diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,4 +1,17 @@
 
+6.1
+---
+
+API changes:
+* `ColorMode` got a `Read` instance.
+* The `Config` type got a new `configPreferredColorMode` field for
+  specifying a preferred `ColorMode`. Backend packages should respect
+  this field, but note that `vty` itself does not (and cannot) enact
+  this preference since it's up to the backend driver to configure the
+  color mode.
+* The Vty configuration file got a new `colorMode` field whose value is
+  a string literal compatible with the `ColorMode` `Read` instance.
+
 6.0
 ---
 
diff --git a/src/Graphics/Vty/Attributes/Color.hs b/src/Graphics/Vty/Attributes/Color.hs
--- a/src/Graphics/Vty/Attributes/Color.hs
+++ b/src/Graphics/Vty/Attributes/Color.hs
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@
     | ColorMode16
     | ColorMode240 !Word8
     | FullColor
-    deriving ( Eq, Show )
+    deriving ( Eq, Show, Read )
 
 black, red, green, yellow, blue, magenta, cyan, white :: Color
 black  = ISOColor 0
diff --git a/src/Graphics/Vty/Config.hs b/src/Graphics/Vty/Config.hs
--- a/src/Graphics/Vty/Config.hs
+++ b/src/Graphics/Vty/Config.hs
@@ -10,6 +10,20 @@
 --
 -- = Debug
 --
+-- == @colorMode@
+--
+-- Format:
+--
+-- @
+--  colorMode \"<ColorMode8|ColorMode16|ColorMode240 <int>|FullColor>\"
+-- @
+--
+-- The preferred color mode to use, chosen from the constructors of the
+-- 'ColorMode' type. If absent, the backend driver may detect and choose
+-- an appropriate color mode. Implementor's note: backend packages
+-- should respect this setting when it is present even when their
+-- detection indicates that a different color mode should be used.
+--
 -- == @debugLog@
 --
 -- Format:
@@ -113,7 +127,9 @@
 #if !(MIN_VERSION_base(4,11,0))
 import Data.Semigroup (Semigroup(..))
 #endif
+import Text.Read (readMaybe)
 
+import Graphics.Vty.Attributes.Color (ColorMode(..))
 import Graphics.Vty.Input.Events
 
 import GHC.Generics
@@ -158,6 +174,9 @@
                   -- configuration specifies one. If no custom table is loaded
                   -- (or if a load fails), the built-in character width table
                   -- will be used.
+                  , configPreferredColorMode :: Maybe ColorMode
+                  -- ^ Preferred color mode. If set, this should
+                  -- override platform color mode detection.
                   }
                   deriving (Show, Eq)
 
@@ -175,6 +194,8 @@
                           configTermWidthMaps c1 <|> configTermWidthMaps c0
                       , configAllowCustomUnicodeWidthTables =
                           configAllowCustomUnicodeWidthTables c1 <|> configAllowCustomUnicodeWidthTables c0
+                      , configPreferredColorMode =
+                          configPreferredColorMode c1 <|> configPreferredColorMode c0
                       }
 
 instance Monoid VtyUserConfig where
@@ -183,6 +204,7 @@
                       , configInputMap = mempty
                       , configTermWidthMaps = []
                       , configAllowCustomUnicodeWidthTables = Nothing
+                      , configPreferredColorMode = Nothing
                       }
 #if !(MIN_VERSION_base(4,11,0))
     mappend = (<>)
@@ -285,6 +307,12 @@
     path       <- P.stringLiteral configLexer
     return defaultConfig { configDebugLog = Just path }
 
+colorModeDecl :: Parser VtyUserConfig
+colorModeDecl = do
+    "colorMode" <- P.identifier configLexer
+    mode <- P.stringLiteral configLexer
+    return defaultConfig { configPreferredColorMode = readMaybe mode }
+
 widthMapDecl :: Parser VtyUserConfig
 widthMapDecl = do
     "widthMap" <- P.identifier configLexer
@@ -298,7 +326,7 @@
 parseConfig :: Parser VtyUserConfig
 parseConfig = liftM mconcat $ many $ do
     P.whiteSpace configLexer
-    let directives = [try mapDecl, try debugLogDecl, try widthMapDecl]
+    let directives = [try mapDecl, try debugLogDecl, try widthMapDecl, try colorModeDecl]
     choice directives <|> (ignoreLine >> return defaultConfig)
 
 class    Parse a        where parseValue :: Parser a
diff --git a/vty.cabal b/vty.cabal
--- a/vty.cabal
+++ b/vty.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                vty
-version:             6.0
+version:             6.1
 license:             BSD3
 license-file:        LICENSE
 author:              AUTHORS