diff --git a/evennia/settings_default.py b/evennia/settings_default.py
index 114747ddcf..2d5d96cfb2 100644
--- a/evennia/settings_default.py
+++ b/evennia/settings_default.py
@@ -820,7 +820,7 @@ WEBCLIENT_TEMPLATE = 'webclient'
 WEBCLIENT_OPTIONS = {
     "gagprompt": True,  # Gags prompt from the output window and keep them
     # together with the input bar
-    "helppopup": True,  # Shows help files in a new popup window
+    "helppopup": False,  # Shows help files in a new popup window
     "notification_popup": False,  # Shows notifications of new messages as
     # popup windows
     "notification_sound": False   # Plays a sound for notifications of new
diff --git a/evennia/web/webclient/static/webclient/css/webclient.css b/evennia/web/webclient/static/webclient/css/webclient.css
index 00281d82d4..c0dc43c490 100644
--- a/evennia/web/webclient/static/webclient/css/webclient.css
+++ b/evennia/web/webclient/static/webclient/css/webclient.css
@@ -47,7 +47,10 @@ div {margin:0px;}
 .inp { color: #555 }
 
 /* Messages returned from the server (most messages) */
-.out { color: #aaa }
+.out { 
+  color: #aaa;
+  background-color: #000;
+}
 
 /* Error messages (red) */
 .err { color: #f00; }