diff --git a/packages/react/src/editor/BlockNoteView.browser.test.ts b/packages/react/src/editor/BlockNoteView.browser.test.ts
index 39e51a10e0..66d378135e 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/editor/BlockNoteView.browser.test.ts
+++ b/packages/react/src/editor/BlockNoteView.browser.test.ts
@@ -493,6 +493,24 @@ if (!screenReader) {
 
   test.describe("axe", () => {
     for (const theme of ["light", "dark"] as const) {
+      test(`placeholder contrast: axe (${theme})`, async ({ annotate }) => {
+        const placeholder = document.createElement("div");
+        placeholder.id = "placeholder-contrast";
+        placeholder.className = "bn-root";
+        placeholder.dataset.colorScheme = theme;
+        placeholder.setAttribute("role", "main");
+        placeholder.style.backgroundColor =
+          "var(--bn-colors-editor-background)";
+        placeholder.style.color = "var(--bn-colors-side-menu)";
+        placeholder.textContent = "Enter text or type '/' for commands";
+        document.body.append(placeholder);
+        try {
+          await checkAxe(annotate, "#placeholder-contrast");
+        } finally {
+          placeholder.remove();
+        }
+      });
+
       // Known issues include the unnamed editor, unlabeled checklist checkboxes,
       // insufficient contrast, and undersized targets.
       test.skip(`default schema: axe (${theme})`, async ({ annotate }) => {
diff --git a/packages/react/src/editor/styles.css b/packages/react/src/editor/styles.css
index 5046c97352..c1dcec4cc3 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/editor/styles.css
+++ b/packages/react/src/editor/styles.css
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
   --bn-colors-shadow: oklch(85% 0 0);
   --bn-colors-border: oklch(95% 0 0);
-  --bn-colors-side-menu: oklch(85% 0 0);
+  --bn-colors-side-menu: oklch(51.4% 0 0);
 
   /* Highlight backgrounds target Display P3; narrower displays gamut-map them. */
   --bn-colors-highlights-gray-text: oklch(51.4% 0 0);
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
 
   --bn-colors-shadow: oklch(17% 0 0);
   --bn-colors-border: oklch(20% 0 0);
-  --bn-colors-side-menu: oklch(60% 0 0);
+  --bn-colors-side-menu: oklch(71.5% 0 0);
 
   /* Highlight backgrounds target Display P3; narrower displays gamut-map them. */
   --bn-colors-highlights-gray-text: oklch(71.5% 0 0);