diff --git a/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index aeeacb26a..2919fc29a 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -3437,6 +3437,7 @@ extern void genl_putmixed(winid, int, const char *);
 extern void genl_display_file(const char *, boolean);
 extern boolean menuitem_invert_test(int, unsigned, boolean);
 extern const char *mixed_to_glyphinfo(const char *str, glyph_info *gip);
+extern void adjust_menu_promptstyle(winid, color_attr *);
 extern void add_menu(winid, const glyph_info *, const ANY_P *,
                      char, char, int, int, const char *, unsigned int);
 extern void add_menu_heading(winid, const char *);
diff --git a/include/flag.h b/include/flag.h
index e5331e761..19771a830 100644
--- a/include/flag.h
+++ b/include/flag.h
@@ -186,10 +186,6 @@ struct debug_flags {
 #endif
 };
 
-typedef struct color_and_attr {
-    int color, attr;
-} color_attr;
-
 /*
  * Stuff that really isn't option or platform related and does not
  * get saved and restored.  They are set and cleared during the game
diff --git a/include/global.h b/include/global.h
index c734ccaf7..be484bcfb 100644
--- a/include/global.h
+++ b/include/global.h
@@ -445,6 +445,10 @@ extern struct nomakedefs_s nomakedefs;
 #define MAXMONNO 120 /* extinct monst after this number created */
 #define MHPMAX 500   /* maximum monster hp */
 
+typedef struct color_and_attr {
+           int color, attr;
+} color_attr;
+
 /*
  * Version 3.7.x has aspirations of portable file formats. We
  * make a distinction between MAIL functionality and MAIL_STRUCTURES
diff --git a/include/wintype.h b/include/wintype.h
index 99100e12f..6c4c4a58d 100644
--- a/include/wintype.h
+++ b/include/wintype.h
@@ -204,8 +204,9 @@ enum to_core_flags {
 };
 
 enum from_core_requests {
-    set_mode         = 1,
-    request_settings = 2,
+    set_mode             = 1,
+    request_settings     = 2,
+    set_menu_promptstyle = 3
 };
 
 struct to_core {
@@ -220,6 +221,7 @@ struct to_core {
 struct from_core {
     enum from_core_requests core_request;
     enum inv_modes invmode;
+    color_attr menu_promptstyle;
 };
 
 struct win_request_info_t {
@@ -228,6 +230,7 @@ struct win_request_info_t {
 };
 
 typedef struct win_request_info_t win_request_info;
+extern win_request_info zerowri;    /* windows.c */
 
 /* #define CORE_INVENT */
 
diff --git a/src/allmain.c b/src/allmain.c
index 72817ed8a..7681a5b58 100644
--- a/src/allmain.c
+++ b/src/allmain.c
@@ -662,6 +662,7 @@ void
 init_sound_disp_gamewindows(void)
 {
     int menu_behavior = MENU_BEHAVE_STANDARD;
+    color_attr menu_promptstyle = { NO_COLOR, ATR_INVERSE };
 
     activate_chosen_soundlib();
 
@@ -680,6 +681,8 @@ init_sound_disp_gamewindows(void)
     }
     WIN_MAP = create_nhwindow(NHW_MAP);
     WIN_INVEN = create_nhwindow(NHW_MENU);
+    if (WIN_INVEN != WIN_ERR)
+        adjust_menu_promptstyle(WIN_INVEN, &menu_promptstyle);
 #ifdef TTY_PERM_INVENT
     if (WINDOWPORT(tty) && WIN_INVEN != WIN_ERR) {
         menu_behavior = MENU_BEHAVE_PERMINV;
diff --git a/src/invent.c b/src/invent.c
index 5bb226432..cf7f4f462 100644
--- a/src/invent.c
+++ b/src/invent.c
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ static void itemactions_pushkeys(struct obj *, int);
 static void mime_action(const char *);
 
 /* enum and structs are defined in wintype.h */
-static win_request_info zerowri = { { 0L, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 }, { 0, 0 } };
 static win_request_info wri_info;
 static int perminv_flags = InvOptNone;
 static boolean in_perm_invent_toggled;
diff --git a/src/windows.c b/src/windows.c
index 68a69385a..f9ab36221 100644
--- a/src/windows.c
+++ b/src/windows.c
@@ -1593,6 +1593,20 @@ mixed_to_glyphinfo(const char *str, glyph_info *gip)
     return str;
 }
 
+/* enum and structs are defined in wintype.h */
+
+win_request_info zerowri = { { 0L, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 },
+                             { 0, 0, { NO_COLOR, ATR_NONE }}};
+
+void
+adjust_menu_promptstyle(winid window, color_attr *style)
+{
+    win_request_info wri = zerowri;
+    wri.fromcore.menu_promptstyle.color = style->color;
+    wri.fromcore.menu_promptstyle.attr = style->attr;
+    /*  relay the style change to the window port */
+    (void) ctrl_nhwindow(window, set_menu_promptstyle, &wri);
+}
 
