diff --git a/desktop_version/lang/README-programmers.txt b/desktop_version/lang/README-programmers.txt
index c078f081..f3e1f5fb 100644
--- a/desktop_version/lang/README-programmers.txt
+++ b/desktop_version/lang/README-programmers.txt
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ A not-technically-exhaustive list of all flags (which are defined in Font.h):
 - PR_FONT_LEVEL          Use level-specific font (room names, cutscenes, etc)
 - PR_FONT_8X8            Use 8x8 font no matter what
 - PR_BRIGHTNESS(value)   Use this brightness 0-255 (this value is mixed with
-                         r, g and b for an alpha effect)
+                         r, g and b for an alpha effect, and accounts for
+                         colored glyphs correctly)
 - PR_BOR                 Draw a black border around the text
 - PR_LEFT                [DEFAULT] Left-align text/place at X coordinate
 - PR_CEN                 Center-align text relative to X (X is center)
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Font.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Font.cpp
index 44370056..54b15def 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Font.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Font.cpp
@@ -58,8 +58,7 @@ struct PrintFlags
 {
     uint8_t scale;
     Font* font_sel;
-    uint8_t alpha;
-    uint8_t colorglyph_bri;
+    uint8_t brightness;
     bool border;
     bool align_cen;
     bool align_right;
@@ -657,18 +656,7 @@ static PrintFlags decode_print_flags(uint32_t flags)
     PrintFlags pf;
     pf.scale = FLAG_PART(0, 3) + 1;
     pf.font_sel = fontsel_to_font(FLAG_PART(3, 5));
-
-    if (flags & PR_AB_IS_BRI)
-    {
-        pf.alpha = 255;
-        pf.colorglyph_bri = ~FLAG_PART(8, 8) & 0xff;
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        pf.alpha = ~FLAG_PART(8, 8) & 0xff;
-        pf.colorglyph_bri = 255;
-    }
-
+    pf.brightness = ~FLAG_PART(8, 8) & 0xff;
     pf.border = flags & PR_BOR;
     pf.align_cen = flags & PR_CEN;
     pf.align_right = flags & PR_RIGHT;
@@ -929,8 +917,7 @@ static int print_char(
     uint8_t r,
     uint8_t g,
     uint8_t b,
-    const uint8_t a,
-    const uint8_t colorglyph_bri
+    const uint8_t brightness
 )
 {
     /* Draws the glyph for a codepoint at x,y.
@@ -943,10 +930,17 @@ static int print_char(
 
     if (glyph->flags & GLYPH_COLOR && (r | g | b) != 0)
     {
-        r = g = b = colorglyph_bri;
+        r = g = b = brightness;
+    }
+    else if (brightness < 255)
+    {
+        float bri_factor = brightness / (float) 255;
+        r *= bri_factor;
+        g *= bri_factor;
+        b *= bri_factor;
     }
 
-    graphics.draw_grid_tile(f->image, glyph->image_idx, x, y, f->glyph_w, f->glyph_h, r, g, b, a, scale, scale * (graphics.flipmode ? -1 : 1));
+    graphics.draw_grid_tile(f->image, glyph->image_idx, x, y, f->glyph_w, f->glyph_h, r, g, b, scale, scale * (graphics.flipmode ? -1 : 1));
 
     return glyph->advance * scale;
 }
@@ -1137,8 +1131,7 @@ void print(
             r,
             g,
             b,
-            pf.alpha,
-            pf.colorglyph_bri
+            pf.brightness
         );
     }
 }
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Font.h b/desktop_version/src/Font.h
index a8d40fce..5949b900 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Font.h
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Font.h
@@ -43,11 +43,8 @@
 #define PR_FONT_LEVEL (1 << 3) /* use level-specific font (room names, cutscene dialogue, etc) */
 #define PR_FONT_8X8 (2 << 3) /* use 8x8 font no matter what */
 #define PR_FONT_IDX(idx) ((SDL_clamp(idx, 0, 28) + 3) << 3) /* use given font index */
-#define PR_AB_IS_BRI (1 << 16)
-#define PR_ALPHA(value) /* use this alpha value 0-255 (incompatible with PR_COLORGLYPH_BRI) */\
-    ((~SDL_clamp((int)(value), 0, 255) & 0xff) << 8)
-#define PR_COLORGLYPH_BRI(value) /* use this brightness 0-255 for colored glyphs (button icons) */\
-    (((~SDL_clamp((int)(value), 0, 255) & 0xff) << 8) | PR_AB_IS_BRI)
+#define PR_BRIGHTNESS(value) /* use this brightness 0-255 for the text (accounts for button glyphs correctly) */\
+    (((~SDL_clamp((int)(value), 0, 255) & 0xff) << 8))
 #define PR_BOR (1 << 17) /* draw a black border around the text (was bprint/bigbprint) */
 #define PR_LEFT (0 << 18) /* default, left-align text/place at x coordinate */
 #define PR_CEN (1 << 18) /* center-align text relative to X (X is center) or to screen if X == -1 */
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Graphics.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Graphics.cpp
index f896d96f..8f8888b4 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Graphics.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Graphics.cpp
@@ -843,11 +843,11 @@ void Graphics::drawgui(void)
             for (j = 0; j < textboxes[i].lines.size(); j++)
             {
                 font::print(
-                    textboxes[i].print_flags | PR_COLORGLYPH_BRI(tl_lerp*255) | PR_CJK_LOW,
+                    textboxes[i].print_flags | PR_BRIGHTNESS(tl_lerp*255) | PR_CJK_LOW,
                     textboxes[i].xp + 8,
                     yp + text_yoff + text_sign * (j * font_height),
                     textboxes[i].lines[j],
-                    r, g, b
+                    textboxes[i].r, textboxes[i].g, textboxes[i].b
                 );
             }
         }
@@ -1696,22 +1696,15 @@ void Graphics::drawgravityline( int t )
 
