diff --git a/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl b/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl
index d57bb1f49..f146f7ebd 100644
--- a/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl
+++ b/kitty/cell_vertex.glsl
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 // Inputs {{{
 layout(std140) uniform CellRenderData {
-    float xstart, ystart, dx, dy, sprite_dx, sprite_dy, background_opacity, cursor_text_uses_bg;
+    float xstart, ystart, dx, dy, sprite_dx, sprite_dy, background_opacity, cursor_text_uses_bg, visual_bell_intensity;
 
     uint default_fg, default_bg, highlight_fg, highlight_bg, cursor_color, cursor_text_color, url_color, url_style, inverted;
 
@@ -236,6 +236,7 @@ void main() {
 
 #if defined(SPECIAL) || defined(SIMPLE)
     // Selection and cursor
+    bg = max(bg, choose_color(visual_bell_intensity, color_to_vec(highlight_bg), bg));
     bg = choose_color(float(is_selected & ONE), color_to_vec(highlight_bg), bg);
     background = choose_color(cell_has_block_cursor, color_to_vec(cursor_color), bg);
 #if !defined(TRANSPARENT) && defined(SPECIAL)
diff --git a/kitty/screen.c b/kitty/screen.c
index 9bc5c6eb1..54c399867 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.c
+++ b/kitty/screen.c
@@ -1324,12 +1324,43 @@ screen_use_latin1(Screen *self, bool on) {
 bool
 screen_invert_colors(Screen *self) {
     bool inverted = false;
+    if (self->modes.mDECSCNM) inverted = true;
+    return inverted;
+}
+
+float
+ease_out_cubic(float phase) {
+    return 1.0f - powf(1.0f - phase, 3.0f);
+}
+
+float
+ease_in_out_cubic(float phase) {
+    return phase < 0.5f ?
+        4.0f * powf(phase, 3.0f) :
+        1.0f - powf(-2.0f * phase + 2.0f, 3.0f) / 2.0f;
+}
+
+float
+visual_bell_intensity(float phase) {
+    float peak = 0.2f;
+    float fade = 1.0f - peak;
+    if (phase < peak)
+        return ease_out_cubic(phase / peak);
+    else
+        return ease_in_out_cubic((1.0f - phase) / fade);
+}
+
+float
+screen_visual_bell_intensity(Screen *self) {
     if (self->start_visual_bell_at > 0) {
-        if (monotonic() - self->start_visual_bell_at <= OPT(visual_bell_duration)) inverted = true;
+        monotonic_t progress = monotonic() - self->start_visual_bell_at;
+        monotonic_t duration = OPT(visual_bell_duration);
+        if (progress <= duration) {
+            return visual_bell_intensity((float)progress / duration);
+        }
         else self->start_visual_bell_at = 0;
     }
-    if (self->modes.mDECSCNM) inverted = inverted ? false : true;
-    return inverted;
+    return 0.0f;
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/kitty/screen.h b/kitty/screen.h
index 2f26d88d4..3ab286024 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.h
+++ b/kitty/screen.h
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@ void screen_apply_selection(Screen *self, void *address, size_t size);
 bool screen_is_selection_dirty(Screen *self);
 bool screen_has_selection(Screen*);
 bool screen_invert_colors(Screen *self);
+float screen_visual_bell_intensity(Screen *self);
 void screen_update_cell_data(Screen *self, void *address, FONTS_DATA_HANDLE, bool cursor_has_moved);
 bool screen_is_cursor_visible(Screen *self);
 bool screen_selection_range_for_line(Screen *self, index_type y, index_type *start, index_type *end);
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.c b/kitty/shaders.c
index 60433c328..f76161da1 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.c
+++ b/kitty/shaders.c
@@ -250,9 +250,9 @@ send_graphics_data_to_gpu(size_t image_count, ssize_t gvao_idx, const ImageRende
 }
 
 static inline void
-cell_update_uniform_block(ssize_t vao_idx, Screen *screen, int uniform_buffer, GLfloat xstart, GLfloat ystart, GLfloat dx, GLfloat dy, CursorRenderInfo *cursor, bool inverted, OSWindow *os_window) {
+cell_update_uniform_block(ssize_t vao_idx, Screen *screen, int uniform_buffer, GLfloat xstart, GLfloat ystart, GLfloat dx, GLfloat dy, CursorRenderInfo *cursor, bool inverted, GLfloat visual_bell_intensity, OSWindow *os_window) {
     struct CellRenderData {
-        GLfloat xstart, ystart, dx, dy, sprite_dx, sprite_dy, background_opacity, cursor_text_uses_bg;
+        GLfloat xstart, ystart, dx, dy, sprite_dx, sprite_dy, background_opacity, cursor_text_uses_bg, visual_bell_intensity;
 
         GLuint default_fg, default_bg, highlight_fg, highlight_bg, cursor_color, cursor_text_color, url_color, url_style, inverted;
 
@@ -295,6 +295,7 @@ cell_update_uniform_block(ssize_t vao_idx, Screen *screen, int uniform_buffer, G
     rd->sprite_dx = 1.0f / (float)x; rd->sprite_dy = 1.0f / (float)y;
     rd->inverted = inverted ? 1 : 0;
     rd->background_opacity = os_window->is_semi_transparent ? os_window->background_opacity : 1.0f;
+    rd->visual_bell_intensity = visual_bell_intensity;
 
 #define COLOR(name) colorprofile_to_color(screen->color_profile, screen->color_profile->overridden.name, screen->color_profile->configured.name)
     rd->default_fg = COLOR(default_fg); rd->default_bg = COLOR(default_bg); rd->highlight_fg = COLOR(highlight_fg); rd->highlight_bg = COLOR(highlight_bg);
@@ -617,8 +618,9 @@ void
 draw_cells(ssize_t vao_idx, ssize_t gvao_idx, GLfloat xstart, GLfloat ystart, GLfloat dx, GLfloat dy, Screen *screen, OSWindow *os_window, bool is_active_window, bool can_be_focused) {
     CELL_BUFFERS;
     bool inverted = screen_invert_colors(screen);
+    GLfloat intensity = (GLfloat)screen_visual_bell_intensity(screen);
 
-    cell_update_uniform_block(vao_idx, screen, uniform_buffer, xstart, ystart, dx, dy, &screen->cursor_render_info, inverted, os_window);
+    cell_update_uniform_block(vao_idx, screen, uniform_buffer, xstart, ystart, dx, dy, &screen->cursor_render_info, inverted, intensity, os_window);
 
     bind_vao_uniform_buffer(vao_idx, uniform_buffer, cell_program_layouts[CELL_PROGRAM].render_data.index);
     bind_vertex_array(vao_idx);