diff --git a/src/libs/utils/stylehelper.cpp b/src/libs/utils/stylehelper.cpp
index 8f6499ce3c8999605465ab0913970fe260c22ec3..d6a5d546468a201039fd9b27c761fe3b8093c65c 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/stylehelper.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/stylehelper.cpp
@@ -94,8 +94,9 @@ QColor StyleHelper::panelTextColor(bool lightColored)
         return Qt::black;
 }
 
-QColor StyleHelper::m_baseColor(0x666666);
-QColor StyleHelper::m_requestedBaseColor(0x666666);
+// Invalid by default, setBaseColor needs to be called at least once
+QColor StyleHelper::m_baseColor;
+QColor StyleHelper::m_requestedBaseColor;
 
 QColor StyleHelper::baseColor(bool lightColored)
 {
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/stylehelper.h b/src/libs/utils/stylehelper.h
index 5533691acfe0dfb0d35ed6f11f59a78d58f89362..75435c4f889fd990e12bc6939150e40e2e7a86ff 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/stylehelper.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/stylehelper.h
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ namespace Utils {
 class QTCREATOR_UTILS_EXPORT StyleHelper
 {
 public:
+    static const unsigned int DEFAULT_BASE_COLOR = 0x666666;
+
     // Height of the project explorer navigation bar
     static int navigationWidgetHeight() { return 24; }
     static qreal sidebarFontSize();
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/generalsettings.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/generalsettings.cpp
index a9953bad696e8ca2da63292eb032d309e240ec00..12a719a1e84d4f8510cc35e3075a700f6f4ea8d9 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/generalsettings.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/generalsettings.cpp
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ void GeneralSettings::finish()
 
 void GeneralSettings::resetInterfaceColor()
 {
-    m_page->colorButton->setColor(0x666666);
+    m_page->colorButton->setColor(StyleHelper::DEFAULT_BASE_COLOR);
 }
 
 void GeneralSettings::resetExternalEditor()
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/mainwindow.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/mainwindow.cpp
index 201105098f5df04533c210028e3bff8a0f11dc33..ed1d48afb8dff898aa49ab6e591c4053783c398a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -1130,7 +1130,9 @@ void MainWindow::readSettings()
         // Get adapted base color.
         m_overrideColor = Utils::StyleHelper::baseColor();
     } else {
-        Utils::StyleHelper::setBaseColor(m_settings->value(QLatin1String(colorKey)).value<QColor>());
+        Utils::StyleHelper::setBaseColor(
+                m_settings->value(QLatin1String(colorKey),
+                                  QColor(Utils::StyleHelper::DEFAULT_BASE_COLOR)).value<QColor>());
     }
 
     const QVariant geom = m_settings->value(QLatin1String(geometryKey));