diff --git a/cmd/mtseeder/main.go b/cmd/mtseeder/main.go
index cee37dd..0cbb0f9 100644
--- a/cmd/mtseeder/main.go
+++ b/cmd/mtseeder/main.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ package main
 import (
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
-	"image/color"
 	"log"
 
 	"bitbucket.org/s_l_teichmann/mtsatellite/common"
@@ -68,12 +67,7 @@ func main() {
 		common.PrintVersionAndExit()
 	}
 
-	var bg color.RGBA
-	var err error
-	if bg, err = common.ParseColor(bgColor); err != nil {
-		log.Printf("WARN: Cannot parse background color '%s': %s\n", bgColor, err)
-		bg = common.BackgroundColor
-	}
+	bg := common.ParseColorDefault(bgColor, common.BackgroundColor)
 
 	if !skipBaseLevel {
 		td := common.Clamp32f(float32(transparentDim/100.0), 0.0, 1.0)
diff --git a/cmd/mttilemapper/main.go b/cmd/mttilemapper/main.go
index 103739b..cf72ad1 100644
--- a/cmd/mttilemapper/main.go
+++ b/cmd/mttilemapper/main.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"image"
-	"image/color"
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"runtime/pprof"
@@ -65,12 +64,7 @@ func main() {
 		common.PrintVersionAndExit()
 	}
 
-	var bg color.RGBA
-	var err error
-	if bg, err = common.ParseColor(bgColor); err != nil {
-		log.Printf("WARN: Cannot parse background color '%s': %s\n", bgColor, err)
-		bg = common.BackgroundColor
-	}
+	bg := common.ParseColorDefault(bgColor, common.BackgroundColor)
 
 	if cpuProfile != "" {
 		f, err := os.Create(cpuProfile)
@@ -82,6 +76,7 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	var colors *common.Colors
+	var err error
 	if colors, err = common.ParseColors(colorsfile); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Cannot open color file: %s", err)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/mtwebmapper/main.go b/cmd/mtwebmapper/main.go
index 4cf3305..8276422 100644
--- a/cmd/mtwebmapper/main.go
+++ b/cmd/mtwebmapper/main.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ package main
 import (
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
-	"image/color"
 	"log"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
@@ -83,12 +82,7 @@ func main() {
 		common.PrintVersionAndExit()
 	}
 
-	var bg color.RGBA
-	var err error
-	if bg, err = common.ParseColor(bgColor); err != nil {
-		log.Printf("WARN: Cannot parse background color '%s': %s\n", bgColor, err)
-		bg = common.BackgroundColor
-	}
+	bg := common.ParseColorDefault(bgColor, common.BackgroundColor)
 
 	router := mux.NewRouter()
 
diff --git a/common/colors.go b/common/colors.go
index 22a4fd4..c9a6bdd 100644
--- a/common/colors.go
+++ b/common/colors.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"bufio"
 	"fmt"
 	"image/color"
+	"log"
 	"os"
 	"sort"
 	"strconv"
@@ -136,6 +137,15 @@ func ParseColor(col string) (color.RGBA, error) {
 		A: 0xff}, nil
 }
 
+func ParseColorDefault(col string, def color.RGBA) color.RGBA {
+	c, err := ParseColor(col)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("WARN: cannot parse color '%s': %s\n", col, err)
+		return def
+	}
+	return c
+}
+
 func ColorToHex(col color.RGBA) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("#%02x%02x%02x", col.R, col.G, col.B)
 }