 /*
  *   Common code point leading into the interface-specifc
diff --git a/win/Qt/qt_bind.cpp b/win/Qt/qt_bind.cpp
index 96a727a35..02fb59036 100644
--- a/win/Qt/qt_bind.cpp
+++ b/win/Qt/qt_bind.cpp
@@ -504,12 +504,24 @@ void NetHackQtBind::qt_update_inventory(int arg UNUSED)
 }
 
 win_request_info *NetHackQtBind::qt_ctrl_nhwindow(
-    winid wid UNUSED,
-    int request UNUSED,
-    win_request_info *wri UNUSED)
+    winid wid,
+    int request,
+    win_request_info *wri)
 {
     NetHackQtWindow* window UNUSED =id_to_window[(int)wid];
-    return (win_request_info *) 0;
+
+    if (!wri)
+        return (win_request_info *) 0;
+
+    switch(request) {
+    case set_menu_promptstyle:
+        /* = wri->fromcore.menu_promptstyle; */
+        break;
+    default:
+        impossible("invalid request to ctrl_nhwindow: %d", request);
+        break;
+    }
+    return wri;
 }
 
 void NetHackQtBind::qt_mark_synch()
diff --git a/win/X11/winX.c b/win/X11/winX.c
index 059ca06ea..13b5af993 100644
--- a/win/X11/winX.c
+++ b/win/X11/winX.c
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ void (*input_func)(Widget, XEvent *, String *, Cardinal *);
 int click_x, click_y, click_button; /* Click position on a map window
                                      * (filled by set_button_values()). */
 int updated_inventory; /* used to indicate perm_invent updating */
+color_attr X11_menu_promptstyle = { NO_COLOR, ATR_NONE };
 
 static void X11_error_handler(String) NORETURN;
 static int X11_io_error_handler(Display *);
@@ -1308,7 +1309,18 @@ X11_ctrl_nhwindow(
     int request UNUSED,
     win_request_info *wri UNUSED)
 {
-    return (win_request_info *) 0;
+    if (!wri)
+        return (win_request_info *) 0;
+
+    switch(request) {
+    case set_menu_promptstyle:
+        X11_menu_promptstyle = wri->fromcore.menu_promptstyle;
+        break;
+    default:
+        impossible("invalid request to ctrl_nhwindow: %d", request);
+        break;
+    }
+    return wri;
 }
 
 /* The current implementation has all of the saved lines on the screen. */
diff --git a/win/curses/cursdial.c b/win/curses/cursdial.c
index be75e68e6..2b558112a 100644
--- a/win/curses/cursdial.c
+++ b/win/curses/cursdial.c
@@ -1164,6 +1164,8 @@ get_menuitem_y(
 
 /* Displays menu selections in the given window */
 
+extern color_attr curses_menu_promptstyle; /*cursmain.c */
+
 static void
 menu_display_page(
     nhmenu *menu, WINDOW *win,
@@ -1207,9 +1209,11 @@ menu_display_page(
 
         for (count = 0; count < num_lines; count++) {
             tmpstr = curses_break_str(menu->prompt, menu->width, count + 1);
-            curses_toggle_color_attr(win, NO_COLOR, A_NORMAL, ON);
+            curses_toggle_color_attr(win, curses_menu_promptstyle.color,
+			             curses_menu_promptstyle.attr, ON);
             mvwprintw(win, count + 1, 1, "%s", tmpstr);
-            curses_toggle_color_attr(win, NO_COLOR, A_NORMAL, OFF);
+            curses_toggle_color_attr(win, curses_menu_promptstyle.color,
+			             curses_menu_promptstyle.attr, OFF);
             free(tmpstr);
         }
     }
diff --git a/win/curses/cursmain.c b/win/curses/cursmain.c
index 9f46d68eb..94889129f 100644
--- a/win/curses/cursmain.c
+++ b/win/curses/cursmain.c
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ int orig_cursor;            /* Preserve initial cursor state */
 WINDOW *base_term;          /* underlying terminal window */
 boolean counting;           /* Count window is active */
 WINDOW *mapwin, *statuswin, *messagewin;    /* Main windows */
+color_attr curses_menu_promptstyle = { NO_COLOR, ATR_NONE };
 
