaque-text text {
+    /* found by roaming through /usr/share/themes,
+    and some experimentation in the gnome inspector */
+    color: alpha(currentColor, 0.5);
+}
+
 /*
 @theme_bg_color
 @theme_selected_bg_color
diff --git a/inputremapper/gui/components/editor.py b/inputremapper/gui/components/editor.py
index 502e1266..6823b04d 100644
--- a/inputremapper/gui/components/editor.py
+++ b/inputremapper/gui/components/editor.py
@@ -442,6 +442,7 @@ class CodeEditor:
 
         if self.code.strip().lower() == "":
             self.code = self.placeholder
+            self.gui.get_style_context().add_class("opaque-text")
 
     def _clear_placeholder(self, *_):
         if not self._shows_placeholder():
@@ -451,6 +452,8 @@ class CodeEditor:
         with HandlerDisabled(buffer, self._on_gtk_changed):
             buffer.set_text("")
 
+        self.gui.get_style_context().remove_class("opaque-text")
+
     def _shows_placeholder(self):
         buffer = self.gui.get_buffer()
         code = buffer.get_text(buffer.get_start_iter(), buffer.get_end_iter(), True)
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_components.py b/tests/integration/test_components.py
index 84545227..84869de3 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_components.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_components.py
@@ -910,18 +910,22 @@ class TestCodeEditor(ComponentBaseTest):
         # clears the input when we enter the editor widget
         focus()
         self.assertEqual(self.get_text(), "")
+        self.assertNotIn("opaque-text", self.gui.get_style_context().list_classes())
 
         # adds the placeholder back when we leave it
         unfocus()
         self.assertEqual(self.get_text(), self.editor.placeholder)
+        self.assertIn("opaque-text", self.gui.get_style_context().list_classes())
 
         # if we enter text and then leave, it won't show the placeholder
         focus()
         self.assertEqual(self.get_text(), "")
         buffer = self.gui.get_buffer()
         buffer.set_text("foo")
+        self.assertNotIn("opaque-text", self.gui.get_style_context().list_classes())
         unfocus()
         self.assertEqual(self.get_text(), "foo")
+        self.assertNotIn("opaque-text", self.gui.get_style_context().list_classes())
 
 
 class TestRecordingToggle(ComponentBaseTest):