diff --git a/include/config.h b/include/config.h
index 2423c9ed7..80340720c 100644
--- a/include/config.h
+++ b/include/config.h
@@ -99,24 +99,24 @@ struct bar_config {
 	bool binding_mode_indicator;
 	bool verbose;
 	struct {
-		char background[8];
-		char statusline[8];
-		char separator[8];
-		char focused_workspace_border[8];
-		char focused_workspace_bg[8];
-		char focused_workspace_text[8];
-		char active_workspace_border[8];
-		char active_workspace_bg[8];
-		char active_workspace_text[8];
-		char inactive_workspace_border[8];
-		char inactive_workspace_bg[8];
-		char inactive_workspace_text[8];
-		char urgent_workspace_border[8];
-		char urgent_workspace_bg[8];
-		char urgent_workspace_text[8];
-		char binding_mode_border[8];
-		char binding_mode_bg[8];
-		char binding_mode_text[8];
+		char background[10];
+		char statusline[10];
+		char separator[10];
+		char focused_workspace_border[10];
+		char focused_workspace_bg[10];
+		char focused_workspace_text[10];
+		char active_workspace_border[10];
+		char active_workspace_bg[10];
+		char active_workspace_text[10];
+		char inactive_workspace_border[10];
+		char inactive_workspace_bg[10];
+		char inactive_workspace_text[10];
+		char urgent_workspace_border[10];
+		char urgent_workspace_bg[10];
+		char urgent_workspace_text[10];
+		char binding_mode_border[10];
+		char binding_mode_bg[10];
+		char binding_mode_text[10];
 	} colors;
 };
 
diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index d2b537834..733fb2933 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -1851,7 +1851,8 @@ static struct cmd_handler bar_handlers[] = {
  * return error object, or NULL if color is valid.
  */
 static struct cmd_results *add_color(const char *name, char *buffer, const char *color) {
-	if (strlen(color) != 7) {
+	int len = strlen(color);
+	if (len != 7 && len != 9 ) {
 		return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, name, "Invalid color definition %s", color);
 	}
 
@@ -1860,15 +1861,20 @@ static struct cmd_results *add_color(const char *name, char *buffer, const char
 	}
 
 	int i;
-	for (i = 1; i < 7; ++i) {
+	for (i = 1; i < len; ++i) {
 		if (!isxdigit(color[i])) {
 			return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, name, "Invalid color definition %s", color);
 		}
 	}
 
 	// copy color to buffer
-	strncpy(buffer, color, 7);
-	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Setting %s color %s for bar: %s", name, color, config->current_bar->id);
+	strncpy(buffer, color, len);
+	// add default alpha channel if color was defined without it
+	if (len == 7) {
+		buffer[7] = 'f';
+		buffer[8] = 'f';
+	}
+	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Setting %s color %s for bar: %s", name, buffer, config->current_bar->id);
 
 	return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/sway/config.c b/sway/config.c
index a0e956776..e0c9151d8 100644
--- a/sway/config.c
+++ b/sway/config.c
@@ -568,24 +568,24 @@ struct bar_config *default_bar_config(void) {
 	bar->binding_mode_indicator = true;
 	bar->tray_padding = 2;
 	// set default colors
-	strcpy(bar->colors.background, "#000000");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.statusline, "#ffffff");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.separator, "#666666");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.focused_workspace_border, "#4c7899");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.focused_workspace_bg, "#285577");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.focused_workspace_text, "#ffffff");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.active_workspace_border, "333333");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.active_workspace_bg, "#5f676a");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.active_workspace_text, "#ffffff");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.inactive_workspace_border, "#333333");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.inactive_workspace_bg,"#222222");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.inactive_workspace_text, "#888888");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.urgent_workspace_border, "#2f343a");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.urgent_workspace_bg,"#900000");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.urgent_workspace_text, "#ffffff");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.binding_mode_border, "#2f343a");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.binding_mode_bg,"#900000");
-	strcpy(bar->colors.binding_mode_text, "#ffffff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.background, "#000000ff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.statusline, "#ffffffff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.separator, "#666666ff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.focused_workspace_border, "#4c7899ff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.focused_workspace_bg, "#285577ff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.focused_workspace_text, "#ffffffff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.active_workspace_border, "333333ff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.active_workspace_bg, "#5f676aff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.active_workspace_text, "#ffffffff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.inactive_workspace_border, "#333333ff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.inactive_workspace_bg,"#222222ff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.inactive_workspace_text, "#888888ff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.urgent_workspace_border, "#2f343aff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.urgent_workspace_bg,"#900000ff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.urgent_workspace_text, "#ffffffff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.binding_mode_border, "#2f343aff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.binding_mode_bg,"#900000ff");
+	strcpy(bar->colors.binding_mode_text, "#ffffffff");
 
 	list_add(config->bars, bar);