diff --git a/qtconsole/ansi_code_processor.py b/qtconsole/ansi_code_processor.py
index 08f222f6..dfc542cb 100644
--- a/qtconsole/ansi_code_processor.py
+++ b/qtconsole/ansi_code_processor.py
@@ -292,6 +292,31 @@ def _replace_special(self, match):
             self.actions.append(ScrollAction('scroll', 'down', 'page', 1))
         return ''
 
+    def _parse_ansi_color(self, color, intensity):
+        """
+        Map an ANSI color code to color name or a RGB tuple.
+        Based on: https://gist.github.com/MightyPork/1d9bd3a3fd4eb1a661011560f6921b5b
+        """
+        parsed_color = None
+        if color < 8:
+            # Adjust for intensity, if possible.
+            if intensity > 0:
+                color += 8
+            parsed_color = self.color_map.get(color, None)
+        elif (color > 231):
+                s = int((color - 232) * 10 + 8)
+                parsed_color = (s, s, s)
+        else:
+            n = color - 16
+            b = n % 6
+            g = (n - b) / 6 % 6
+            r = (n - b - g * 6) / 36 % 6
+            r = int(r * 40 + 55) if r else 0
+            g = int(g * 40 + 55) if g else 0
+            b = int(b * 40 + 55) if b else 0
+            parsed_color = (r, g, b)
+        return parsed_color
+
 
 class QtAnsiCodeProcessor(AnsiCodeProcessor):
     """ Translates ANSI escape codes into QTextCharFormats.
@@ -323,12 +348,8 @@ def get_color(self, color, intensity=0):
         """ Returns a QColor for a given color code or rgb list, or None if one
             cannot be constructed.
         """
-
         if isinstance(color, int):
-            # Adjust for intensity, if possible.
-            if color < 8 and intensity > 0:
-                color += 8
-            constructor = self.color_map.get(color, None)
+            constructor = self._parse_ansi_color(color, intensity)
         elif isinstance(color, (tuple, list)):
             constructor = color
         else:
diff --git a/qtconsole/mainwindow.py b/qtconsole/mainwindow.py
index ac086001..bd3fc276 100644
--- a/qtconsole/mainwindow.py
+++ b/qtconsole/mainwindow.py
@@ -810,7 +810,6 @@ def set_syntax_style(self, syntax_style):
         self.active_frontend._syntax_style_changed()
         self.active_frontend._style_sheet_changed()
         self.active_frontend.reset(clear=True)
-        self.active_frontend._execute("%colors linux", True)
         selectColor = styles.get_colors(syntax_style)
         self.active_frontend._execute("from IPython.core.ultratb import VerboseTB\n"+
                                       "VerboseTB._tb_highlight = 'bg:%(select)s'\n"%selectColor+