diff --git a/visidata/freqtbl.py b/visidata/freqtbl.py
index 3129b8b2c..992376b23 100644
--- a/visidata/freqtbl.py
+++ b/visidata/freqtbl.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 from visidata.pivot import PivotSheet, PivotGroupRow
 
 
-vd.option('disp_histogram', '*', 'histogram element character')
+vd.option('disp_histogram', '■', 'histogram element character')
 vd.option('histogram_bins', 0, 'number of bins for histogram of numeric columns')
 vd.option('numeric_binning', False, 'bin numeric columns into ranges', replay=True)
 
diff --git a/visidata/themes/ascii8.py b/visidata/themes/ascii8.py
index 5cce6a20b..57914b675 100644
--- a/visidata/themes/ascii8.py
+++ b/visidata/themes/ascii8.py
@@ -79,5 +79,6 @@
     disp_menu_push='+',
     disp_menu_input='_',
     disp_menu_fmt='7-bit ASCII 3-bit color',
-    plot_colors = 'white'
+    plot_colors = 'white',
+    disp_histogram='*'
 )