diff --git a/code/client/cl_main.cpp b/code/client/cl_main.cpp
index be0b453..06896fa 100644
--- a/code/client/cl_main.cpp
+++ b/code/client/cl_main.cpp
@@ -2440,11 +2440,11 @@ static const cvarTableItemCPMA_t cpma_cvars[] =
 		"Crosshair text", CVARCAT_HUD, "Crosshair uses this text instead of an icon", ""
 	},
 	{
-		"ch_crosshairHitColor", CVART_COLOR_CPMA,
+		"ch_crosshairHitColor", CVART_COLOR_CPMA_E,
 		"Crosshair hit color", CVARCAT_HUD, "", ""
 	},
 	{
-		"ch_crosshairFragColor", CVART_COLOR_CPMA,
+		"ch_crosshairFragColor", CVART_COLOR_CPMA_E,
 		"Crosshair kill color", CVARCAT_HUD, "", ""
 	},
 	{
diff --git a/code/qcommon/cvar.cpp b/code/qcommon/cvar.cpp
index bd3a116..1b65f83 100644
--- a/code/qcommon/cvar.cpp
+++ b/code/qcommon/cvar.cpp
@@ -247,6 +247,9 @@ static qbool Cvar_IsValidValue( cvar_t *var, const char *value, qboolean printWa
 			WARNING( "must be a single char" );
 		if ( !IsCPMAColorCode(value[0]) )
 			WARNING( "invalid color code, must be [a-zA-Z0-9]" );
+	} else if ( var->type == CVART_COLOR_CPMA_E ) {
+		if ( value[0] != '\0' && !IsCPMAColorCode(value[0]) )
+			WARNING( "invalid color code, must be [a-zA-Z0-9] or empty" );
 	} else if ( var->type == CVART_COLOR_CHBLS ) {
 		if ( strlen(value) != 5 )
 			WARNING( "must be 5 chars" );
@@ -640,6 +643,7 @@ void Cvar_SetDataType( const char* cvarName, cvarType_t type )
 		Q_assert(
 			type == CVART_STRING ||
 			type == CVART_COLOR_CPMA ||
+			type == CVART_COLOR_CPMA_E ||
 			type == CVART_COLOR_CHBLS ||
 			type == CVART_COLOR_RGB ||
 			type == CVART_COLOR_RGBA );
@@ -826,10 +830,10 @@ void Cvar_PrintTypeAndRange( const char *var_name, printf_t print )
 		print( "RGB" );
 	} else if ( var->type == CVART_COLOR_RGBA ) {
 		print( "RGBA" );
-	} else if ( var->type == CVART_COLOR_CPMA ) {
-		print( "color_code" );
+	} else if ( var->type == CVART_COLOR_CPMA || var->type == CVART_COLOR_CPMA_E ) {
+		print( "color code" );
 	} else if ( var->type == CVART_COLOR_CHBLS ) {
-		print( "color_CHBLS" );
+		print( "CHBLS colors" );
 	} else {
 		print( "string" );
 	}
diff --git a/code/qcommon/q_shared.h b/code/qcommon/q_shared.h
index 62932c4..946f39f 100644
--- a/code/qcommon/q_shared.h
+++ b/code/qcommon/q_shared.h
@@ -698,6 +698,7 @@ typedef enum {
 	CVART_BOOL,			// uses integer min/max bounds, min=0 and max=1
 	// extended data types (not currently used by the CPMA QVMs)
 	CVART_COLOR_CPMA,	// CPMA color code (0-9 A-Z a-z)
+	CVART_COLOR_CPMA_E,	// CPMA color code or empty
 	CVART_COLOR_CHBLS,	// CPMA color codes: rail Core, Head, Body, Legs, rail Spiral
 	CVART_COLOR_RGB,	// as hex, e.g. FF00FF
 	CVART_COLOR_RGBA,	// as hex, e.g. FF00FF00