diff --git a/src/color.cpp b/src/color.cpp
index 2dcbe76c9..c905bd869 100644
--- a/src/color.cpp
+++ b/src/color.cpp
@@ -24,18 +24,12 @@
 #include <mapnik/color.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/color_factory.hpp>
 #include <mapnik/config_error.hpp>
-
 // agg
 #include "agg_color_rgba.h"
 
 #pragma GCC diagnostic push
 #include <mapnik/warning_ignore.hpp>
 #include <boost/spirit/include/karma.hpp>
-#include <boost/spirit/include/phoenix_statement.hpp>
-#include <boost/spirit/include/phoenix_core.hpp>
-#include <boost/spirit/include/phoenix_operator.hpp>
-#include <boost/spirit/include/phoenix_fusion.hpp>
-#include <boost/spirit/include/phoenix_function.hpp>
 #pragma GCC diagnostic pop
 
 // stl
@@ -52,22 +46,23 @@ color::color(std::string const& str, bool premultiplied)
 std::string color::to_string() const
 {
     namespace karma = boost::spirit::karma;
-    boost::spirit::karma::_1_type _1;
     boost::spirit::karma::eps_type eps;
     boost::spirit::karma::double_type double_;
-    boost::spirit::karma::string_type kstring;
-    boost::spirit::karma::uint_generator<uint8_t,10> color_generator;
+    boost::spirit::karma::uint_generator<uint8_t,10> color_;
     std::string str;
     std::back_insert_iterator<std::string> sink(str);
-    karma::generate(sink,
+    karma::generate(sink, eps(alpha() < 255)
                     // begin grammar
-                    kstring[ boost::phoenix::if_(alpha()==255) [_1="rgb("].else_[_1="rgba("]]
-                    << color_generator[_1 = red()] << ','
-                    << color_generator[_1 = green()] << ','
-                    << color_generator[_1 = blue()]
-                    << kstring[ boost::phoenix::if_(alpha()==255) [_1 = ')'].else_[_1 =',']]
-                    << eps(alpha()<255) << double_ [_1 = alpha()/255.0]
-                    << ')'
+                    << "rgba("
+                    << color_(red()) << ','
+                    << color_(green()) << ','
+                    << color_(blue()) << ','
+                    << double_(alpha()/255.0) << ')'
+                    |
+                    "rgb("
+                    << color_(red()) << ','
+                    << color_(green()) << ','
+                    << color_(blue()) << ')'
                     // end grammar
         );
     return str;
@@ -76,7 +71,6 @@ std::string color::to_string() const
 std::string color::to_hex_string() const
 {
     namespace karma = boost::spirit::karma;
-    boost::spirit::karma::_1_type _1;
     boost::spirit::karma::hex_type hex;
     boost::spirit::karma::eps_type eps;
     boost::spirit::karma::right_align_type right_align;
@@ -85,10 +79,10 @@ std::string color::to_hex_string() const
     karma::generate(sink,
                     // begin grammar
                     '#'
-                    << right_align(2,'0')[hex[_1 = red()]]
-                    << right_align(2,'0')[hex[_1 = green()]]
-                    << right_align(2,'0')[hex[_1 = blue()]]
-                    << eps(alpha() < 255) <<  right_align(2,'0')[hex [_1 = alpha()]]
+                    << right_align(2,'0')[hex(red())]
+                    << right_align(2,'0')[hex(green())]
+                    << right_align(2,'0')[hex(blue())]
+                    << eps(alpha() < 255) << right_align(2,'0')[hex(alpha())]
                     // end grammar
         );
     return str;