diff --git a/extensions/markdown-language-features/media/markdown.css b/extensions/markdown-language-features/media/markdown.css
index 35830215ea6..47c2a443423 100644
--- a/extensions/markdown-language-features/media/markdown.css
+++ b/extensions/markdown-language-features/media/markdown.css
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ pre code {
 }
 
 .vscode-high-contrast pre {
-	background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
+	background-color: var(--vscode-textCodeBlock-background);
 }
 
 .vscode-high-contrast h1 {
diff --git a/extensions/theme-defaults/themes/hc_light.json b/extensions/theme-defaults/themes/hc_light.json
index 3173cd782c9..9c5bbe32eaf 100644
--- a/extensions/theme-defaults/themes/hc_light.json
+++ b/extensions/theme-defaults/themes/hc_light.json
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@
 		"window.activeBorder": "#0F4A85",
 		"window.inactiveBorder": "#0F4A85",
 
-		"textBlockQuote.background": "#0000",
+		"textBlockQuote.background": "#f2f2f2",
 		"textBlockQuote.border": "#292929",
-		"textCodeBlock.background": "#0000",
+		"textCodeBlock.background": "#f2f2f2",
 		"textLink.activeForeground": "#0F4A85",
 		"textLink.foreground": "#0F4A85",
 		"textPreformat.foreground": "#292929",