diff --git a/extensions/theme-abyss/themes/abyss-color-theme.json b/extensions/theme-abyss/themes/abyss-color-theme.json
index d742e6ec1cc471501f97c352fca1fb91f86f91c8..d45846b0d169dcf7cd2d2e2c8c3268f8e9f4dbfe 100644
--- a/extensions/theme-abyss/themes/abyss-color-theme.json
+++ b/extensions/theme-abyss/themes/abyss-color-theme.json
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@
 		// Workbench: Activity Bar
 		"activityBar.background": "#051336",
 		// "activityBar.foreground": "",
-		"activityBarBadge.background": "#0063a5",
+		// "activityBarBadge.background": "",
 		// "activityBarBadge.foreground": "",
 		// "activityBar.dropBackground": "",
 
diff --git a/extensions/theme-defaults/themes/dark_defaults.json b/extensions/theme-defaults/themes/dark_defaults.json
index 690098711f959036417b44980b37621560662f0e..bb319ce56753320cad36f123a964e64d273cef8c 100644
--- a/extensions/theme-defaults/themes/dark_defaults.json
+++ b/extensions/theme-defaults/themes/dark_defaults.json
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 		"editor.inactiveSelectionBackground": "#3A3D41",
 		"editorIndentGuide.background": "#404040",
 		"editor.selectionHighlightBackground": "#add6ff26",
-		"list.dropBackground": "#383B3D"
+		"list.dropBackground": "#383B3D",
+		"activityBarBadge.background": "#007ACC"
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/extensions/theme-defaults/themes/light_defaults.json b/extensions/theme-defaults/themes/light_defaults.json
index 091fb560b5efb99aded0cb934a7f3e6d34315d05..fb7571ba81a0a8b6f1dce2a2510cf123108bb64c 100644
--- a/extensions/theme-defaults/themes/light_defaults.json
+++ b/extensions/theme-defaults/themes/light_defaults.json
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 		"editor.inactiveSelectionBackground": "#E5EBF1",
 		"editorIndentGuide.background": "#d3d3d3",
 		"editor.selectionHighlightBackground": "#add6ff4d",
-		"editorSuggestWidget.background": "#F3F3F3"
+		"editorSuggestWidget.background": "#F3F3F3",
+		"activityBarBadge.background": "#007ACC"
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/extensions/theme-kimbie-dark/themes/kimbie-dark-color-theme.json b/extensions/theme-kimbie-dark/themes/kimbie-dark-color-theme.json
index 94ddfd45836684c1b235672775e63d011ed480a4..2a9958948d899417645373fdc12c3380f292ed7c 100644
--- a/extensions/theme-kimbie-dark/themes/kimbie-dark-color-theme.json
+++ b/extensions/theme-kimbie-dark/themes/kimbie-dark-color-theme.json
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@
 		"statusBar.noFolderBackground": "#423523",
 		"activityBar.background": "#221a0f",
 		"activityBar.foreground": "#d3af86",
-		"activityBarBadge.background": "#7f5d38",
 		"sideBar.background": "#362712",
 		"editor.lineHighlightBackground": "#5e452b",
 		"editorCursor.foreground": "#d3af86",
diff --git a/extensions/theme-monokai/themes/monokai-color-theme.json b/extensions/theme-monokai/themes/monokai-color-theme.json
index 2ae56ae72393bd2459426df18a2d1c4a3a7c6edc..b2ec0a432b1be644da9db94a0da698e29cd84069 100644
--- a/extensions/theme-monokai/themes/monokai-color-theme.json
+++ b/extensions/theme-monokai/themes/monokai-color-theme.json
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@
 		"statusBar.noFolderBackground": "#414339",
 		"statusBar.debuggingBackground": "#75715E",
 		"activityBar.background": "#272822",
-		"activityBarBadge.foreground": "#f8f8f2",
-		"activityBarBadge.background": "#75715E",
 		"activityBar.foreground": "#f8f8f2",
 		"activityBar.dropBackground": "#414339",
 		"sideBar.background": "#1e1f1c",
diff --git a/extensions/theme-red/themes/Red-color-theme.json b/extensions/theme-red/themes/Red-color-theme.json
index ec9b4dbf20abb556d7b7366e14a6e76ca15b7221..19e66f7bea333b39bb77e289894eed472ab31836 100644
--- a/extensions/theme-red/themes/Red-color-theme.json
+++ b/extensions/theme-red/themes/Red-color-theme.json
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 	"tokenColors": "./red.tmTheme",
 	"colors": {
 		// window
-		"activityBarBadge.background": "#cc3333",
 		"activityBar.background": "#580000",
 		"tab.inactiveBackground": "#300a0a",
 		"tab.activeBackground": "#490000",
diff --git a/extensions/theme-solarized-dark/themes/solarized-dark-color-theme.json b/extensions/theme-solarized-dark/themes/solarized-dark-color-theme.json
index 118127b4e92b5e9d466f76b6a08af7adbbe6b401..b1e0133a628db546f8fb075e79323a592924ed49 100644
--- a/extensions/theme-solarized-dark/themes/solarized-dark-color-theme.json
+++ b/extensions/theme-solarized-dark/themes/solarized-dark-color-theme.json
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@
 
