diff --git a/cli/app.rs b/cli/app.rs
index 1a063bbfb..0144a3653 100644
--- a/cli/app.rs
+++ b/cli/app.rs
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ macro_rules! query_internal {
     }};
 }
 
-static COLORS: &[Color] = &[Color::DarkRed, Color::DarkGreen, Color::DarkBlue];
+static COLORS: &[Color] = &[Color::Green, Color::Black, Color::Grey];
 
 impl<'a> Limbo<'a> {
     pub fn new(rl: &'a mut rustyline::Editor<LimboHelper, DefaultHistory>) -> anyhow::Result<Self> {
@@ -757,7 +757,7 @@ impl<'a> Limbo<'a> {
                                 let name = rows.get_column_name(i);
                                 Cell::new(name)
                                     .add_attribute(Attribute::Bold)
-                                    .fg(Color::AnsiValue(49)) // Green color for headers
+                                    .fg(Color::White)
                             })
                             .collect::<Vec<_>>();
                         table.set_header(header);
diff --git a/cli/helper.rs b/cli/helper.rs
index 37cd462b8..90549dd11 100644
--- a/cli/helper.rs
+++ b/cli/helper.rs
@@ -7,11 +7,6 @@ use rustyline::completion::{extract_word, Completer, Pair};
 use rustyline::highlight::Highlighter;
 use rustyline::hint::HistoryHinter;
 use rustyline::{Completer, Helper, Hinter, Validator};
-use syntect::dumps::from_uncompressed_data;
-use syntect::easy::HighlightLines;
-use syntect::highlighting::ThemeSet;
-use syntect::parsing::{Scope, SyntaxSet};
-use syntect::util::{as_24_bit_terminal_escaped, LinesWithEndings};
 
 macro_rules! try_result {
     ($expr:expr, $err:expr) => {
@@ -26,25 +21,14 @@ macro_rules! try_result {
 pub struct LimboHelper {
     #[rustyline(Completer)]
     completer: SqlCompleter,
-    syntax_set: SyntaxSet,
-    theme_set: ThemeSet,
     #[rustyline(Hinter)]
     hinter: HistoryHinter,
 }
 
 impl LimboHelper {
     pub fn new(conn: Rc<Connection>, io: Arc<dyn limbo_core::IO>) -> Self {
-        // Load only predefined syntax
-        let ps = from_uncompressed_data(include_bytes!(concat!(
-            env!("OUT_DIR"),
-            "/SQL_syntax_set_dump.packdump"
-        )))
-        .unwrap();
-        let ts = ThemeSet::load_defaults();
         LimboHelper {
             completer: SqlCompleter::new(conn, io),
-            syntax_set: ps,
-            theme_set: ts,
             hinter: HistoryHinter::new(),
         }
     }
@@ -53,25 +37,9 @@ impl LimboHelper {
 impl Highlighter for LimboHelper {
     fn highlight<'l>(&self, line: &'l str, pos: usize) -> std::borrow::Cow<'l, str> {
         let _ = pos;
-        // TODO use lifetimes to store highlight lines
-        let syntax = self
-            .syntax_set
-            .find_syntax_by_scope(Scope::new("source.sql").unwrap())
-            .unwrap();
-        let mut h = HighlightLines::new(syntax, &self.theme_set.themes["base16-ocean.dark"]);
-        let ranges = {
-            let mut ret_ranges = Vec::new();
-            for new_line in LinesWithEndings::from(line) {
-                let ranges: Vec<(syntect::highlighting::Style, &str)> =
-                    h.highlight_line(new_line, &self.syntax_set).unwrap();
-                ret_ranges.extend(ranges);
-            }
-            ret_ranges
-        };
-        let mut ret_line = as_24_bit_terminal_escaped(&ranges[..], false);
-        // Push this escape sequence to reset color modes at the end of the string
-        ret_line.push_str("\x1b[0m");
-        std::borrow::Cow::Owned(ret_line)
+        let style = Style::new().fg(Color::White); // Standard shell text color
+        let styled_str = style.paint(line);
+        std::borrow::Cow::Owned(styled_str.to_string())
     }
 
     fn highlight_prompt<'b, 's: 'b, 'p: 'b>(
@@ -80,20 +48,16 @@ impl Highlighter for LimboHelper {
         default: bool,
     ) -> std::borrow::Cow<'b, str> {
         let _ = default;
-        // Make prompt bold
-        let style = Style::new().bold().fg(Color::Green);
+        // Dark emerald green for prompt
+        let style = Style::new().bold().fg(Color::Rgb(34u8, 197u8, 94u8));
         let styled_str = style.paint(prompt);
         std::borrow::Cow::Owned(styled_str.to_string())
     }
 
     fn highlight_hint<'h>(&self, hint: &'h str) -> std::borrow::Cow<'h, str> {
-        let style = Style::new()
-            .bold()
-            .dimmed()
-            .underline()
-            .fg(Color::Fixed(246));
+        let style = Style::new().bold().fg(Color::Rgb(107u8, 114u8, 128u8)); // Brighter dark grey for hints
         let styled_str = style.paint(hint);
-        std::borrow::Cow::Owned(styled_str.to_string()) // Bold dim grey underline
+        std::borrow::Cow::Owned(styled_str.to_string())
     }
 
     fn highlight_candidate<'c>(
@@ -102,7 +66,7 @@ impl Highlighter for LimboHelper {
         completion: rustyline::CompletionType,
     ) -> std::borrow::Cow<'c, str> {
         let _ = completion;
-        let style = Style::new().fg(Color::Fixed(69));
+        let style = Style::new().fg(Color::Green);
         let styled_str = style.paint(candidate);
         std::borrow::Cow::Owned(styled_str.to_string())
     }