diff --git a/src/vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry.ts b/src/vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry.ts
index 21ead0e0272cfdbaa47a8e3ed503695858174e3d..21c786197cbbf9027b7cf8dc20a3922dd85c8e26 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry.ts
@@ -143,6 +143,8 @@ export const inputBackground = registerColor('input.background', { dark: '#3C3C3
 export const inputForeground = registerColor('input.foreground', { dark: foreground, light: foreground, hc: foreground }, nls.localize('inputBoxForeground', "Input box foreground."));
 export const inputBorder = registerColor('input.border', { dark: null, light: null, hc: contrastBorder }, nls.localize('inputBoxBorder', "Input box border."));
 export const inputActiveOptionBorder = registerColor('inputOption.activeBorder', { dark: '#007ACC', light: '#007ACC', hc: activeContrastBorder }, nls.localize('inputBoxActiveOptionBorder', "Border color of activated options in input fields."));
+export const inputPlaceholderForeground = registerColor('input.placeholderForeground', { dark: null, light: null, hc: null }, nls.localize('inputPlaceholderForeground', "Input box foreground color for placeholder text."));
+
 export const inputValidationInfoBackground = registerColor('inputValidation.infoBackground', { dark: '#063B49', light: '#D6ECF2', hc: Color.black }, nls.localize('inputValidationInfoBackground', "Input validation background color for information severity."));
 export const inputValidationInfoBorder = registerColor('inputValidation.infoBorder', { dark: '#55AAFF', light: '#55AAFF', hc: '#6FC3DF' }, nls.localize('inputValidationInfoBorder', "Input validation border color for information severity."));
 export const inputValidationWarningBackground = registerColor('inputValidation.warningBackground', { dark: '#352A05', light: '#F6F5D2', hc: Color.black }, nls.localize('inputValidationWarningBackground', "Input validation background color for information warning."));
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/shell.ts b/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/shell.ts
index 9e003eda0d76290ba56219ab5cf46e38a3e7dd30..728af5751c19968693b0ef018f2ee4386e5c162c 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/shell.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/electron-browser/shell.ts
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ import 'vs/platform/opener/browser/opener.contribution';
 import { IWorkbenchThemeService } from 'vs/workbench/services/themes/common/workbenchThemeService';
 import { WorkbenchThemeService } from 'vs/workbench/services/themes/electron-browser/workbenchThemeService';
 import { registerThemingParticipant, ITheme, ICssStyleCollector } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/themeService';
-import { foreground, selectionBackground, focusBorder, scrollbarShadow, scrollbarSliderActiveBackground, scrollbarSliderBackground, scrollbarSliderHoverBackground, listHighlightForeground } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry';
+import { foreground, selectionBackground, focusBorder, scrollbarShadow, scrollbarSliderActiveBackground, scrollbarSliderBackground, scrollbarSliderHoverBackground, listHighlightForeground, inputPlaceholderForeground } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry';
 
 /**
  * Services that we require for the Shell
@@ -535,6 +535,13 @@ registerThemingParticipant((theme: ITheme, collector: ICssStyleCollector) => {
 		collector.addRule(`.monaco-shell ::selection { background-color: ${windowSelectionBackground}; }`);
 	}
 
+	// Input placeholder
+	const placeholderForeground = theme.getColor(inputPlaceholderForeground);
+	if (placeholderForeground) {
+		collector.addRule(`.monaco-shell input::-webkit-input-placeholder { color: ${placeholderForeground}; }`);
+		collector.addRule(`.monaco-shell textarea::-webkit-input-placeholder { color: ${placeholderForeground}; }`);
+	}
+
 	// List highlight
 	const listHighlightForegroundColor = theme.getColor(listHighlightForeground);
 	if (listHighlightForegroundColor) {