diff --git a/buffer.rkt b/buffer.rkt
index 8333feb..b47a2ed 100644
--- a/buffer.rkt
+++ b/buffer.rkt
@@ -23,7 +23,10 @@
            [blue    .  4] [magenta   .  5] [cyan    .  6] [white    . 7]
            [brblack .  8] [brred     .  9] [brgreen . 10] [bryellow . 11]
            [brblue  . 12] [brmagenta . 13] [brcyan  . 14] [brwhite  . 15]))
-(define color/c (apply or/c #f (hash-keys symbol->color)))
+(define color/c (apply or/c byte? #f (hash-keys symbol->color)))
+(define (color->code c)
+  (if (byte? c) c
+      (hash-ref symbol->color c)))
 
 (define (select-style* s)
   (define (k s) (A:select-graphic-rendition (hash-ref symbol->style s)))
@@ -31,11 +34,11 @@
       (string-append (k 'normal) (k s))))
 (define (select-text-color* c)
   (if c
-    (A:select-xterm-256-text-color (hash-ref symbol->color c))
+    (A:select-xterm-256-text-color (color->code c))
     (A:select-graphic-rendition A:style-default-text-color)))
 (define (select-background-color* c)
   (if c
-    (A:select-xterm-256-background-color (hash-ref symbol->color c))
+    (A:select-xterm-256-background-color (color->code c))
     (A:select-graphic-rendition A:style-default-background-color)))
 
 (define (make-terminal-buffer term-rows term-cols
diff --git a/raart.scrbl b/raart.scrbl
index cacc74c..fef4dfb 100644
--- a/raart.scrbl
+++ b/raart.scrbl
@@ -76,8 +76,9 @@ screen content so only updates are output. }
 
 A contract that recognizes the ASCII colors from the list
 @racket['(black red green yellow blue magenta cyan white brblack brred
-brgreen bryellow brblue brmagenta brcyan brwhite)]. The actual color
-display depends on the terminal configuration. }
+brgreen bryellow brblue brmagenta brcyan brwhite)], as well as any
+@racket[byte?] value. The actual color display depends on the terminal
+configuration. }
 
 @defthing[style/c contract?]{
 
diff --git a/t/draw.rkt b/t/draw.rkt
index d6beb07..c8e3077 100644
--- a/t/draw.rkt
+++ b/t/draw.rkt
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
          ;;70 80 10 20
          (matte 80 20
                 #:halign 'right
-                (fg 'blue
+                (fg 17
                     (frame #:fg 'red
                            (inset
                             4 5