diff --git a/save_results.py b/save_results.py
index f4fba2f..da04478 100644
--- a/save_results.py
+++ b/save_results.py
@@ -186,23 +186,17 @@ def _highlight_context_html(context: str, terms: Iterable[str]) -> str:
     if not terms_list:
         return html.escape(raw)
     
-    # Paleta de cores para cada termo (cores distintas e acessíveis)
+    # Soft pastel palette (light, readable; distinct per term). Dark text is applied
+    # via the .highlight CSS class so these backgrounds stay legible in both themes.
     color_palette = [
-        "#fff59d",  # Pale yellow
-        "#ffcc80",  # Orange
-        "#f48fb1",  # Pink
-        "#90caf9",  # Light blue
-        "#a5d6a7",  # Light green
-        "#ce93d8",  # Light purple
-        "#ffab91",  # Light red-orange
-        "#b0bec5",  # Light blue-gray
-        "#ffe082",  # Amber
-        "#c5e1a5",  # Light lime
-        "#b39ddb",  # Light indigo
-        "#ef9a9a",  # Light red
-        "#81c784",  # Green
-        "#64b5f6",  # Blue
-        "#ffb74d",  # Deep orange
+        "#fff3b0",  # pale yellow
+        "#d8f3dc",  # pale green
+        "#dbeafe",  # pale blue
+        "#fde2e4",  # pale pink
+        "#f3e8ff",  # pale lavender
+        "#ffe5d9",  # pale peach
+        "#e0f2fe",  # pale cyan
+        "#fef9c3",  # light cream
     ]
     
     # Mapear cada termo para uma cor
@@ -513,12 +507,12 @@ def save_results(
 *{box-sizing:border-box}
 :root{
   --bg:#ffffff; --panel:#f7f7f9; --text:#111827; --muted:#58606b;
-  --border:#e5e7eb; --accent:#16a34a; --hi:#fff59d;
+  --border:#e5e7eb; --accent:#16a34a; --hi:#fff3b0; --hi-text:#111827;
 }
 @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark){
   :root{
     --bg:#0b0c10; --panel:#111827; --text:#e5e7eb; --muted:#9aa4b2;
-    --border:#2a2f3a; --accent:#22c55e; --hi:#4b5563;
+    --border:#2a2f3a; --accent:#22c55e; --hi:#fef9c3; --hi-text:#111827;
   }
 }
 html,body{height:100%}
@@ -552,8 +546,9 @@ def save_results(
 }
 
 .highlight{
-  padding:0 2px; border-radius:3px; font-weight:600;
-  text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;
+  padding:0 2px; border-radius:3px;
+  color:var(--hi-text);                         /* dark text keeps pastels readable */
+  border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.15);     /* subtle, not aggressive */
 }
 /* Cor padrão (fallback) - será sobrescrita por inline styles quando especificado */
 .highlight:not([style*="background-color"]) {
diff --git a/tests/test_html_highlight.py b/tests/test_html_highlight.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e9ca490
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_html_highlight.py
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+"""Tests for the HTML search-term highlight styling (soft pastel palette).
+
+These verify presentation only: markup is still produced, term text is preserved,
+and the colours come from the soft pastel palette (no saturated legacy colours).
+They do not touch match-finding, counts, or ranking.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import re
+import sys
+import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+
+ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+sys.path.insert(0, str(ROOT))
+
+import save_results  # noqa: E402
+
+# Soft pastel palette (must match save_results._highlight_context_html).
+PASTEL = {
+    "#fff3b0", "#d8f3dc", "#dbeafe", "#fde2e4",
+    "#f3e8ff", "#ffe5d9", "#e0f2fe", "#fef9c3",
+}
+# Saturated colours that must no longer appear anywhere in the output styling.
+LEGACY_SATURATED = {
+    "#fff59d", "#ffcc80", "#f48fb1", "#90caf9", "#a5d6a7", "#ce93d8",
+    "#ffab91", "#b0bec5", "#ffe082", "#c5e1a5", "#b39ddb", "#ef9a9a",
+    "#81c784", "#64b5f6", "#ffb74d",
+}
+
+_HEX = re.compile(r"background-color:\s*(#[0-9a-fA-F]{6})")
+
+
+class TestHtmlHighlight(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_highlight_markup_present_and_term_preserved(self):
+        out = save_results._highlight_context_html("the quick brown fox", ["quick"])
+        self.assertIn('class="highlight"', out)
+        # The matched term text is preserved verbatim.
+        self.assertIn("quick", out)
+        self.assertIn("brown fox", out)  # non-matched text intact
+
+    def test_highlight_colours_are_soft_pastels(self):
+        out = save_results._highlight_context_html("alpha beta gamma", ["beta"])
+        colours = set(m.lower() for m in _HEX.findall(out))
+        self.assertTrue(colours, "expected at least one highlight background colour")
+        self.assertTrue(colours <= PASTEL, f"non-pastel colours used: {colours - PASTEL}")
+        self.assertFalse(colours & LEGACY_SATURATED, "legacy saturated colour present")
+
+    def test_multiple_terms_keep_distinct_colours(self):
+        out = save_results._highlight_context_html("one two three four", ["one", "two"])
+        colours = [c.lower() for c in _HEX.findall(out)]
+        self.assertGreaterEqual(len(set(colours)), 2, "terms should be visually distinct")
+        self.assertTrue(set(colours) <= PASTEL)
+
+    def test_no_legacy_saturated_colours_in_source(self):
+        src = (ROOT / "save_results.py").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        lower = src.lower()
+        for colour in LEGACY_SATURATED:
+            self.assertNotIn(colour, lower, f"legacy saturated colour still in source: {colour}")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()