diff --git a/server-client.c b/server-client.c
index 62645ac6..e89a8ba8 100644
--- a/server-client.c
+++ b/server-client.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: server-client.c,v 1.5 2009-10-28 22:46:15 tcunha Exp $ */
+/* $Id: server-client.c,v 1.6 2009-10-28 22:48:35 tcunha Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2009 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -702,8 +702,6 @@ server_client_msg_identify(
 		c->tty.term_flags |= TERM_256COLOURS;
 	else if (data->flags & IDENTIFY_88COLOURS)
 		c->tty.term_flags |= TERM_88COLOURS;
-	if (data->flags & IDENTIFY_HASDEFAULTS)
-		c->tty.term_flags |= TERM_HASDEFAULTS;
 
 	tty_resize(&c->tty);
 
diff --git a/tmux.c b/tmux.c
index c1450645..801c1cac 100644
--- a/tmux.c
+++ b/tmux.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: tmux.c,v 1.180 2009-10-23 17:40:23 tcunha Exp $ */
+/* $Id: tmux.c,v 1.181 2009-10-28 22:48:35 tcunha Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ __dead void
 usage(void)
 {
 	fprintf(stderr,
-	    "usage: %s [-28dlquv] [-c shell-command] [-f file] [-L socket-name]\n"
+	    "usage: %s [-28lquv] [-c shell-command] [-f file] [-L socket-name]\n"
 	    "            [-S socket-path] [command [flags]]\n",
 	    __progname);
 	exit(1);
@@ -326,9 +326,6 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 				xfree(shellcmd);
 			shellcmd = xstrdup(optarg);
 			break;
-		case 'd':
-			flags |= IDENTIFY_HASDEFAULTS;
-			break;
 		case 'f':
 			if (cfg_file != NULL)
 				xfree(cfg_file);
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index a39001cb..6da8d90d 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: tmux.h,v 1.484 2009-10-23 17:49:47 tcunha Exp $ */
+/* $Id: tmux.h,v 1.485 2009-10-28 22:48:35 tcunha Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -344,7 +344,6 @@ struct msg_identify_data {
 #define IDENTIFY_UTF8 0x1
 #define IDENTIFY_256COLOURS 0x2
 #define IDENTIFY_88COLOURS 0x4
-#define IDENTIFY_HASDEFAULTS 0x8
 	int		flags;
 };
 
@@ -906,10 +905,9 @@ struct tty_term {
 
 	struct tty_code	 codes[NTTYCODE];
 
-#define TERM_HASDEFAULTS 0x1
-#define TERM_256COLOURS 0x2
-#define TERM_88COLOURS 0x4
-#define TERM_EARLYWRAP 0x8
+#define TERM_256COLOURS 0x1
+#define TERM_88COLOURS 0x2
+#define TERM_EARLYWRAP 0x4
 	int		 flags;
 
 	SLIST_ENTRY(tty_term) entry;
diff --git a/tty-term.c b/tty-term.c
index 46e8c462..17107c16 100644
--- a/tty-term.c
+++ b/tty-term.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: tty-term.c,v 1.33 2009-10-25 10:42:08 tcunha Exp $ */
+/* $Id: tty-term.c,v 1.34 2009-10-28 22:48:35 tcunha Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2008 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -347,17 +347,6 @@ tty_term_find(char *name, int fd, const char *overrides, char **cause)
 		goto error;
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * Figure out if terminal support default colours. AX is a screen
-	 * extension which indicates this. Also check if op (orig_pair) uses
-	 * the default colours - if it does, this is a good indication the
-	 * terminal supports them.
-	 */
-	if (tty_term_flag(term, TTYC_AX))
-		term->flags |= TERM_HASDEFAULTS;
-	if (strcmp(tty_term_string(term, TTYC_OP), "\033[39;49m") == 0)
-		term->flags |= TERM_HASDEFAULTS;
-
 	/* Figure out if we have 256 or 88 colours. */
 	if (tty_term_number(term, TTYC_COLORS) == 256)
 		term->flags |= TERM_256COLOURS;
diff --git a/tty.c b/tty.c
index b51b4543..4d5d36b7 100644
--- a/tty.c
+++ b/tty.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: tty.c,v 1.162 2009-10-23 17:28:29 tcunha Exp $ */
+/* $Id: tty.c,v 1.163 2009-10-28 22:48:35 tcunha Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -1241,13 +1241,21 @@ tty_attributes_fg(struct tty *tty, const struct grid_cell *gc)
 			tty_reset(tty);
 	}
 
-	if (fg == 8 &&
-	    !(tty->term->flags & TERM_HASDEFAULTS) &&
-	    !(tty->term_flags & TERM_HASDEFAULTS))
-		fg = 7;
-	if (fg == 8)
-		tty_puts(tty, "\033[39m");
-	else
+	if (fg == 8) {
+		if (tty_term_has(tty->term, TTYC_AX)) {
+			/* AX is an extension that means \033[39m works. */
+			tty_puts(tty, "\033[39m");	
+		} else if (tty_term_has(tty->term, TTYC_OP)) {
+			/*
+			 * op can be used to look for default colours but there
+			 * is no point in using it - with some terminals it
+			 * does SGR0 and others not, so SGR0 is needed anyway
+			 * to put the terminal into a known state.
+			 */
+			tty_reset(tty);
+		} else
+			tty_putcode1(tty, TTYC_SETAF, 7);
+	} else
 		tty_putcode1(tty, TTYC_SETAF, fg);
 }
 
@@ -1267,12 +1275,13 @@ tty_attributes_bg(struct tty *tty, const struct grid_cell *gc)
 			bg &= 7;
 	}
 
-	if (bg == 8 &&
-	    !(tty->term->flags & TERM_HASDEFAULTS) &&
-	    !(tty->term_flags & TERM_HASDEFAULTS))
-		bg = 0;
-	if (bg == 8)
-		tty_puts(tty, "\033[49m");
-	else
+	if (bg == 8) {
+		if (tty_term_has(tty->term, TTYC_AX)) {
+			tty_puts(tty, "\033[49m");	
+		} else if (tty_term_has(tty->term, TTYC_OP))
+			tty_reset(tty);
+		else
+			tty_putcode1(tty, TTYC_SETAB, 0);
+	} else
 		tty_putcode1(tty, TTYC_SETAB, bg);
 }