diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/keylesspalace/tusky/components/compose/ComposeActivity.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/keylesspalace/tusky/components/compose/ComposeActivity.kt
index 1cc8e01c7..d448a6620 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/keylesspalace/tusky/components/compose/ComposeActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/keylesspalace/tusky/components/compose/ComposeActivity.kt
@@ -682,7 +682,15 @@ class ComposeActivity : BaseActivity(),
     }
 
     private fun updateVisibleCharactersLeft() {
-        composeCharactersLeftView.text = String.format(Locale.getDefault(), "%d", maximumTootCharacters - calculateTextLength())
+        val remainingLength = maximumTootCharacters - calculateTextLength();
+        composeCharactersLeftView.text = String.format(Locale.getDefault(), "%d", remainingLength)
+
+        val textColor = if (remainingLength < 0) {
+            ContextCompat.getColor(this, R.color.tusky_red)
+        } else {
+            ThemeUtils.getColor(this, android.R.attr.textColorTertiary)
+        }
+        composeCharactersLeftView.setTextColor(textColor)
     }
 
     private fun onContentWarningChanged() {
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_compose.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_compose.xml
index abff95023..355841d98 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_compose.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_compose.xml
@@ -327,6 +327,7 @@
             android:layout_height="wrap_content"
             android:textColor="?android:textColorTertiary"
             android:textSize="?attr/status_text_medium"
+            android:textStyle="bold"
             tools:text="500" />
 
         <com.keylesspalace.tusky.components.compose.view.TootButton
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/colors.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/colors.xml
index a9fe4fc9c..082606274 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/colors.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/colors.xml
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
     <color name="tusky_orange_light">#fab207</color>
     <color name="tusky_green">#19a341</color>
     <color name="tusky_green_light">#25d069</color>
+    <color name="tusky_red">#DF1553</color>
 
     <color name="white">#fff</color>
     <color name="black">#000</color>