diff --git a/IPython/core/excolors.py b/IPython/core/excolors.py
index d979a71..487bde1 100644
--- a/IPython/core/excolors.py
+++ b/IPython/core/excolors.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 Color schemes for exception handling code in IPython.
 """
 
+import os
 import warnings
 
 #*****************************************************************************
@@ -155,6 +156,12 @@ def exception_colors():
         Normal = C.Normal,
         ))
 
+    # Hack: the 'neutral' colours are not very visible on a dark background on
+    # Windows. Since Windows command prompts have a dark background by default, and
+    # relatively few users are likely to alter that, we will use the 'Linux' colours,
+    # designed for a dark background, as the default on Windows.
+    if os.name == "nt":
+        ex_colors.add_scheme(ex_colors['Linux'].copy('Neutral'))
 
     return ex_colors
 
diff --git a/IPython/terminal/interactiveshell.py b/IPython/terminal/interactiveshell.py
index 96f33cb..97fabdb 100644
--- a/IPython/terminal/interactiveshell.py
+++ b/IPython/terminal/interactiveshell.py
@@ -286,6 +286,16 @@ class TerminalInteractiveShell(InteractiveShell):
                     Token.OutPrompt: '#990000',
                     Token.OutPromptNum: '#ff0000 bold',
                 })
+
+                # Hack: Due to limited color support on the Windows console
+                # the prompt colors will be wrong without this
+                if os.name == 'nt':
+                    style_overrides.update({
+                        Token.Prompt: '#ansidarkgreen',
+                        Token.PromptNum: '#ansigreen bold',
+                        Token.OutPrompt: '#ansidarkred',
+                        Token.OutPromptNum: '#ansired bold',
+                    })
             elif legacy =='nocolor':
                 style_cls=_NoStyle
                 style_overrides = {}