diff --git a/source/gui/CGUI.cpp b/source/gui/CGUI.cpp
index 7e1bd37c03..4faac9b153 100755
--- a/source/gui/CGUI.cpp
+++ b/source/gui/CGUI.cpp
@@ -1548,16 +1548,17 @@ void CGUI::Xeromyces_ReadEffects(XMBElement Element, CXeromyces* pFile, SGUIImag
 		CStr attr_name (pFile->getAttributeString(attr.Name));
 		CStr attr_value (attr.Value);
 
-#define COLOR(xml, mem) \
+#define COLOR(xml, mem, alpha) \
 		if (attr_name == xml) \
 		{ \
 			CColor color; \
-			if (!GUI<CColor>::ParseString(attr_value, color)) \
+			if (!GUI<int>::ParseColor(attr_value, color, alpha)) \
 				ReportParseError("Error parsing '%s' (\"%s\")", attr_name.c_str(), attr_value.c_str()); \
 			else effects.m_##mem = color; \
 		} \
 		else
 
+
 #define BOOL(xml, mem) \
 		if (attr_name == xml) \
 		{ \
@@ -1565,8 +1566,8 @@ void CGUI::Xeromyces_ReadEffects(XMBElement Element, CXeromyces* pFile, SGUIImag
 		} \
 		else
 
-		COLOR("add_color", AddColor)
-		COLOR("multiply_color", MultiplyColor)
+		COLOR("add_color", AddColor, 0.f)
+		COLOR("multiply_color", MultiplyColor, 255.f)
 		BOOL("grayscale", Greyscale)
 
 		{
diff --git a/source/gui/GUIutil.cpp b/source/gui/GUIutil.cpp
index 9be79335d1..171af0732e 100755
--- a/source/gui/GUIutil.cpp
+++ b/source/gui/GUIutil.cpp
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ bool __ParseString<CClientArea>(const CStr& Value, CClientArea &Output)
 }
 
 template <>
-bool __ParseString<CColor>(const CStr& Value, CColor &Output)
+bool GUI<int>::ParseColor(const CStr& Value, CColor &Output, float DefaultAlpha)
 {
 	// Use the parser to parse the values
 	CParser& parser (CParserCache::Get("_[-$arg(_minus)]$value_[-$arg(_minus)]$value_[-$arg(_minus)]$value_[[-$arg(_minus)]$value_]"));
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ bool __ParseString<CColor>(const CStr& Value, CColor &Output)
 		return false;
 	}
 	float values[4];
-	values[3] = 255.f; // default
+	values[3] = DefaultAlpha;
 	for (int i=0; i<(int)line.GetArgCount(); ++i)
 	{
 		if (!line.GetArgFloat(i, values[i]))
@@ -105,10 +105,17 @@ bool __ParseString<CColor>(const CStr& Value, CColor &Output)
 	Output.g = values[1]/255.f;
 	Output.b = values[2]/255.f;
 	Output.a = values[3]/255.f;
-	
+
 	return true;
 }
 
+
+template <>
+bool __ParseString<CColor>(const CStr& Value, CColor &Output)
+{
+	return GUI<int>::ParseColor(Value, Output, 255.f);
+}
+
 template <>
 bool __ParseString<CSize>(const CStr& Value, CSize &Output)
 {
diff --git a/source/gui/GUIutil.h b/source/gui/GUIutil.h
index cc92c3a2eb..26a757e715 100755
--- a/source/gui/GUIutil.h
+++ b/source/gui/GUIutil.h
@@ -303,6 +303,8 @@ public:
 		return __ParseString<T>(Value, tOutput);
 	}
 
+	static bool ParseColor(const CStr& Value, CColor &tOutput, float DefaultAlpha);
+
 private:
 
 	// templated typedef of function pointer