diff --git a/crates/maestro-tui/src/pane.rs b/crates/maestro-tui/src/pane.rs
index fd9593c..552ae1c 100644
--- a/crates/maestro-tui/src/pane.rs
+++ b/crates/maestro-tui/src/pane.rs
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@ fn translate_cell_style(cell: &vt100::Cell) -> Style {
     s
 }
 
+/// PTY cell colours pass through verbatim: they belong to the program
+/// running in the pane, not to the TUI's own chrome, so they are deliberately
+/// not palette roles (see `crate::palette`).
 fn translate_color(c: vt100::Color) -> Option<Color> {
     match c {
         vt100::Color::Default => None,