diff -Naur xterm-331-original/charproc.c xterm-331/charproc.c
--- xterm-331-original/charproc.c	2017-12-28 18:43:58.000000000 +0000
+++ xterm-331/charproc.c	2018-04-13 13:33:26.011552210 +0000
@@ -8010,11 +8010,11 @@
 #define MyWhitePixel(dpy) WhitePixel(dpy,DefaultScreen(dpy))
 
     if (request->misc.re_verse) {
-	wnew->dft_foreground = MyWhitePixel(screen->display);
-	wnew->dft_background = MyBlackPixel(screen->display);
-    } else {
 	wnew->dft_foreground = MyBlackPixel(screen->display);
 	wnew->dft_background = MyWhitePixel(screen->display);
+    } else {
+	wnew->dft_foreground = MyWhitePixel(screen->display);
+	wnew->dft_background = MyBlackPixel(screen->display);
     }
 
     init_Tres(TEXT_FG);