 		// Workbench: Activity Bar
 		"activityBar.background": "#003847",
-		"activityBarBadge.background": "#047aa6",
+		// "activityBarBadge.background": "",
 		// "activityBar.dropBackground": "",
 		// "activityBar.foreground": "",
 		// "activityBarBadge.foreground": "",
diff --git a/extensions/theme-tomorrow-night-blue/themes/tomorrow-night-blue-theme.json b/extensions/theme-tomorrow-night-blue/themes/tomorrow-night-blue-theme.json
index f9af23e39ebddbcaba82f3518e9c46229da13310..4ba744d26babc68176682656ae9662c6344706a2 100644
--- a/extensions/theme-tomorrow-night-blue/themes/tomorrow-night-blue-theme.json
+++ b/extensions/theme-tomorrow-night-blue/themes/tomorrow-night-blue-theme.json
@@ -31,8 +31,6 @@
 		"statusBar.noFolderBackground": "#001126",
 		"statusBar.debuggingBackground": "#001126",
 		"activityBar.background": "#001733",
-		"activityBarBadge.background": "#bbdaff",
-		"activityBarBadge.foreground": "#001733",
 		"badge.background": "#bbdaffcc",
 		"badge.foreground": "#001733",
 		"sideBar.background": "#001c40",
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/common/theme.ts b/src/vs/workbench/common/theme.ts
index 44c3a6c51e1c936cab0568a4ea25433c7391b565..cf64a63b7771d2b1324e7ca5ea730397d3bd657c 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/common/theme.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/common/theme.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 import nls = require('vs/nls');
-import { registerColor, editorBackground, contrastBorder, transparent } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry';
+import { registerColor, editorBackground, contrastBorder, transparent, badgeForeground, badgeBackground } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry';
 import { IDisposable, Disposable, dispose } from 'vs/base/common/lifecycle';
 import { IThemeService, ITheme } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/themeService';
 import { Color } from 'vs/base/common/color';
@@ -177,15 +177,15 @@ export const ACTIVITY_BAR_DRAG_AND_DROP_BACKGROUND = registerColor('activityBar.
 }, nls.localize('activityBarDragAndDropBackground', "Drag and drop feedback color for the activity bar items. The activity bar is showing on the far left or right and allows to switch between views of the side bar."));
 
 export const ACTIVITY_BAR_BADGE_BACKGROUND = registerColor('activityBarBadge.background', {
-	dark: '#007ACC',
-	light: '#007ACC',
-	hc: '#000000'
+	dark: badgeBackground,
+	light: badgeBackground,
+	hc: badgeBackground
 }, nls.localize('activityBarBadgeBackground', "Activity notification badge background color. The activity bar is showing on the far left or right and allows to switch between views of the side bar."));
 
 export const ACTIVITY_BAR_BADGE_FOREGROUND = registerColor('activityBarBadge.foreground', {
-	dark: Color.white,
-	light: Color.white,
-	hc: Color.white
+	dark: badgeForeground,
+	light: badgeForeground,
+	hc: badgeForeground
 }, nls.localize('activityBarBadgeForeground', "Activity notification badge foreground color. The activity bar is showing on the far left or right and allows to switch between views of the side bar."));