diff --git a/src/advanced_inv.cpp b/src/advanced_inv.cpp
index 16665021e71ce..4d13dc71d1530 100644
--- a/src/advanced_inv.cpp
+++ b/src/advanced_inv.cpp
@@ -2038,7 +2038,8 @@ int advanced_inventory::add_item( aim_location destarea, item &new_item, int cou
         // @todo: Make it use same exact methods as regular pickup
         if( ( destarea == AIM_INVENTORY || destarea == AIM_WORN || panes[dest].in_vehicle() ) &&
             new_item.is_bucket_nonempty() &&
-            !query_yn( _( "Spill contents of %s?" ), new_item.tname().c_str() ) ) {
+            !query_yn( _( "Spill contents of %s?" ),
+                       colorize( new_item.tname(), new_item.color_in_inventory() ) ) ) {
             break;
         } else if( destarea == AIM_INVENTORY ) {
             const item &added = g->u.i_add( new_item );
diff --git a/src/armor_layers.cpp b/src/armor_layers.cpp
index a1f1123a61d05..1d4e642ac7596 100644
--- a/src/armor_layers.cpp
+++ b/src/armor_layers.cpp
@@ -698,7 +698,9 @@ void player::sort_armor()
             }
         } else if( action == "CHANGE_SIDE" ) {
             if( leftListIndex < static_cast<int>( tmp_worn.size() ) && tmp_worn[leftListIndex]->is_sided() ) {
-                if( g->u.query_yn( _( "Swap side for %s?" ), tmp_worn[leftListIndex]->tname().c_str() ) ) {
+                if( g->u.query_yn( _( "Swap side for %s?" ),
+                                   colorize( tmp_worn[leftListIndex]->tname(),
+                                             tmp_worn[leftListIndex]->color_in_inventory() ) ) ) {
                     change_side( *tmp_worn[leftListIndex] );
                     wrefresh( w_sort_armor );
                 }
diff --git a/src/bionics.cpp b/src/bionics.cpp
index eb166cef20613..93a6acbeaba56 100644
--- a/src/bionics.cpp
+++ b/src/bionics.cpp
@@ -407,7 +407,9 @@ bool player::activate_bionic( int b, bool eff_only )
             static const auto volume_per_water_charge = units::from_milliliter( 500 );
             if( it->is_corpse() ) {
                 const int avail = it->get_var( "remaining_water", it->volume() / volume_per_water_charge );
-                if( avail > 0 && query_yn( _( "Extract water from the %s" ), it->tname().c_str() ) ) {
+                if( avail > 0 &&
+                    query_yn( _( "Extract water from the %s" ),
+                              colorize( it->tname(), it->color_in_inventory() ) ) ) {
                     item water( "water_clean", calendar::turn, avail );
                     if( g->consume_liquid( water ) ) {
                         extracted = true;
diff --git a/src/consumption.cpp b/src/consumption.cpp
index 334daeb2fd2f8..dc95fb2aee616 100644
--- a/src/consumption.cpp
+++ b/src/consumption.cpp
@@ -511,12 +511,14 @@ ret_val<edible_rating> player::will_eat( const item &food, bool interactive ) co
         }
 
         const bool eat_verb  = food.has_flag( "USE_EAT_VERB" );
+        std::string food_tame = food.tname();
+        const nc_color food_color = food.color_in_inventory();
         if( eat_verb || comest->comesttype == "FOOD" ) {
-            req << string_format( _( "Eat your %s anyway?" ), food.tname().c_str() );
+            req << string_format( _( "Eat your %s anyway?" ), colorize( food_tame, food_color ) );
         } else if( !eat_verb && comest->comesttype == "DRINK" ) {
-            req << string_format( _( "Drink your %s anyway?" ), food.tname().c_str() );
+            req << string_format( _( "Drink your %s anyway?" ), colorize( food_tame, food_color ) );
         } else {
-            req << string_format( _( "Consume your %s anyway?" ), food.tname().c_str() );
+            req << string_format( _( "Consume your %s anyway?" ), colorize( food_tame, food_color ) );
         }
 
