diff --git a/.vitepress/theme/components/SiteMap.vue b/.vitepress/theme/components/SiteMap.vue
index 47b520c550..3c7ee5bd5b 100644
--- a/.vitepress/theme/components/SiteMap.vue
+++ b/.vitepress/theme/components/SiteMap.vue
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ const items = nav
 
 #sitemap .vt-link {
   font-size: 0.9em;
-  color: var(--vt-c-text-2);
+  /* increased contrast for better legibility (WCAG 1.4.3) */
+  color: var(--vt-c-text-1);
+  opacity: 0.75;
 }
 </style>