diff --git a/CHANGELOG.asciidoc b/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
index f53aeef61..f47cb7aac 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
+++ b/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
@@ -23,6 +23,12 @@ Added
 - New setting `ui -> hide-wayland-decoration` to hide the window decoration
   when using wayland.
 
+Changed
+~~~~~~~
+
+- The `colors -> tabs.bg/fg.selected` option got split into
+  `tabs.bg/fg.selected.odd/even`.
+
 Fixed
 ~~~~~
 
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/config.py b/qutebrowser/config/config.py
index 95fcad0b8..e67f5777b 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/config.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/config.py
@@ -324,10 +324,12 @@ class ConfigManager(QObject):
     RENAMED_OPTIONS = {
         ('colors', 'tab.fg.odd'): 'tabs.fg.odd',
         ('colors', 'tab.fg.even'): 'tabs.fg.even',
-        ('colors', 'tab.fg.selected'): 'tabs.fg.selected',
+        ('colors', 'tab.fg.selected'): 'tabs.fg.selected.odd',
+        ('colors', 'tabs.fg.selected'): 'tabs.fg.selected.odd',
         ('colors', 'tab.bg.odd'): 'tabs.bg.odd',
         ('colors', 'tab.bg.even'): 'tabs.bg.even',
-        ('colors', 'tab.bg.selected'): 'tabs.bg.selected',
+        ('colors', 'tab.bg.selected'): 'tabs.bg.selected.odd',
+        ('colors', 'tabs.bg.selected'): 'tabs.bg.selected.odd',
         ('colors', 'tab.bg.bar'): 'tabs.bg.bar',
         ('colors', 'tab.indicator.start'): 'tabs.indicator.start',
         ('colors', 'tab.indicator.stop'): 'tabs.indicator.stop',
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
index 53c95bdea..5f04ed9f9 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
@@ -973,13 +973,21 @@ def data(readonly=False):
              SettingValue(typ.QtColor(), 'darkgrey'),
              "Background color of unselected even tabs."),
 
-            ('tabs.fg.selected',
+            ('tabs.fg.selected.odd',
              SettingValue(typ.QtColor(), 'white'),
-             "Foreground color of selected tabs."),
+             "Foreground color of selected odd tabs."),
 
-            ('tabs.bg.selected',
+            ('tabs.bg.selected.odd',
              SettingValue(typ.QtColor(), 'black'),
-             "Background color of selected tabs."),
+             "Background color of selected odd tabs."),
+
+            ('tabs.fg.selected.even',
+             SettingValue(typ.QtColor(), '${tabs.fg.selected.odd}'),
+             "Foreground color of selected even tabs."),
+
+            ('tabs.bg.selected.even',
+             SettingValue(typ.QtColor(), '${tabs.bg.selected.odd}'),
+             "Background color of selected even tabs."),
 
             ('tabs.bg.bar',
              SettingValue(typ.QtColor(), '#555555'),
diff --git a/qutebrowser/mainwindow/tabwidget.py b/qutebrowser/mainwindow/tabwidget.py
index 9fae44d3f..5d2e67dc9 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/mainwindow/tabwidget.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/mainwindow/tabwidget.py
@@ -409,17 +409,25 @@ class TabBar(QTabBar):
         for idx in range(self.count()):
             tab = QStyleOptionTab()
             self.initStyleOption(tab, idx)
+
+            bg_parts = ['tabs', 'bg']
+            fg_parts = ['tabs', 'fg']
             if idx == selected:
-                bg_color = config.get('colors', 'tabs.bg.selected')
-                fg_color = config.get('colors', 'tabs.fg.selected')
-            elif idx % 2:
-                bg_color = config.get('colors', 'tabs.bg.odd')
-                fg_color = config.get('colors', 'tabs.fg.odd')
+                bg_parts.append('selected')
+                fg_parts.append('selected')
+
+            if idx % 2:
+                bg_parts.append('odd')
+                fg_parts.append('odd')
             else:
-                bg_color = config.get('colors', 'tabs.bg.even')
-                fg_color = config.get('colors', 'tabs.fg.even')
+                bg_parts.append('even')
+                fg_parts.append('even')
+
+            bg_color = config.get('colors', '.'.join(bg_parts))
+            fg_color = config.get('colors', '.'.join(fg_parts))
             tab.palette.setColor(QPalette.Window, bg_color)
             tab.palette.setColor(QPalette.WindowText, fg_color)
+
             try:
                 indicator_color = self.tab_data(idx, 'indicator-color')
             except KeyError: