diff --git a/include/mapnik/css_color_parser.hpp b/include/mapnik/css_color_parser.hpp
index de960ba2d..85ced8758 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/css_color_parser.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/css_color_parser.hpp
@@ -31,6 +31,15 @@
 using namespace boost::spirit;
 
 namespace mapnik {
+
+   template <int MIN,int MAX>
+   inline int clip_int(int val)
+   {
+      if (val < MIN ) return MIN;
+      if (val > MAX ) return MAX;
+      return val;
+   }
+   
     template <typename ColorT>
     struct named_colors : public symbols<ColorT>
     {
@@ -201,22 +210,22 @@ namespace mapnik {
             {
                 hex6 = ch_p('#') >> uint6x_p[self.actions.hex6_];
                 hex3 = ch_p('#') >> uint3x_p[self.actions.hex3_];
-                rgb = str_p("rgb") >> '(' >> uint3_p[self.actions.red_] 
-                                   >> ',' >> uint3_p[self.actions.green_] 
-                                   >> ',' >> uint3_p[self.actions.blue_] 
+                rgb = str_p("rgb") >> '(' >> int_p [self.actions.red_] 
+                                   >> ',' >> int_p [self.actions.green_] 
+                                   >> ',' >> int_p [self.actions.blue_] 
                                    >> ')';
-                rgba = str_p("rgba") >> '(' >> uint3_p[self.actions.red_]
-                                   >> ',' >> uint3_p[self.actions.green_]
-                                   >> ',' >> uint3_p[self.actions.blue_]
+                rgba = str_p("rgba") >> '(' >> int_p [self.actions.red_]
+                                   >> ',' >> int_p [self.actions.green_]
+                                   >> ',' >> int_p [self.actions.blue_]
                                    >> ',' >> real_p[self.actions.alpha_]
                                    >> ')';
-                rgb_percent = str_p("rgb") >> '(' >> ureal_p[self.actions.red_p_] >> '%' 
-                                           >> ',' >> ureal_p[self.actions.green_p_] >> '%'
-                                           >> ',' >> ureal_p[self.actions.blue_p_] >> '%'
+                rgb_percent = str_p("rgb") >> '(' >> real_p[self.actions.red_p_] >> '%' 
+                                           >> ',' >> real_p[self.actions.green_p_] >> '%'
+                                           >> ',' >> real_p[self.actions.blue_p_] >> '%'
                                            >> ')';
-                rgba_percent = str_p("rgba") >> '(' >> ureal_p[self.actions.red_p_] >> '%'
-                                           >> ',' >> ureal_p[self.actions.green_p_] >> '%'
-                                           >> ',' >> ureal_p[self.actions.blue_p_] >> '%'
+                rgba_percent = str_p("rgba") >> '(' >> real_p[self.actions.red_p_] >> '%'
+                                           >> ',' >> real_p[self.actions.green_p_] >> '%'
+                                           >> ',' >> real_p[self.actions.blue_p_] >> '%'
                                            >> ',' >> real_p[self.actions.alpha_]
                                            >> ')';
                 css_color = named_colors_p[self.actions.named_] | hex6 | hex3 | rgb_percent | rgba_percent | rgb | rgba; 
@@ -232,7 +241,7 @@ namespace mapnik {
             {
                 return css_color;
             }
-            uint_parser<unsigned, 10, 1, 3> uint3_p;
+            int_parser<int, 10, 1, -1> int_p;
             uint_parser<unsigned, 16, 6, 6> uint6x_p;
             uint_parser<unsigned, 16, 3, 3> uint3x_p;
             real_parser<double, real_parser_policies<double>  > real_p;
@@ -297,9 +306,9 @@ namespace mapnik {
         red_action(ColorT& c)
             : c_(c) {}
 	
-        void operator () (unsigned int r) const
+        void operator () (int r) const
         {
-            c_.set_red(r);
+           c_.set_red(clip_int<0,255>(r));
         }
         ColorT& c_;
     };
@@ -310,9 +319,9 @@ namespace mapnik {
         green_action(ColorT& c)
             : c_(c) {}
 	
-        void operator () (unsigned int g) const
+        void operator () (int g) const
         {
-            c_.set_green(g);
+           c_.set_green(clip_int<0,255>(g));
         }
         ColorT& c_;
     };
@@ -323,9 +332,9 @@ namespace mapnik {
         blue_action(ColorT& c)
             : c_(c) {}
 	
-        void operator () (unsigned int b) const
+        void operator () (int b) const
         {
-            c_.set_blue(b);
+           c_.set_blue(clip_int<0,255>(b));
         }
         ColorT& c_;
     };
@@ -336,12 +345,14 @@ namespace mapnik {
     {
         alpha_action(ColorT& c)
             : c_(c) {}
-
-        void operator () (float a) const
+        
+        void operator () (double a) const
         {
+           if (a < 0.0) a = 0.0;
+           if (a > 1.0) a = 1.0;
            c_.set_alpha(unsigned(a * 255.0 + 0.5));
         }
-       
+         
         ColorT& c_;
     };
 
@@ -352,13 +363,13 @@ namespace mapnik {
         red_action_p(ColorT& c)
             : c_(c) {}
 	
-        void operator () (double r) const
-        {
-            c_.set_red(unsigned((255.0 * r)/100.0 + 0.5));
-        }
-        ColorT& c_;
+       void operator () (double r) const
+       {
+           c_.set_red(clip_int<0,255>(int((255.0 * r)/100.0 + 0.5)));
+       }
+       ColorT& c_;
     };
-
+   
     template <typename ColorT>
     struct green_action_p
     {
@@ -367,7 +378,7 @@ namespace mapnik {
 	
         void operator () (double g) const
         {
-            c_.set_green(unsigned((255.0 * g)/100.0 + 0.5));
+           c_.set_green(clip_int<0,255>(int((255.0 * g)/100.0 + 0.5)));
         }
         ColorT& c_;
     };
@@ -380,12 +391,12 @@ namespace mapnik {
 	
         void operator () (double b) const
         {
-            c_.set_blue(unsigned((255.0 * b)/100.0 + 0.5));
+           c_.set_blue(clip_int<0,255>(((255.0 * b)/100.0 + 0.5)));
         }
-        ColorT& c_;
+       ColorT& c_;
     };
-
-
+   
+   
     template <typename ColorT>
     struct actions
     {