diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/irc/Utils.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/irc/Utils.java
index adea32b56..5c5f6725c 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/irc/Utils.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/irc/Utils.java
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ private static Color parseBackgroundColor(final String text)
                 // if available, also parse background color
                 int color =
                     Integer.parseInt("" + text.charAt(1) + text.charAt(2));
+                color = color % Color.values().length;
                 return Color.values()[color];
             }
             throw new IllegalArgumentException(
@@ -184,6 +185,7 @@ private static Color parseForegroundColor(final String text)
         try
         {
             int color = Integer.parseInt("" + text.charAt(0) + text.charAt(1));
+            color = color % Color.values().length;
             return Color.values()[color];
         }
         catch (StringIndexOutOfBoundsException e)
@@ -196,7 +198,6 @@ private static Color parseForegroundColor(final String text)
         catch (NumberFormatException e)
         {
             // FIXME correctly print out color code (as a number or hex number)
-            // FIXME wrap around color codes?
             // Invalid text color value
             LOGGER.trace("Invalid foreground color code encountered.");
             throw new IllegalArgumentException(
diff --git a/test/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/irc/UtilsTest.java b/test/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/irc/UtilsTest.java
index b9d531712..5ca18a94e 100644
--- a/test/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/irc/UtilsTest.java
+++ b/test/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/irc/UtilsTest.java
@@ -143,14 +143,15 @@ public void testParseStringWithUnclosedFormattingI()
     public void testParseUnknownForegroundColor()
     {
         final String ircMessage = "\u000399TEST";
-        final String htmlMessage = "99TEST";
+        final String htmlMessage = "<font color=\"Green\">TEST</font>";
         Assert.assertEquals(htmlMessage, Utils.parse(ircMessage));
     }
 
     public void testParseUnknownBackgroundColor()
     {
         final String ircMessage = "\u000300,99TEST";
-        final String htmlMessage = "<font color=\"White\">,99TEST</font>";
+        final String htmlMessage =
+            "<font color=\"White\" bgcolor=\"Green\">TEST</font>";
         Assert.assertEquals(htmlMessage, Utils.parse(ircMessage));
     }