diff --git a/etc/gcylc-themes.rc b/etc/gcylc-themes.rc
index 030d2bb9215..575968b21ae 100644
--- a/etc/gcylc-themes.rc
+++ b/etc/gcylc-themes.rc
@@ -19,16 +19,16 @@
         # * The 'retry' states are hollow (pre-running) orange (almost red)
         #   as a failure has occurred but we're doing something about it.
         # * The 'waiting' state is light blue.
-        defaults  = "color=#bbbbbb", "style=unfilled", "fontcolor=black"
+        defaults  = "color=#bbbbbb", "style=unfilled"
         waiting   = "color=#88c6ff"
         held      = "color=#fe83ff"
         queued    = "color=#dcd901"
         ready     = "color=#a08f49"
         expired   = "color=#000000"
-        submitted = "color=#a1cf25", "style=filled"
+        submitted = "color=#a1cf25", "style=filled", "fontcolor=black"
         submit-failed = "color=#ff007e", "style=filled", "fontcolor=white"
-        running   = "color=#00c140", "style=filled"
-        succeeded = "color=#ada5a5", "style=filled"
+        running   = "color=#00c140", "style=filled", "fontcolor=black"
+        succeeded = "color=#ada5a5", "style=filled", "fontcolor=black"
         failed    = "color=#ff0000", "style=filled", "fontcolor=white"
         retrying  = "color=#ff7e00"
         submit-retrying  = "color=#fa7e00"
diff --git a/lib/cylc/gui/updater_graph.py b/lib/cylc/gui/updater_graph.py
index 5e44c1bc54b..14a5d1300db 100644
--- a/lib/cylc/gui/updater_graph.py
+++ b/lib/cylc/gui/updater_graph.py
@@ -260,16 +260,23 @@ def set_live_node_attr(self, node, id_, shape=None):
             state = self.state_summary[id_]['state']
         else:
             state = self.fam_state_summary[id_]['state']
+        # required theme attributes
         try:
             node.attr['style'] = 'bold,' + self.theme[state]['style']
             node.attr['fillcolor'] = self.theme[state]['color']
             node.attr['color'] = self.theme[state]['color']
-            node.attr['fontcolor'] = self.theme[state]['fontcolor']
         except KeyError:
             # unknown state
-            node.attr['style'] = 'unfilled'
+            node.attr['style'] = 'filled'
+            node.attr['fillcolor'] = 'black'
             node.attr['color'] = 'black'
-            node.attr['fontcolor'] = 'black'
+            node.attr['fontcolor'] = 'white'
+
+        # optional theme attributes
+        theme = self.theme.get(state, {})
+        for attr in ['fontcolor']:
+            if attr in theme:
+                node.attr[attr] = theme[attr]
 
         if shape:
             node.attr['shape'] = shape