         if( !query_yn( req.str() ) ) {
diff --git a/src/crafting.cpp b/src/crafting.cpp
index da2632dd582ac..5b1ce13862c9c 100644
--- a/src/crafting.cpp
+++ b/src/crafting.cpp
@@ -1231,13 +1231,13 @@ bool player::disassemble( item &obj, int pos, bool ground, bool interactive )
         if( !r.learn_by_disassembly.empty() && !knows_recipe( &r ) && can_decomp_learn( r ) ) {
             if( !query_yn(
                     _( "Disassembling the %s may yield:\n%s\nReally disassemble?\nYou feel you may be able to understand this object's construction.\n" ),
-                    obj.tname().c_str(),
-                    list.str().c_str() ) ) {
+                    colorize( obj.tname(), obj.color_in_inventory() ),
+                    list.str() ) ) {
                 return false;
             }
         } else if( !query_yn( _( "Disassembling the %s may yield:\n%s\nReally disassemble?" ),
-                              obj.tname().c_str(),
-                              list.str().c_str() ) ) {
+                              colorize( obj.tname(), obj.color_in_inventory() ),
+                              list.str() ) ) {
             return false;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/iuse.cpp b/src/iuse.cpp
index ea848b90bd8ec..1584801f27e0a 100644
--- a/src/iuse.cpp
+++ b/src/iuse.cpp
@@ -1237,7 +1237,7 @@ int iuse::marloss( player *p, item *it, bool, const tripoint & )
 int iuse::marloss_seed( player *p, item *it, bool, const tripoint & )
 {
     if( !query_yn( _( "Sure you want to eat the %s? You could plant it in a mound of dirt." ),
-                   it->tname().c_str() ) ) {
+                   colorize( it->tname(), it->color_in_inventory() ) ) ) {
         return 0; // Save the seed for later!
     }
 
@@ -3961,7 +3961,8 @@ int iuse::blood_draw( player *p, item *it, bool, const tripoint & )
     bool acid_blood = false;
     for( auto &map_it : g->m.i_at( p->posx(), p->posy() ) ) {
         if( map_it.is_corpse() &&
-            query_yn( _( "Draw blood from %s?" ), map_it.tname().c_str() ) ) {
+            query_yn( _( "Draw blood from %s?" ),
+                      colorize( map_it.tname(), map_it.color_in_inventory() ) ) ) {
             p->add_msg_if_player( m_info, _( "You drew blood from the %s..." ), map_it.tname().c_str() );
             drew_blood = true;
             auto bloodtype( map_it.get_mtype()->bloodType() );
@@ -4789,7 +4790,8 @@ static bool heat_item( player &p )
         target.apply_freezerburn();
 
         if( target.has_flag( "EATEN_COLD" ) &&
-            !query_yn( _( "%s is best served cold.  Heat beyond defrosting?" ), target.tname() ) ) {
+            !query_yn( _( "%s is best served cold.  Heat beyond defrosting?" ),
+                       colorize( target.tname(), target.color_in_inventory() ) ) ) {
 
             // assume environment is warm; heat less to keep COLD longer
             int counter_mod = 550;
@@ -5333,7 +5335,7 @@ int iuse::seed( player *p, item *it, bool, const tripoint & )
 {
     if( p->is_npc() ||
         query_yn( _( "Sure you want to eat the %s? You could plant it in a mound of dirt." ),
-                  it->tname().c_str() ) ) {
+                  colorize( it->tname(), it->color_in_inventory() ) ) ) {
         return it->type->charges_to_use(); //This eats the seed object.
     }
     return 0;
diff --git a/src/output.cpp b/src/output.cpp
index 21525b36cdcac..5d9fc09089492 100644
--- a/src/output.cpp
+++ b/src/output.cpp
@@ -605,11 +605,12 @@ bool query_yn( const std::string &text )
     return query_popup()
            .context( "YESNO" )
            .message( force_uc ?
-                     pgettext( "query_yn", "<color_light_red>%s (Case Sensitive)</color>" ) :
-                     pgettext( "query_yn", "<color_light_red>%s</color>" ), text )
+                     pgettext( "query_yn", "%s (Case Sensitive)" ) :
+                     pgettext( "query_yn", "%s" ), text )
            .option( "YES", allow_key )
            .option( "NO", allow_key )
            .cursor( 1 )
+           .default_color( c_light_red )
            .query()
            .action == "YES";
 }
diff --git a/src/player.cpp b/src/player.cpp
index 800887b54ad65..039acd5511746 100644
--- a/src/player.cpp
+++ b/src/player.cpp
@@ -7170,7 +7170,8 @@ bool player::has_mission_item(int mission_id) const
 //Returns the amount of charges that were consumed by the player
 int player::drink_from_hands(item& water) {
     int charges_consumed = 0;
-    if( query_yn( _("Drink %s from your hands?"), water.type_name().c_str() ) )
+    if( query_yn( _( "Drink %s from your hands?" ),
+                  colorize( water.type_name(), water.color_in_inventory() ) ) )
     {
         // Create a dose of water no greater than the amount of water remaining.
         item water_temp( water );
@@ -8493,7 +8494,8 @@ bool player::takeoff( const item &it, std::list<item> *res )
 
