diff --git a/lisp/replace.el b/lisp/replace.el
index f131d263ec..07b2d59a25 100644
--- a/lisp/replace.el
+++ b/lisp/replace.el
@@ -1433,7 +1433,7 @@ occur-next-error
 
 (defface match
   '((((class color) (min-colors 88) (background light))
-     :background "yellow1")
+     :background "#ffff66")
     (((class color) (min-colors 88) (background dark))
      :background "RoyalBlue3")
     (((class color) (min-colors 8) (background light))
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/xref.el b/lisp/progmodes/xref.el
index ea52befec5..cada1f1109 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/xref.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/xref.el
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ xref-match-length
 
 ;;;; Commonly needed location classes are defined here:
 
-(defcustom xref-file-name-display 'abs
+(defcustom xref-file-name-display 'project-relative
   "Style of file name display in *xref* buffers.
 
 If the value is the symbol `abs', the default, show the file names
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ xref-line-number
   "Face for displaying line numbers in the xref buffer."
   :version "27.1")
 
-(defface xref-match '((t :inherit highlight))
+(defface xref-match '((t :inherit match))
   "Face used to highlight matches in the xref buffer."
   :version "27.1")