diff --git a/src/color.cpp b/src/color.cpp
index 9825de7fa..368d50d14 100644
--- a/src/color.cpp
+++ b/src/color.cpp
@@ -38,14 +38,7 @@ color::color( std::string const& css_string)
       blue_(0),
       alpha_(0xff)
 {
-    try
-    {
-        color_factory::init_from_string(*this,css_string);   
-    }
-    catch (config_error const& err)
-    {
-        std::cerr << err.what() << std::endl;
-    }
+    color_factory::init_from_string(*this,css_string);   
 }
 
 std::string color::to_string() const
diff --git a/tests/python_tests/object_test.py b/tests/python_tests/object_test.py
index f53945467..4c1c29236 100644
--- a/tests/python_tests/object_test.py
+++ b/tests/python_tests/object_test.py
@@ -402,6 +402,15 @@ def test_map_pickle():
     eq_(pickle.loads(pickle.dumps(m)), m)
 
 # Color initialization
+
+@raises(Exception) # Boost.Python.ArgumentError
+def test_color_init_errors():
+    c = mapnik2.Color()
+
+@raises(RuntimeError)
+def test_color_init_errors():
+    c = mapnik2.Color('foo') # mapnik config 
+
 def test_color_init():
     c = mapnik2.Color('blue')