diff --git a/common/util.c b/common/util.c
index 84ebab992..c7ef2ac49 100644
--- a/common/util.c
+++ b/common/util.c
@@ -31,6 +31,13 @@ bool parse_color(const char *color, uint32_t *result) {
 	return true;
 }
 
+void color_to_rgba(float dest[static 4], uint32_t color) {
+	dest[0] = ((color >> 24) & 0xff) / 255.0;
+	dest[1] = ((color >> 16) & 0xff) / 255.0;
+	dest[2] = ((color >> 8) & 0xff) / 255.0;
+	dest[3] = (color & 0xff) / 255.0;
+}
+
 bool parse_boolean(const char *boolean, bool current) {
 	if (strcasecmp(boolean, "1") == 0
 			|| strcasecmp(boolean, "yes") == 0
diff --git a/include/util.h b/include/util.h
index 931ac6910..867eb0a43 100644
--- a/include/util.h
+++ b/include/util.h
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ int wrap(int i, int max);
  */
 bool parse_color(const char *color, uint32_t *result);
 
+void color_to_rgba(float dest[static 4], uint32_t color);
+
 /**
  * Given a string that represents a boolean, return the boolean value. This
  * function also takes in the current boolean value to support toggling. If
diff --git a/sway/commands/client.c b/sway/commands/client.c
index f5c7d90fb..e42823417 100644
--- a/sway/commands/client.c
+++ b/sway/commands/client.c
@@ -3,56 +3,13 @@
 #include "sway/config.h"
 #include "sway/output.h"
 #include "sway/tree/container.h"
+#include "util.h"
 
 static void rebuild_textures_iterator(struct sway_container *con, void *data) {
 	container_update_marks_textures(con);
 	container_update_title_textures(con);
 }
 
-/**
- * Parse the hex string into an integer.
- */
-static bool parse_color_int(char *hexstring, uint32_t *dest) {
-	if (hexstring[0] != '#') {
-		return false;
-	}
-
-	if (strlen(hexstring) != 7 && strlen(hexstring) != 9) {
-		return false;
-	}
-
-	++hexstring;
-	char *end;
-	uint32_t decimal = strtol(hexstring, &end, 16);
-
-	if (*end != '\0') {
-		return false;
-	}
-
-	if (strlen(hexstring) == 6) {
-		// Add alpha
-		decimal = (decimal << 8) | 0xff;
-	}
-
-	*dest = decimal;
-	return true;
-}
-
-/**
- * Parse the hex string into a float value.
- */
-static bool parse_color_float(char *hexstring, float dest[static 4]) {
-	uint32_t decimal;
-	if (!parse_color_int(hexstring, &decimal)) {
-		return false;
-	}
-	dest[0] = ((decimal >> 24) & 0xff) / 255.0;
-	dest[1] = ((decimal >> 16) & 0xff) / 255.0;
-	dest[2] = ((decimal >> 8) & 0xff) / 255.0;
-	dest[3] = (decimal & 0xff) / 255.0;
-	return true;
-}
-
 static struct cmd_results *handle_command(int argc, char **argv,
 		struct border_colors *class, char *cmd_name) {
 	struct cmd_results *error = NULL;
@@ -60,30 +17,28 @@ static struct cmd_results *handle_command(int argc, char **argv,
 		return error;
 	}
 
-	if (!parse_color_float(argv[0], class->border)) {
-		return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID,
-				"Unable to parse border color '%s'", argv[0]);
+	struct border_colors colors = {0};
+
+	struct {
+		const char *name;
+		float *rgba[4];
+	} properties[] = {
+		{ "border", colors.border },
+		{ "background", colors.background },
+		{ "text", colors.text },
+		{ "indicator", colors.indicator },
+		{ "child_border", colors.child_border }
+	};
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < sizeof(properties) / sizeof(properties[0]); i++) {
+		uint32_t color;
+		if (!parse_color(argv[i], &color)) {
+			return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID,
+					"Invalid %s color %s", properties[i].name, argv[i]);
+		}
+		color_to_rgba(*properties[i].rgba, color);
 	}
 
