diff --git a/stylesheets/_modules.scss b/stylesheets/_modules.scss
index 4e6b0f571c..6f0a0e2ecd 100644
--- a/stylesheets/_modules.scss
+++ b/stylesheets/_modules.scss
@@ -99,6 +99,21 @@
   }
 }
 
+@keyframes module-message__highlight-lighter {
+  0% {
+    filter: none;
+  }
+  33% {
+    filter: brightness(76%);
+  }
+  66% {
+    filter: brightness(76%);
+  }
+  100% {
+    filter: none;
+  }
+}
+
 .module-message--outgoing {
   flex-direction: row-reverse;
 }
@@ -315,7 +330,13 @@
 
 .module-message__container--selected {
   @include mouse-mode {
-    animation: module-message__highlight 1.2s linear;
+    animation: module-message__highlight 1.2s cubic-bezier(0.17, 0.17, 0, 1);
+  }
+}
+.module-message__container--selected-lighter {
+  @include mouse-mode {
+    animation: module-message__highlight-lighter 1.2s
+      cubic-bezier(0.17, 0.17, 0, 1);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/ts/components/conversation/Message.tsx b/ts/components/conversation/Message.tsx
index 56608eb437..e4c7027b7c 100644
--- a/ts/components/conversation/Message.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/conversation/Message.tsx
@@ -2571,6 +2571,7 @@ export class Message extends React.PureComponent<Props, State> {
       isTapToView,
       isTapToViewExpired,
       isTapToViewError,
+      text,
     } = this.props;
     const { isSelected } = this.state;
 
@@ -2582,10 +2583,18 @@ export class Message extends React.PureComponent<Props, State> {
     const isEmojiOnly = this.canRenderStickerLikeEmoji();
     const isStickerLike = isSticker || isEmojiOnly;
 
+    // If it's a mostly-normal gray incoming text box, we don't want to darken it as much
+    const lighterSelect =
+      isSelected &&
+      direction === 'incoming' &&
+      !isStickerLike &&
+      (text || (!isVideo(attachments) && !isImage(attachments)));
+
     const containerClassnames = classNames(
       'module-message__container',
       isGIF(attachments) ? 'module-message__container--gif' : null,
       isSelected ? 'module-message__container--selected' : null,
+      lighterSelect ? 'module-message__container--selected-lighter' : null,
       !isStickerLike ? `module-message__container--${direction}` : null,
       isEmojiOnly ? 'module-message__container--emoji' : null,
       isTapToView ? 'module-message__container--with-tap-to-view' : null,