diff --git a/res/css/views/elements/_MessageEditor.scss b/res/css/views/elements/_MessageEditor.scss
index e721b267fa..7fd99bae17 100644
--- a/res/css/views/elements/_MessageEditor.scss
+++ b/res/css/views/elements/_MessageEditor.scss
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ limitations under the License.
         max-height: 200px;
         overflow-x: auto;
 
+        &:focus {
+            border-color: $accent-color-50pct;
+        }
+
         span.mx_UserPill, span.mx_RoomPill {
             padding-left: 21px;
             position: relative;
diff --git a/res/themes/light/css/_light.scss b/res/themes/light/css/_light.scss
index 3ef2ddc97f..2dd193b8c5 100644
--- a/res/themes/light/css/_light.scss
+++ b/res/themes/light/css/_light.scss
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ $focus-bg-color: #dddddd;
 
 // button UI (white-on-green in light skin)
 $accent-fg-color: #ffffff;
+$accent-color-50pct: rgba(3, 179, 129, 0.5);    //#03b381 in rgb
 $accent-color-darker: #92caad;
 $accent-color-alt: #238CF5;