 void Graphics::drawtrophytext(void)
 {
-    int temp, temp2, temp3;
     int brightness;
 
     if (obj.trophytext < 15)
     {
         const int usethismult = lerp(obj.oldtrophytext, obj.trophytext);
-        temp = (196 * usethismult) / 15;
-        temp2 = (196 * usethismult) / 15;
-        temp3 = ((255 - help.glow) * usethismult) / 15;
         brightness = (usethismult/15.0)*255;
     }
     else
     {
-        temp = 196;
-        temp2 = 196;
-        temp3 = 255 - help.glow;
         brightness = 255;
     }
 
@@ -1795,12 +1788,12 @@ void Graphics::drawtrophytext(void)
     if (top_text != NULL)
     {
         font::string_wordwrap(0, top_text, 304, &lines);
-        font::print_wrap(PR_CEN | PR_COLORGLYPH_BRI(brightness) | PR_BOR, -1, 11-(lines-1)*5, top_text, temp, temp2, temp3);
+        font::print_wrap(PR_CEN | PR_BRIGHTNESS(brightness) | PR_BOR, -1, 11-(lines-1)*5, top_text, 196, 196, 255 - help.glow);
     }
     if (bottom_text != NULL)
     {
         font::string_wordwrap(0, bottom_text, 304, &lines);
-        font::print_wrap(PR_CEN | PR_COLORGLYPH_BRI(brightness) | PR_BOR, -1, 221-(lines-1)*5, bottom_text, temp, temp2, temp3);
+        font::print_wrap(PR_CEN | PR_BRIGHTNESS(brightness) | PR_BOR, -1, 221-(lines-1)*5, bottom_text, 196, 196, 255 - help.glow);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp b/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp
index 373d5d76..010cdacc 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/Render.cpp
@@ -1961,11 +1961,15 @@ void gamerender(void)
     }
 
 #if !defined(NO_CUSTOM_LEVELS) && !defined(NO_EDITOR)
-     if(map.custommode && !map.custommodeforreal && !game.advancetext){
+    if(map.custommode && !map.custommodeforreal && !game.advancetext){
         //Return to level editor
         int alpha = graphics.lerp(ed.oldreturneditoralpha, ed.returneditoralpha);
-        font::print(PR_ALPHA(alpha) | PR_BOR, 5, 5, loc::gettext("[Press ENTER to return to editor]"), 220 - (help.glow), 220 - (help.glow), 255 - (help.glow / 2));
-      }
+
+        if (alpha > 100)
+        {
+            font::print(PR_BRIGHTNESS(alpha) | PR_BOR, 5, 5, loc::gettext("[Press ENTER to return to editor]"), 220 - (help.glow), 220 - (help.glow), 255 - (help.glow / 2));
+        }
+    }
 #endif
 
 
@@ -1997,13 +2001,13 @@ void gamerender(void)
         int alpha = graphics.lerp(game.oldreadytotele, game.readytotele);
 
         font::print(
-            PR_COLORGLYPH_BRI(alpha) | PR_CEN | PR_BOR,
+            PR_BRIGHTNESS(alpha) | PR_CEN | PR_BOR,
             -1,
             graphics.flipmode ? 20 : 210,
             final_string,
-            alpha - 20 - (help.glow / 2),
-            alpha - 20 - (help.glow / 2),
-            alpha
+            235 - (help.glow / 2),
+            235 - (help.glow / 2),
+            255
         );
     }
 
@@ -2223,13 +2227,13 @@ void gamerender(void)
         if (game.activity_r == 0 && game.activity_g == 0 && game.activity_b == 0)
         {
             font::print(
-                game.activity_print_flags | PR_COLORGLYPH_BRI(act_alpha*255),
+                game.activity_print_flags | PR_BRIGHTNESS(act_alpha*255),
                 centered_x + game.activity_x,
                 game.activity_y + 12,
                 final_string,
-                196*act_alpha,
-                196*act_alpha,
-                (255 - help.glow)*act_alpha
+                196,
+                196,
+                255 - help.glow
             );
         }
         else
@@ -2244,13 +2248,13 @@ void gamerender(void)
                 game.activity_b*act_alpha
             );
             font::print(
-                game.activity_print_flags | PR_COLORGLYPH_BRI(act_alpha*255) | PR_CJK_LOW,
+                game.activity_print_flags | PR_BRIGHTNESS(act_alpha*255) | PR_CJK_LOW,
                 centered_x + game.activity_x,
                 game.activity_y + 12,
                 final_string,
-                game.activity_r*act_alpha,
-                game.activity_g*act_alpha,
-                game.activity_b*act_alpha
+                game.activity_r,
+                game.activity_g,
+                game.activity_b
             );
         }
     }