     if( res == nullptr ) {
         if( volume_carried() + it.volume() > volume_capacity_reduced_by( it.get_storage() ) ) {
-            if( is_npc() || query_yn( _( "No room in inventory for your %s.  Drop it?" ), it.tname().c_str() ) ) {
+            if( is_npc() || query_yn( _( "No room in inventory for your %s.  Drop it?" ),
+                                      colorize( it.tname(), it.color_in_inventory() ) ) ) {
                 drop( get_item_position( &it ), pos() );
                 return true; // the drop activity ends up taking off the item anyway so shouldn't try to do it again here
             } else {
@@ -9185,8 +9187,9 @@ void player::gunmod_add( item &gun, item &mod )
     int qty = 0;
 
     if( mod.is_irremovable() ) {
-        if( !query_yn( _( "Permanently install your %1$s in your %2$s?" ), mod.tname().c_str(),
-                       gun.tname().c_str() ) ) {
+        if( !query_yn( _( "Permanently install your %1$s in your %2$s?" ),
+                       colorize( mod.tname(), mod.color_in_inventory() ),
+                       colorize( gun.tname(), gun.color_in_inventory() ) ) ) {
             add_msg_if_player( _( "Never mind." ) );
             return; // player canceled installation
         }
@@ -9252,8 +9255,9 @@ void player::toolmod_add( item_location tool, item_location mod )
         return;
     }
 
-    if( !query_yn( _( "Permanently install your %1$s in your %2$s?" ), mod->tname().c_str(),
-                    tool->tname().c_str() ) ) {
+    if( !query_yn( _( "Permanently install your %1$s in your %2$s?" ),
+                   colorize( mod->tname().c_str(), mod->color_in_inventory() ),
+                   colorize( tool->tname().c_str(), tool->color_in_inventory() ) ) ) {
         add_msg_if_player( _( "Never mind." ) );
         return; // player canceled installation
     }
diff --git a/src/popup.cpp b/src/popup.cpp
index 133c511e6c14b..16fa59c0428b0 100644
--- a/src/popup.cpp
+++ b/src/popup.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
 extern bool test_mode;
 
 query_popup::query_popup()
-    : cur( 0 ), anykey( false ), cancel( false ), ontop( false ), fullscr( false )
+    : cur( 0 ), default_text_color( c_white ), anykey( false ), cancel( false ), ontop( false ),
+      fullscr( false )
 {
 }
 
@@ -69,6 +70,12 @@ query_popup &query_popup::cursor( size_t pos )
     return *this;
 }
 
+query_popup &query_popup::default_color( const nc_color &d_color )
+{
+    default_text_color = d_color;
+    return *this;
+}
+
 std::vector<std::vector<std::string>> query_popup::fold_query(
                                        const std::string &category,
                                        const std::vector<query_option> &options,
@@ -206,7 +213,7 @@ void query_popup::show() const
     draw_border( win );
 
     for( size_t line = 0; line < folded_msg.size(); ++line ) {
-        nc_color col = c_white;
+        nc_color col = default_text_color;
         print_colored_text( win, border_width + line, border_width, col, col,
                             folded_msg[line] );
     }
diff --git a/src/popup.h b/src/popup.h
index ce6ad776e5ff4..fb1f33ed293f9 100644
--- a/src/popup.h
+++ b/src/popup.h
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@
 
 #include "cursesdef.h"
 #include "input.h"
-
-class nc_color;
+#include "color.h"
 
 /**
  * UI class for displaying messages or querying player input with popups.
@@ -163,6 +162,10 @@ class query_popup
          * Specify starting cursor position.
          **/
         query_popup &cursor( size_t pos );
+        /**
+         * Specify the default message color.
+         **/
+        query_popup &default_color( const nc_color &d_color );
 
         /**
          * Draw the UI. An input context should be provided using `context()`
@@ -194,6 +197,7 @@ class query_popup
         std::string text;
         std::vector<query_option> options;
         size_t cur;
+        nc_color default_text_color;
         bool anykey;
         bool cancel;
         bool ontop;