diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index ec3e9bb..88b0983 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -4580,6 +4580,8 @@ spawnXTerm(XtermWidget xw, unsigned line_speed)
 	    xtermSetenv("TERM", resource.term_name);
 	    if (!resource.term_name)
 		*get_tcap_buffer(xw) = 0;
+	    else if (!strcmp(resource.term_name, "xterm-direct"))
+		xtermSetenv("COLORTERM", "truecolor");
 
 	    sprintf(buf, "%lu",
 		    ((unsigned long) XtWindow(SHELL_OF(CURRENT_EMU()))));