diff --git a/platform/util/src/com/intellij/ui/ColorUtil.java b/platform/util/src/com/intellij/ui/ColorUtil.java
index 9eb0dc278b83..0e562c09a2e7 100644
--- a/platform/util/src/com/intellij/ui/ColorUtil.java
+++ b/platform/util/src/com/intellij/ui/ColorUtil.java
@@ -61,6 +61,28 @@ public class ColorUtil {
     return Color.getHSBColor(hsb[0], hsb[1], brightness);
   }
 
+  @NotNull
+  public static Color saturate(@NotNull Color color, int tones) {
+    final float[] hsb = Color.RGBtoHSB(color.getRed(), color.getGreen(), color.getBlue(), null);
+    float saturation = hsb[1];
+    for (int i = 0; i < tones; i++) {
+      saturation = Math.min(1, saturation * 1.1F);
+      if (saturation == 1) break;
+    }
+    return Color.getHSBColor(hsb[0], saturation, hsb[2]);
+  }
+
+  @NotNull
+  public static Color desaturate(@NotNull Color color, int tones) {
+    final float[] hsb = Color.RGBtoHSB(color.getRed(), color.getGreen(), color.getBlue(), null);
+    float saturation = hsb[1];
+    for (int i = 0; i < tones; i++) {
+      saturation = Math.max(0, saturation / 1.1F);
+      if (saturation == 0) break;
+    }
+    return Color.getHSBColor(hsb[0], saturation, hsb[2]);
+  }
+
   public static Color dimmer(@NotNull Color color) {
     float[] rgb = color.getRGBColorComponents(null);
 
diff --git a/platform/vcs-log/impl/src/com/intellij/vcs/log/ui/frame/CommitPanel.java b/platform/vcs-log/impl/src/com/intellij/vcs/log/ui/frame/CommitPanel.java
index 6f6dd79cebf7..2ff5ecbae6df 100644
--- a/platform/vcs-log/impl/src/com/intellij/vcs/log/ui/frame/CommitPanel.java
+++ b/platform/vcs-log/impl/src/com/intellij/vcs/log/ui/frame/CommitPanel.java
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import com.intellij.vcs.log.data.LoadingDetails;
 import com.intellij.vcs.log.data.VcsLogData;
 import com.intellij.vcs.log.ui.VcsLogColorManager;
 import com.intellij.vcs.log.ui.render.TagIcon;
+import com.intellij.vcs.log.ui.render.TagLabelPainter;
 import com.intellij.vcs.log.ui.render.TextLabelPainter;
 import com.intellij.vcs.log.util.VcsUserUtil;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
@@ -505,9 +506,9 @@ class CommitPanel extends JBPanel {
         for (VcsRef reference : typeAndRefs.getValue()) {
           Icon icon = null;
           if (index == 0) {
+            Color color = TagLabelPainter.getTagColor(type);
             icon = new TagIcon(height, getBackground(),
-                               typeAndRefs.getValue().size() > 1 ? new Color[]{type.getBackgroundColor(),
-                                 type.getBackgroundColor()} : new Color[]{type.getBackgroundColor()});
+                               typeAndRefs.getValue().size() > 1 ? new Color[]{color, color} : new Color[]{color});
           }
           JBLabel label =
             new JBLabel(reference.getName() + (index != typeAndRefs.getValue().size() - 1 ? "," : ""),
diff --git a/platform/vcs-log/impl/src/com/intellij/vcs/log/ui/render/TagLabelPainter.java b/platform/vcs-log/impl/src/com/intellij/vcs/log/ui/render/TagLabelPainter.java
index e2e8030f94cc..26fbd4043305 100644
--- a/platform/vcs-log/impl/src/com/intellij/vcs/log/ui/render/TagLabelPainter.java
+++ b/platform/vcs-log/impl/src/com/intellij/vcs/log/ui/render/TagLabelPainter.java
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ package com.intellij.vcs.log.ui.render;
 
 import com.intellij.openapi.ui.GraphicsConfig;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.Pair;
-import com.intellij.ui.JBColor;
+import com.intellij.ui.ColorUtil;
 import com.intellij.ui.SimpleColoredComponent;
 import com.intellij.util.ObjectUtils;
 import com.intellij.util.containers.ContainerUtil;
@@ -78,9 +78,8 @@ public class TagLabelPainter {
       VcsRef firstRef = ObjectUtils.assertNotNull(ContainerUtil.getFirstItem(typeAndRefs.getValue()));
       VcsRefType type = typeAndRefs.getKey();
       boolean multiple = typeAndRefs.getValue().size() > 1;
-      TagIcon tagIcon = new TagIcon(myHeight, myBackground, multiple
-                                                            ? new Color[]{type.getBackgroundColor(), type.getBackgroundColor()}
-                                                            : new Color[]{type.getBackgroundColor()});
+      Color color = getTagColor(type);
+      TagIcon tagIcon = new TagIcon(myHeight, myBackground, multiple ? new Color[]{color, color} : new Color[]{color});
 
       String text = firstRef.getName() + (multiple ? " +" : "");
       myLabels.add(Pair.create(text, tagIcon));
@@ -89,6 +88,18 @@ public class TagLabelPainter {
     }
   }
 
+  @NotNull
+  public static Color getTagColor(@NotNull VcsRefType type) {
+    Color color = type.getBackgroundColor();
+    if (UIUtil.isUnderDarcula()) {
+      color = ColorUtil.brighter(color, 2);
+    }
+    else {
+      color = ColorUtil.darker(color, 2);
+    }
+    return ColorUtil.saturate(color, 5);
+  }
+
   public void paint(@NotNull Graphics2D g2, int x, int y, int height) {
     if (myLabels.isEmpty()) return;