diff --git a/internal/color/color.go b/internal/color/color.go
index 8d4ad84..3f6bca8 100644
--- a/internal/color/color.go
+++ b/internal/color/color.go
@@ -6,7 +6,15 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 )
 
+type NameError struct {
+	Err  error
+	Name string
+}
+
+func (err *NameError) Error() string { return fmt.Sprintf("%s '%s'", err.Err, err.Name) }
+
 var ErrInvalidHexSize = fmt.Errorf("expect a size of 3 or 6 (without the '#' prefix)")
+var ErrUnknownColorName = fmt.Errorf("unknown color name")
 
 // T represents a color
 type T uint32
@@ -16,7 +24,7 @@ type T uint32
 func FromName(t Theme, s string) (T, error) {
 	value, ok := t[s]
 	if !ok {
-		return 0, fmt.Errorf("unknown color name '%s'", s)
+		return 0, &NameError{ErrUnknownColorName, s}
 	}
 	return value, nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/color/color_test.go b/internal/color/color_test.go
index 7938f91..f4790ce 100644
--- a/internal/color/color_test.go
+++ b/internal/color/color_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package color
 
 import (
+	"io"
 	"strconv"
 	"testing"
 )
@@ -170,3 +171,60 @@ func TestFromName(t *testing.T) {
 
 	}
 }
+
+func TestParse(t *testing.T) {
+	// fetch custom theme
+	theme := getTheme()
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		Name  string
+		err   error
+		Color T
+	}{
+		{"", io.ErrUnexpectedEOF, 0x0},
+		{"unknown color", &NameError{ErrUnknownColorName, "unknown color"}, 0x0},
+
+		{"white", nil, 0xffffff},
+		{"black", nil, 0x0},
+		{"red", nil, 0xff0000},
+		{"green", nil, 0x00ff00},
+		{"blue", nil, 0x0000ff},
+
+		{"#000", nil, 0x000000},
+		{"#000000", nil, 0x000000},
+
+		{"#f00", nil, 0xff0000},
+		{"#ff0000", nil, 0xff0000},
+
+		{"#0f0", nil, 0x00ff00},
+		{"#00ff00", nil, 0x00ff00},
+
+		{"#00f", nil, 0x0000ff},
+		{"#0000ff", nil, 0x0000ff},
+
+		{"#4cb5ae", nil, 0x4cb5ae},
+	}
+
+	for i, test := range tests {
+
+		color, err := Parse(theme, test.Name)
+		if err != nil {
+			if test.err == nil {
+				t.Errorf("[%d] unexpected error <%s>", i, err)
+			} else if err.Error() != test.err.Error() {
+				t.Errorf("[%d] got error <%s> expected <%s>", i, err, test.err)
+			}
+			break
+		}
+
+		if test.err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("[%d] expected error <%s>", i, test.err)
+			break
+		}
+
+		if color != test.Color {
+			t.Errorf("[%d] invalid color %x expected %x", i, color, test.Color)
+		}
+
+	}
+}