diff --git a/src/material/card/_m2-card.scss b/src/material/card/_m2-card.scss
index 4ffd84e9f6c6..4233d746b4bd 100644
--- a/src/material/card/_m2-card.scss
+++ b/src/material/card/_m2-card.scss
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
     card-outlined-container-color: map.get($system, surface),
     card-outlined-container-elevation: elevation.get-box-shadow(0),
     card-outlined-outline-color: inspection.get-theme-color($theme, system, outline),
-    card-subtitle-text-color: map.get($system, surface-variant),
+    card-subtitle-text-color: map.get($system, on-surface-variant),
     card-filled-container-color: map.get($system, surface),
     card-filled-container-elevation: elevation.get-box-shadow(0)
   );