diff --git a/src/main/java/cc/fros/util/render/FrosFont.java b/src/main/java/cc/fros/util/render/FrosFont.java
index 2a0433e..68337f8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/cc/fros/util/render/FrosFont.java
+++ b/src/main/java/cc/fros/util/render/FrosFont.java
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ public final class FrosFont {
     private static final List<Identifier> PENDING_RELEASE = new ArrayList<>();
     private static long lastQueuedAt;
 
-    private record Key(int color, String text) {
+    private record Key(int color, String text, boolean shadow) {
     }
 
     private record Glyph(Identifier id, int width, int height) {
@@ -142,8 +142,8 @@ public final class FrosFont {
             context.drawString(mc.font, text, x, y, color, shadow);
             return;
         }
-        if (shadow) drawGlyphs(context, text, x + 1, y + 1, shadowColor(color));
-        drawGlyphs(context, text, x, y, color);
+        if (shadow) drawGlyphs(context, text, x + 1, y + 1, color, true);
+        drawGlyphs(context, text, x, y, color, false);
     }
 
     public static void draw(GuiGraphics context, Component component, int x, int y, int color) {
@@ -319,12 +319,12 @@ public final class FrosFont {
 
     // --- rasterizing ---
 
-    private static void drawGlyphs(GuiGraphics context, String text, int x, int y, int color) {
+    private static void drawGlyphs(GuiGraphics context, String text, int x, int y, int color, boolean shadow) {
         flushReleases();
-        Key key = new Key(color, text);
+        Key key = new Key(color, text, shadow);
         Glyph glyph = GLYPHS.get(key);
         if (glyph == null) {
-            glyph = createGlyph(text, color);
+            glyph = createGlyph(text, color, shadow);
             if (glyph == null) return;
             GLYPHS.put(key, glyph);
         }
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ public final class FrosFont {
         context.pose().popMatrix();
     }
 
-    private static Glyph createGlyph(String text, int baseColor) {
+    private static Glyph createGlyph(String text, int baseColor, boolean shadow) {
         String plain = stripCodes(text);
         if (plain.isEmpty()) return null;
 
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ public final class FrosFont {
         Graphics2D graphics = image.createGraphics();
         graphics.setFont(awtFont);
         graphics.setRenderingHint(RenderingHints.KEY_TEXT_ANTIALIASING, RenderingHints.VALUE_TEXT_ANTIALIAS_ON);
-        drawSegments(graphics, text, baseColor);
+        drawSegments(graphics, text, baseColor, shadow);
         graphics.dispose();
 
         NativeImage nativeImage = new NativeImage(imageWidth, imageHeight, false);
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ public final class FrosFont {
         return new Glyph(id, imageWidth, imageHeight);
     }
 
-    private static void drawSegments(Graphics2D graphics, String text, int baseColor) {
+    private static void drawSegments(Graphics2D graphics, String text, int baseColor, boolean shadow) {
         int baseline = metrics.getAscent() + Math.round(loadedScale);
         int cursor = 1;
         int current = baseColor;
@@ -386,7 +386,10 @@ public final class FrosFont {
 
         while (i < text.length()) {
             if (text.charAt(i) == '\u00A7' && i + 1 < text.length()) {
-                cursor = flush(graphics, text, segmentStart, i, cursor, current, baseline);
+                // colored segments darken like vanilla's shadows do, instead
+                // of punching through at full brightness
+                cursor = flush(graphics, text, segmentStart, i, cursor,
+                        shadow ? shadowColor(current) : current, baseline);
 
                 char code = Character.toLowerCase(text.charAt(i + 1));
                 i += 2;
@@ -414,7 +417,8 @@ public final class FrosFont {
             }
             i++;
         }
-        flush(graphics, text, segmentStart, text.length(), cursor, current, baseline);
+        flush(graphics, text, segmentStart, text.length(), cursor,
+                shadow ? shadowColor(current) : current, baseline);
     }
 
     private static int flush(Graphics2D graphics, String text, int start, int end, int cursor, int color, int baseline) {