-	if (!parse_color_float(argv[1], class->background)) {
-		return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID,
-				"Unable to parse background color '%s'", argv[1]);
-	}
-
-	if (!parse_color_float(argv[2], class->text)) {
-		return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID,
-				"Unable to parse text color '%s'", argv[2]);
-	}
-
-	if (!parse_color_float(argv[3], class->indicator)) {
-		return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID,
-				"Unable to parse indicator color '%s'", argv[3]);
-	}
-
-	if (!parse_color_float(argv[4], class->child_border)) {
-		return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID,
-				"Unable to parse child border color '%s'", argv[4]);
-	}
+	memcpy(class, &colors, sizeof(struct border_colors));
 
 	if (config->active) {
 		root_for_each_container(rebuild_textures_iterator, NULL);
diff --git a/sway/config.c b/sway/config.c
index 347042772..6d730f464 100644
--- a/sway/config.c
+++ b/sway/config.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "stringop.h"
 #include "list.h"
 #include "log.h"
+#include "util.h"
 
 struct sway_config *config = NULL;
 
@@ -192,13 +193,6 @@ static void destroy_removed_seats(struct sway_config *old_config,
 	}
 }
 
-static void set_color(float dest[static 4], uint32_t color) {
-	dest[0] = ((color >> 16) & 0xff) / 255.0;
-	dest[1] = ((color >> 8) & 0xff) / 255.0;
-	dest[2] = (color & 0xff) / 255.0;
-	dest[3] = 1.0;
-}
-
 static void config_defaults(struct sway_config *config) {
 	if (!(config->swaynag_command = strdup("swaynag"))) goto cleanup;
 	config->swaynag_config_errors = (struct swaynag_instance){0};
@@ -300,37 +294,37 @@ static void config_defaults(struct sway_config *config) {
 	config->hide_lone_tab = false;
 
 	// border colors
-	set_color(config->border_colors.focused.border, 0x4C7899);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.focused.background, 0x285577);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.focused.text, 0xFFFFFFFF);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.focused.indicator, 0x2E9EF4);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.focused.child_border, 0x285577);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.focused.border, 0x4C7899FF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.focused.background, 0x285577FF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.focused.text, 0xFFFFFFFF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.focused.indicator, 0x2E9EF4FF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.focused.child_border, 0x285577FF);
 
-	set_color(config->border_colors.focused_inactive.border, 0x333333);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.focused_inactive.background, 0x5F676A);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.focused_inactive.text, 0xFFFFFFFF);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.focused_inactive.indicator, 0x484E50);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.focused_inactive.child_border, 0x5F676A);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.focused_inactive.border, 0x333333FF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.focused_inactive.background, 0x5F676AFF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.focused_inactive.text, 0xFFFFFFFF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.focused_inactive.indicator, 0x484E50FF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.focused_inactive.child_border, 0x5F676AFF);
 
-	set_color(config->border_colors.unfocused.border, 0x333333);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.unfocused.background, 0x222222);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.unfocused.text, 0x88888888);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.unfocused.indicator, 0x292D2E);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.unfocused.child_border, 0x222222);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.unfocused.border, 0x333333FF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.unfocused.background, 0x222222FF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.unfocused.text, 0x88888888);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.unfocused.indicator, 0x292D2EFF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.unfocused.child_border, 0x222222FF);
 
-	set_color(config->border_colors.urgent.border, 0x2F343A);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.urgent.background, 0x900000);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.urgent.text, 0xFFFFFFFF);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.urgent.indicator, 0x900000);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.urgent.child_border, 0x900000);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.urgent.border, 0x2F343AFF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.urgent.background, 0x900000FF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.urgent.text, 0xFFFFFFFF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.urgent.indicator, 0x900000FF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.urgent.child_border, 0x900000FF);
 
-	set_color(config->border_colors.placeholder.border, 0x000000);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.placeholder.background, 0x0C0C0C);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.placeholder.text, 0xFFFFFFFF);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.placeholder.indicator, 0x000000);
-	set_color(config->border_colors.placeholder.child_border, 0x0C0C0C);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.placeholder.border, 0x000000FF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.placeholder.background, 0x0C0C0CFF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.placeholder.text, 0xFFFFFFFF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.placeholder.indicator, 0x000000FF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.placeholder.child_border, 0x0C0C0CFF);
 
-	set_color(config->border_colors.background, 0xFFFFFF);
+	color_to_rgba(config->border_colors.background, 0xFFFFFFFF);
 
 	// Security
 	if (!(config->command_policies = create_list())) goto cleanup;