diff --git a/src/styles/baseThemes/darkBaseTheme.js b/src/styles/baseThemes/darkBaseTheme.js
index ab6cffb5c91e8d..e4ffcd8e6ff506 100644
--- a/src/styles/baseThemes/darkBaseTheme.js
+++ b/src/styles/baseThemes/darkBaseTheme.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ export default {
     accent2Color: pinkA400,
     accent3Color: pinkA100,
     textColor: fullWhite,
+    secondaryTextColor: fade(fullWhite, 0.7),
     alternateTextColor: '#303030',
     canvasColor: '#303030',
     borderColor: fade(fullWhite, 0.3),
diff --git a/src/styles/baseThemes/lightBaseTheme.js b/src/styles/baseThemes/lightBaseTheme.js
index b2e127e3d58c4f..e865709bff09e9 100644
--- a/src/styles/baseThemes/lightBaseTheme.js
+++ b/src/styles/baseThemes/lightBaseTheme.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ export default {
     accent2Color: grey100,
     accent3Color: grey500,
     textColor: darkBlack,
+    secondaryTextColor: fade(darkBlack, 0.54),
     alternateTextColor: white,
     canvasColor: white,
     borderColor: grey300,
diff --git a/src/styles/getMuiTheme.js b/src/styles/getMuiTheme.js
index 2cb1db6c5330c2..eeafb7b3a14a3e 100644
--- a/src/styles/getMuiTheme.js
+++ b/src/styles/getMuiTheme.js
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ export default function getMuiTheme(muiTheme, ...more) {
     },
     listItem: {
       nestedLevelDepth: 18,
-      secondaryTextColor: lightBlack,
+      secondaryTextColor: palette.secondaryTextColor,
       leftIconColor: grey600,
       rightIconColor: grey600,
     },