diff --git a/lib/awful.lua.in b/lib/awful.lua.in
index 8e465177..fab592f3 100644
--- a/lib/awful.lua.in
+++ b/lib/awful.lua.in
@@ -71,6 +71,16 @@ client.urgent = {}
 client.urgent.stack = {}
 client.urgent.stack.data = {}
 
+--- Strip alpha part of color.
+-- @param color The color.
+-- @return The color without alpha channel.
+local function color_strip_alpha(color)
+    if color:len() == 9 then
+        color = color:sub(1, 7)
+    end
+    return color
+end
+
 --- Make i cycle.
 -- @param t A length.
 -- @param i An absolute index to fit into #t.
@@ -1058,7 +1068,7 @@ local function prompt_text_with_cursor(text, text_color, cursor_color, cursor_po
     end
     local text_start = escape(text:sub(1, cursor_pos - 1))
     local text_end = escape(text:sub(cursor_pos + 1))
-    return text_start .. "<span background=\"" .. cursor_color .. "\" foreground=\"" .. text_color .. "\">" .. char .. "</span>" .. text_end
+    return text_start .. "<span background=\"" .. color_strip_alpha(cursor_color) .. "\" foreground=\"" .. color_strip_alpha(text_color) .. "\">" .. char .. "</span>" .. text_end
 end
 
 --- Run a prompt in a box.
@@ -1328,7 +1338,7 @@ function widget.taglist.label.all(t, args)
         end
     end
     if bg_color and fg_color then
-        text = "<bg "..background.." color='"..bg_color.."'/> <span color='"..fg_color.."'>"..escape(t.name).."</span> "
+        text = "<bg "..background.." color='"..bg_color.."'/> <span color='"..color_strip_alpha(fg_color).."'>"..escape(t.name).."</span> "
     else
         text = " <bg "..background.." />"..escape(t.name).." "
     end
@@ -1370,7 +1380,7 @@ function widget.taglist.label.noempty(t, args)
             end
         end
         if fg_color and bg_color then
-            text = "<bg color='" .. bg_color .. "'/> <span color='" .. fg_color .. "'>" .. escape(t.name) .. "</span> "
+            text = "<bg color='" .. bg_color .. "'/> <span color='" .. color_strip_alpha(fg_color) .. "'>" .. escape(t.name) .. "</span> "
         else
             text = " " .. escape(t.name) .. " "
         end
@@ -1396,12 +1406,12 @@ local function widget_tasklist_label_common(c, args)
     end
     if capi.client.focus == c then
         if bg_focus and fg_focus then
-            text = text .. " <bg color='"..bg_focus.."'/><span color='"..fg_focus.."'>"..name.."</span> "
+            text = text .. " <bg color='"..bg_focus.."'/><span color='"..color_strip_alpha(fg_focus).."'>"..name.."</span> "
         else
             text = text .. " "..name.." "
         end
     elseif c.urgent and bg_urgent and fg_urgent then
-        text = text .. " <bg color='"..bg_urgent.."'/><span color='"..fg_urgent.."'>"..name.."</span> "
+        text = text .. " <bg color='"..bg_urgent.."'/><span color='"..color_strip_alpha(fg_urgent).."'>"..name.."</span> "
     else
         text = text .. " "..name.." "
     end