 /* Track if we're performing an update to the permanent window.
    Needed since we aren't using the normal menu functions to handle
@@ -799,10 +800,32 @@ curses_update_inventory(int arg)
 win_request_info *
 curses_ctrl_nhwindow(
     winid window UNUSED,
-    int request UNUSED,
-    win_request_info *wri UNUSED)
+    int request,
+    win_request_info *wri)
 {
-    return (win_request_info *) 0;
+    int attr;
+
+    if (!wri)
+        return (win_request_info *) 0;
+
+    switch (request) {
+#if 0
+    case set_mode:
+    case request_settings:
+        break;
+#endif
+    case set_menu_promptstyle:
+	curses_menu_promptstyle.color = wri->fromcore.menu_promptstyle.color;
+        if (curses_menu_promptstyle.color == NO_COLOR)
+            curses_menu_promptstyle.color = NONE;
+	attr = wri->fromcore.menu_promptstyle.attr;
+	curses_menu_promptstyle.attr = curses_convert_attr(attr);;
+        break;
+    default:
+        impossible("invalid request to ctrl_nhwindow: %d", request);
+        break;
+    }
+    return wri;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/win/tty/wintty.c b/win/tty/wintty.c
index 0ebbed4dd..3c2299c3b 100644
--- a/win/tty/wintty.c
+++ b/win/tty/wintty.c
@@ -2593,6 +2593,8 @@ reverse(tty_menu_item *curr)
     return head;
 }
 
+static color_attr tty_menu_promptstyle = { NO_COLOR, ATR_NONE };
+
 /*
  * End a menu in this window, window must a type NHW_MENU.  This routine
  * processes the string list.  We calculate the # of pages, then assign
@@ -2642,7 +2644,8 @@ tty_end_menu(
         tty_add_menu(window, &nul_glyphinfo, &any, 0, 0,
                      ATR_NONE, clr, "", MENU_ITEMFLAGS_NONE);
         tty_add_menu(window, &nul_glyphinfo, &any, 0, 0,
-                     ATR_NONE, clr, prompt, MENU_ITEMFLAGS_NONE);
+                     tty_menu_promptstyle.attr, tty_menu_promptstyle.color,
+                     prompt, MENU_ITEMFLAGS_NONE);
     }
 
     /* 52: 'a'..'z' and 'A'..'Z'; avoids selector duplication within a page */
@@ -2807,22 +2810,20 @@ RESTORE_WARNING_FORMAT_NONLITERAL
 win_request_info *
 tty_ctrl_nhwindow(winid window UNUSED, int request, win_request_info *wri)
 {
-#if !defined(TTY_PERM_INVENT)
-    wri = (win_request_info *) 0;
-    nhUse(window);
-    nhUse(request);
-#else
+#if defined(TTY_PERM_INVENT)
     boolean tty_ok /*, show_gold */, inuse_only;
     int maxslot;
     /* these types are set match the wintty.h field declarations */
     long minrow; /* long to match maxrow declaration in wintty.h */
     short offx, offy;
     long rows, cols, maxrow, maxcol;
+#endif
 
     if (!wri)
         return (win_request_info *) 0;
 
     switch (request) {
+#if defined(TTY_PERM_INVENT)
     case set_mode:
     case request_settings:
         ttyinvmode = wri->fromcore.invmode;
@@ -2850,11 +2851,14 @@ tty_ctrl_nhwindow(winid window UNUSED, int request, win_request_info *wri)
             wri->tocore.maxslot = maxslot;
         }
         break;
+#endif  /* TTY_PERM_INVENT */
+    case set_menu_promptstyle:
+        tty_menu_promptstyle = wri->fromcore.menu_promptstyle;
+        break;
     default:
         impossible("invalid request to tty_ctrl_nhwindow: %d", request);
         break;
     }
-#endif
     return wri;
 }
 
diff --git a/win/win32/mswproc.c b/win/win32/mswproc.c
index 02d48b775..684b4d659 100644
--- a/win/win32/mswproc.c
+++ b/win/win32/mswproc.c
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ COLORREF message_bg_color = RGB(0, 0, 0);
 COLORREF message_fg_color = RGB(0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF);
 
 strbuf_t raw_print_strbuf = { 0 };
+mswin_menu_promptstyle = { NO_COLOR, ATR_NONE };
 
 /* Interface definition, for windows.c */
 struct window_procs mswin_procs = {
@@ -1255,7 +1256,18 @@ mswin_ctrl_nhwindow(
     int request,
     win_request_info *wri)
 {
-    return (win_request_info *) 0;
+    if (!wri)
+        return (win_request_info *) 0;
+
+    switch(request) {
+    case set_menu_promptstyle:
+        mswin_menu_promptstyle = wri->fromcore.menu_promptstyle;
+        break;
+    default:
+        impossible("invalid request to ctrl_nhwindow: %d", request);
+        break;
+    }
+    return wri;
 }
 
 /*