diff --git a/common/settings/app_settings.cpp b/common/settings/app_settings.cpp
index 06855872a1..b281aa14fe 100644
--- a/common/settings/app_settings.cpp
+++ b/common/settings/app_settings.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,15 @@ APP_SETTINGS_BASE::APP_SETTINGS_BASE( const std::string& aFilename, int aSchemaV
             &m_Graphics.canvas_type, EDA_DRAW_PANEL_GAL::GAL_TYPE_CAIRO ) );
 #endif
 
+    m_params.emplace_back( new PARAM<float>(
+            "graphics.highlight_factor", &m_Graphics.highlight_factor, 0.5f, 0.0, 1.0f ) );
+
+    m_params.emplace_back( new PARAM<float>(
+            "graphics.select_factor", &m_Graphics.select_factor, 0.75f, 0.0, 1.0f ) );
+
+    m_params.emplace_back( new PARAM<float>(
+            "graphics.high_contrast_factor", &m_Graphics.high_contrast_factor, 0.35f, 0.0, 1.0f ) );
+
     m_params.emplace_back( new PARAM<int>( "color_picker.default_tab",
             &m_ColorPicker.default_tab, 0 ) );
 
diff --git a/include/render_settings.h b/include/render_settings.h
index 7e6e8c5dcd..3ed3ac553c 100644
--- a/include/render_settings.h
+++ b/include/render_settings.h
@@ -228,6 +228,10 @@ public:
         m_outlineWidth = aWidth;
     }
 
+    void SetHighlightFactor( float aFactor ) { m_highlightFactor = aFactor; }
+    void SetSelectFactor( float aFactor ) { m_selectFactor = aFactor; }
+    void SetHighContrastFactor( float aFactor ) { m_hiContrastFactor = aFactor; }
+
     // TODO: these can go away once we have Cairo-based printing
     wxDC* GetPrintDC() { return m_printDC; }
     void SetPrintDC( wxDC* aDC ) { m_printDC = aDC; }
diff --git a/include/settings/app_settings.h b/include/settings/app_settings.h
index 147f3471d3..0295aaf656 100644
--- a/include/settings/app_settings.h
+++ b/include/settings/app_settings.h
@@ -105,7 +105,10 @@ public:
 
     struct GRAPHICS
     {
-        int canvas_type;
+        int   canvas_type;
+        float highlight_factor;         ///< How much to brighten highlighted objects by
+        float select_factor;            ///< How much to brighten selected objects by
+        float high_contrast_factor;     ///< How much to darken inactive layers by
     };
 
     struct COLOR_PICKER
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcb_base_frame.cpp b/pcbnew/pcb_base_frame.cpp
index 426a27dd2d..87194fde8e 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcb_base_frame.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcb_base_frame.cpp
@@ -652,6 +652,15 @@ void PCB_BASE_FRAME::LoadSettings( APP_SETTINGS_BASE* aCfg )
         m_DisplayOptions = cfg->m_Display;
         m_PolarCoords = cfg->m_PolarCoords;
     }
+
+    RENDER_SETTINGS* rs = GetCanvas()->GetView()->GetPainter()->GetSettings();
+
+    if( rs )
+    {
+        rs->SetHighlightFactor( aCfg->m_Graphics.highlight_factor );
+        rs->SetSelectFactor( aCfg->m_Graphics.select_factor );
+        rs->SetHighContrastFactor( aCfg->m_Graphics.high_contrast_factor );
+    }
 }