diff --git a/clients/desktop-shell.c b/clients/desktop-shell.c
index f5e0ba2e..18b8f9ea 100644
--- a/clients/desktop-shell.c
+++ b/clients/desktop-shell.c
@@ -571,8 +571,8 @@ panel_create(struct desktop *desktop)
 	free (clock_format_option);
 
 	s = weston_config_get_section(desktop->config, "shell", NULL, NULL);
-	weston_config_section_get_uint(s, "panel-color",
-				       &panel->color, 0xaa000000);
+	weston_config_section_get_color(s, "panel-color",
+					&panel->color, 0xaa000000);
 
 	panel_add_launchers(panel, desktop);
 
@@ -1068,8 +1068,8 @@ background_create(struct desktop *desktop)
 	s = weston_config_get_section(desktop->config, "shell", NULL, NULL);
 	weston_config_section_get_string(s, "background-image",
 					 &background->image, NULL);
-	weston_config_section_get_uint(s, "background-color",
-				       &background->color, 0);
+	weston_config_section_get_color(s, "background-color",
+					&background->color, 0x00000000);
 
 	weston_config_section_get_string(s, "background-type",
 					 &type, "tile");
diff --git a/clients/ivi-shell-user-interface.c b/clients/ivi-shell-user-interface.c
index 06b79a22..465def1a 100644
--- a/clients/ivi-shell-user-interface.c
+++ b/clients/ivi-shell-user-interface.c
@@ -1143,7 +1143,7 @@ hmi_homescreen_setting_create(void)
 	weston_config_section_get_uint(
 		shellSection, "home-id", &setting->home.id, 1007);
 
-	weston_config_section_get_uint(
+	weston_config_section_get_color(
 		shellSection, "workspace-background-color",
 		&setting->workspace_background.color, 0x99000000);
 
diff --git a/shared/config-parser.c b/shared/config-parser.c
index 1e08759e..33d5e361 100644
--- a/shared/config-parser.c
+++ b/shared/config-parser.c
@@ -207,6 +207,45 @@ weston_config_section_get_uint(struct weston_config_section *section,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+WL_EXPORT
+int
+weston_config_section_get_color(struct weston_config_section *section,
+				const char *key,
+				uint32_t *color, uint32_t default_color)
+{
+	struct weston_config_entry *entry;
+	int len;
+	char *end;
+
+	entry = config_section_get_entry(section, key);
+	if (entry == NULL) {
+		*color = default_color;
+		errno = ENOENT;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	len = strlen(entry->value);
+	if (len == 1 && entry->value[0] == '0') {
+		*color = 0;
+		return 0;
+	} else if (len != 8 && len != 10) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "string '%s' is length %d\n", entry->value, len);
+		*color = default_color;
+		errno = EINVAL;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	errno = 0;
+	*color = strtoul(entry->value, &end, 16);
+	if (errno != 0 || end == entry->value || *end != '\0') {
+		*color = default_color;
+		errno = EINVAL;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 WL_EXPORT
 int
 weston_config_section_get_double(struct weston_config_section *section,
diff --git a/shared/config-parser.h b/shared/config-parser.h
index b8462a72..17ef5d73 100644
--- a/shared/config-parser.h
+++ b/shared/config-parser.h
@@ -85,6 +85,10 @@ weston_config_section_get_uint(struct weston_config_section *section,
 			       const char *key,
 			       uint32_t *value, uint32_t default_value);
 int
+weston_config_section_get_color(struct weston_config_section *section,
+				const char *key,
+				uint32_t *color, uint32_t default_color);
+int
 weston_config_section_get_double(struct weston_config_section *section,
 				 const char *key,
 				 double *value, double default_value);
diff --git a/tests/config-parser-test.c b/tests/config-parser-test.c
index 735da4e0..5a5a380b 100644
--- a/tests/config-parser-test.c
+++ b/tests/config-parser-test.c
@@ -119,6 +119,14 @@ static struct zuc_fixture config_test_t1 = {
 	"zero=0\n"
 	"flag=false\n"
 	"\n"
+	"[colors]\n"
+	"none=0x00000000\n"
+	"low=0x11223344\n"
+	"high=0xff00ff00\n"
+	"oct=01234567\n"
+	"dec=12345670\n"
+	"short=1234567\n"
+	"\n"
 	"[stuff]\n"
 	"flag=     true \n"
 	"\n"
@@ -136,7 +144,7 @@ static struct zuc_fixture config_test_t1 = {
 };
 
 static const char *section_names[] = {
-	"foo", "bar", "stuff", "bucket", "bucket"
+	"foo", "bar", "colors", "stuff", "bucket", "bucket"
 };
 
