A light-sensitive positive photoresist composition containing a film forming novolak resin, a quinone-diazide photoactive compound, a solvent, and a 2,4-dinitro-1-naphthol dye, where the dye is present at a level greater than 0.5 weight percent of the total photoresist composition. The dye reduces the linewidth variation of the resist pattern on a reflective substrate without significantly reducing the lithographic performance of the light-sensitive composition.