diff --git a/src/g_shared/a_artifacts.cpp b/src/g_shared/a_artifacts.cpp
index 4a2d066cde..410474f315 100644
--- a/src/g_shared/a_artifacts.cpp
+++ b/src/g_shared/a_artifacts.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ bool APowerupGiver::Use (bool pickup)
 	}
 	if (BlendColor != 0)
 	{
-		power->BlendColor = BlendColor;
+		if (BlendColor.a != 0) power->BlendColor = BlendColor;
+		else power->BlendColor = 0;
 	}
 	if (Mode != NAME_None)
 	{
diff --git a/src/thingdef/thingdef_properties.cpp b/src/thingdef/thingdef_properties.cpp
index b5fdc8e427..ec68dfb95c 100644
--- a/src/thingdef/thingdef_properties.cpp
+++ b/src/thingdef/thingdef_properties.cpp
@@ -2020,15 +2020,18 @@ DEFINE_CLASS_PROPERTY_PREFIX(powerup, color, C_f, Inventory)
 		"INVERSEMAP", "GOLDMAP", "REDMAP", "GREENMAP", "BLUEMAP", NULL };
 
 	int alpha;
+	bool giver;
 	PalEntry * pBlendColor;
 
 	if (info->Class->IsDescendantOf(RUNTIME_CLASS(APowerup)))
 	{
 		pBlendColor = &((APowerup*)defaults)->BlendColor;
+		giver = false;
 	}
 	else if (info->Class->IsDescendantOf(RUNTIME_CLASS(APowerupGiver)))
 	{
 		pBlendColor = &((APowerupGiver*)defaults)->BlendColor;
+		giver = true;
 	}
 	else
 	{
@@ -2061,7 +2064,7 @@ DEFINE_CLASS_PROPERTY_PREFIX(powerup, color, C_f, Inventory)
 	else alpha = 255/3;
 
 	alpha=clamp<int>(alpha, 0, 255);
-	if (alpha != 0) *pBlendColor = MAKEARGB(alpha, 0, 0, 0) | color;
+	if (alpha != 0 || giver) *pBlendColor = MAKEARGB(alpha, 0, 0, 0) | color;
 	else *pBlendColor = 0;
 }