diff --git a/.tmux.conf b/.tmux.conf
index c99b61d..fe226a5 100644
--- a/.tmux.conf
+++ b/.tmux.conf
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ bind-key -n C-S-Left swap-window -t -1\; select-window -t -1
 bind-key -n C-S-Right swap-window -t +1\; select-window -t +1
 
 set -g default-terminal "screen-256color"
+# tell Tmux that outside terminal supports true color
+set -ga terminal-overrides ",xterm-256color*:Tc"
 
 # start session number from 1 rather than 0
 # set -g base-index 1
diff --git a/.zshrc b/.zshrc
index 66071c4..97ef557 100644
--- a/.zshrc
+++ b/.zshrc
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ if type tmux &> /dev/null; then
     session_name=${TERMINAL_NAME:-Terminal}
     #if not inside a tmux session, start a new session
     if [[ $HOST == "ubuntu" && -z "$TMUX" ]]; then
-        (tmux -2 new-session -A -s $session_name || false)
+        ( TERM=xterm-256color tmux -2 new-session -A -s $session_name || false)
         # || false makes Konsole happy while quitting. It doesn't ask for
         # confirmation. Since we are in tmux, it doesn't matter if we really
         # wanted to quit or not