diff --git a/src/xterm.c b/src/xterm.c
index 4ab555974db..cc76bae7dbf 100644
--- a/src/xterm.c
+++ b/src/xterm.c
@@ -535,6 +535,12 @@ x_draw_vertical_window_border (w, x, y0, y1)
      int x, y0, y1;
 {
   struct frame *f = XFRAME (WINDOW_FRAME (w));
+  struct face *face;
+
+  face = FACE_FROM_ID (f, VERTICAL_BORDER_FACE_ID);
+  if (face)
+    XSetForeground (FRAME_X_DISPLAY (f), f->output_data.x->normal_gc,
+		    face->foreground);
 
   XDrawLine (FRAME_X_DISPLAY (f), FRAME_X_WINDOW (f),
 	     f->output_data.x->normal_gc, x, y0, x, y1);