diff --git a/packages/components/src/form-token-field/style.scss b/packages/components/src/form-token-field/style.scss
index bc6e1655188392..16a31e1db31429 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/form-token-field/style.scss
+++ b/packages/components/src/form-token-field/style.scss
@@ -187,7 +187,8 @@
 		color: $gray-600;
 
 		&.is-selected {
-			background: $gray-100;
+			color: $gray-100; // fallback
+			color: rgba( 255, 255, 255, 0.5 );
 		}
 	}
 }