diff --git a/platform/native/contiki-conf.h b/platform/native/contiki-conf.h
index e3739e9be..71bda7a24 100644
--- a/platform/native/contiki-conf.h
+++ b/platform/native/contiki-conf.h
@@ -208,23 +208,33 @@ typedef unsigned short uip_stats_t;
 #define CTK_CONF_MENUS            0
 #endif /* PLATFORM_BUILD */
 
-/* base background color for widgets */
-#define COLOR_BG COLOR_BLUE
+/* CTK-specific color constants */
+#define CTK_COLOR_BLACK   0
+#define CTK_COLOR_RED     1
+#define CTK_COLOR_GREEN   2
+#define CTK_COLOR_YELLOW  3
+#define CTK_COLOR_BLUE    4
+#define CTK_COLOR_MAGENTA 5
+#define CTK_COLOR_CYAN    6
+#define CTK_COLOR_WHITE   7
 
-#define BORDERCOLOR         COLOR_BLACK
-#define SCREENCOLOR         COLOR_BLACK
-#define BACKGROUNDCOLOR     COLOR_BLACK
-#define WINDOWCOLOR_FOCUS   COLOR_WHITE  | COLOR_BG * 0x10
-#define WINDOWCOLOR         COLOR_CYAN   | COLOR_BG * 0x10
-#define DIALOGCOLOR         COLOR_WHITE  | COLOR_BG * 0x10
-#define WIDGETCOLOR_HLINK   COLOR_CYAN   | COLOR_BG * 0x10
-#define WIDGETCOLOR_FWIN    COLOR_WHITE  | COLOR_BG * 0x10
-#define WIDGETCOLOR         COLOR_CYAN   | COLOR_BG * 0x10
-#define WIDGETCOLOR_DIALOG  COLOR_WHITE  | COLOR_BG * 0x10
-#define WIDGETCOLOR_FOCUS   COLOR_YELLOW | COLOR_BG * 0x10
-#define MENUCOLOR           COLOR_WHITE  | COLOR_BG * 0x10
-#define OPENMENUCOLOR       COLOR_WHITE  | COLOR_BG * 0x10
-#define ACTIVEMENUITEMCOLOR COLOR_YELLOW | COLOR_BG * 0x10
+/* base background color for widgets */
+#define COLOR_BG CTK_COLOR_BLUE
+
+#define BORDERCOLOR         CTK_COLOR_BLACK
+#define SCREENCOLOR         CTK_COLOR_BLACK
+#define BACKGROUNDCOLOR     CTK_COLOR_BLACK
+#define WINDOWCOLOR_FOCUS   CTK_COLOR_WHITE  | COLOR_BG * 0x10
+#define WINDOWCOLOR         CTK_COLOR_CYAN   | COLOR_BG * 0x10
+#define DIALOGCOLOR         CTK_COLOR_WHITE  | COLOR_BG * 0x10
+#define WIDGETCOLOR_HLINK   CTK_COLOR_CYAN   | COLOR_BG * 0x10
+#define WIDGETCOLOR_FWIN    CTK_COLOR_WHITE  | COLOR_BG * 0x10
+#define WIDGETCOLOR         CTK_COLOR_CYAN   | COLOR_BG * 0x10
+#define WIDGETCOLOR_DIALOG  CTK_COLOR_WHITE  | COLOR_BG * 0x10
+#define WIDGETCOLOR_FOCUS   CTK_COLOR_YELLOW | COLOR_BG * 0x10
+#define MENUCOLOR           CTK_COLOR_WHITE  | COLOR_BG * 0x10
+#define OPENMENUCOLOR       CTK_COLOR_WHITE  | COLOR_BG * 0x10
+#define ACTIVEMENUITEMCOLOR CTK_COLOR_YELLOW | COLOR_BG * 0x10
 
 
 typedef unsigned long clock_time_t;
diff --git a/platform/native/ctk/ctk-curses.c b/platform/native/ctk/ctk-curses.c
index 6cac2218e..df3572bde 100644
--- a/platform/native/ctk/ctk-curses.c
+++ b/platform/native/ctk/ctk-curses.c
@@ -66,6 +66,26 @@ static unsigned short xpos;
 static unsigned short ypos;
 static unsigned char button;
 
+/* map CTK colors to curses colors */
+static unsigned char ctk_color_map[8] = {
+  COLOR_BLACK,
+  COLOR_RED,
+  COLOR_GREEN,
+  COLOR_YELLOW,
+  COLOR_BLUE,
+  COLOR_MAGENTA,
+  COLOR_CYAN,
+  COLOR_WHITE
+};
+
+static unsigned char map_color(unsigned char color)
+{
+  unsigned char c;
+  c = ctk_color_map[color & 0x0f];
+  c |= ctk_color_map[(color >> 4) & 0x07] << 4;
+  return c;
+}
+
 /*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 static void
 ctrlhandler(int sig)
@@ -212,8 +232,8 @@ clrscr(void)
 void
 bgcolor(unsigned char c)
 {
+  c = map_color(c);
   color = ((c << 4) | (color & 0xF0));
-
   /* Presume this to be one of the first calls. */
   console_init();
 }
@@ -339,7 +359,7 @@ cputcxy(unsigned char x, unsigned char y, char c)
 void
 textcolor(unsigned char c)
 {
-  color = c;
+  color = map_color(c);
   setcolor();
 }
 /*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
diff --git a/platform/native/ctk/ctk-curses.h b/platform/native/ctk/ctk-curses.h
index 2661f7f47..98d432d5b 100644
--- a/platform/native/ctk/ctk-curses.h
+++ b/platform/native/ctk/ctk-curses.h
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@
 #ifndef __CTK_CONSOLE_H__
 #define __CTK_CONSOLE_H__
 
-#include <curses.h>
-
 #define cputc console_cputc
 #define cputs console_cputs