 /*
@@ -428,7 +436,7 @@ ZUC_TEST_F(config_test_t1, test017, data)
 	while (weston_config_next_section(config, &section, &name))
 		ZUC_ASSERT_STREQ(section_names[i++], name);
 
-	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(5, i);
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(6, i);
 }
 
 ZUC_TEST_F(config_test_t1, test018, data)
@@ -461,6 +469,115 @@ ZUC_TEST_F(config_test_t1, test019, data)
 	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0, errno);
 }
 
+ZUC_TEST_F(config_test_t1, test020, data)
+{
+	int r;
+	uint32_t n;
+	struct weston_config_section *section;
+	struct weston_config *config = data;
+
+	section = weston_config_get_section(config, "colors", NULL, NULL);
+	r = weston_config_section_get_color(section, "none", &n, 0xff336699);
+
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0, r);
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0x000000, n);
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0, errno);
+}
+
+ZUC_TEST_F(config_test_t1, test021, data)
+{
+	int r;
+	uint32_t n;
+	struct weston_config_section *section;
+	struct weston_config *config = data;
+
+	section = weston_config_get_section(config, "colors", NULL, NULL);
+	r = weston_config_section_get_color(section, "low", &n, 0xff336699);
+
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0, r);
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0x11223344, n);
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0, errno);
+}
+
+ZUC_TEST_F(config_test_t1, test022, data)
+{
+	int r;
+	uint32_t n;
+	struct weston_config_section *section;
+	struct weston_config *config = data;
+
+	section = weston_config_get_section(config, "colors", NULL, NULL);
+	r = weston_config_section_get_color(section, "high", &n, 0xff336699);
+
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0, r);
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0xff00ff00, n);
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0, errno);
+}
+
+ZUC_TEST_F(config_test_t1, test023, data)
+{
+	int r;
+	uint32_t n;
+	struct weston_config_section *section;
+	struct weston_config *config = data;
+
+	// Treat colors as hex values even if missing the leading 0x
+	section = weston_config_get_section(config, "colors", NULL, NULL);
+	r = weston_config_section_get_color(section, "oct", &n, 0xff336699);
+
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0, r);
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0x01234567, n);
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0, errno);
+}
+
+ZUC_TEST_F(config_test_t1, test024, data)
+{
+	int r;
+	uint32_t n;
+	struct weston_config_section *section;
+	struct weston_config *config = data;
+
+	// Treat colors as hex values even if missing the leading 0x
+	section = weston_config_get_section(config, "colors", NULL, NULL);
+	r = weston_config_section_get_color(section, "dec", &n, 0xff336699);
+
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0, r);
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0x12345670, n);
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0, errno);
+}
+
+ZUC_TEST_F(config_test_t1, test025, data)
+{
+	int r;
+	uint32_t n;
+	struct weston_config_section *section;
+	struct weston_config *config = data;
+
+	// 7-digit colors are not valid (most likely typos)
+	section = weston_config_get_section(config, "colors", NULL, NULL);
+	r = weston_config_section_get_color(section, "short", &n, 0xff336699);
+
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(-1, r);
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0xff336699, n);
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(EINVAL, errno);
+}
+
+ZUC_TEST_F(config_test_t1, test026, data)
+{
+	int r;
+	uint32_t n;
+	struct weston_config_section *section;
+	struct weston_config *config = data;
+
+	// String color names are unsupported
+	section = weston_config_get_section(config, "bucket", NULL, NULL);
+	r = weston_config_section_get_color(section, "color", &n, 0xff336699);
+
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(-1, r);
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(0xff336699, n);
+	ZUC_ASSERT_EQ(EINVAL, errno);
+}
+
 ZUC_TEST_F(config_test_t2, doesnt_parse, data)
 {
 	struct weston_config *config = data;