diff --git a/app/helpers/legislation_helper.rb b/app/helpers/legislation_helper.rb
index 679c8cf7e..dcc968a72 100644
--- a/app/helpers/legislation_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/legislation_helper.rb
@@ -22,22 +22,6 @@ module LegislationHelper
     @process.background_color.present? && @process.font_color.present?
   end
 
-  def default_bg_color
-    "#e7f2fc"
-  end
-
-  def default_font_color
-    "#222222"
-  end
-
-  def bg_color_or_default
-    @process.background_color.presence || default_bg_color
-  end
-
-  def font_color_or_default
-    @process.font_color.presence || default_font_color
-  end
-
   def css_for_process_header
     if banner_color?
       "background: #{@process.background_color};color: #{@process.font_color};"
diff --git a/app/models/legislation/process.rb b/app/models/legislation/process.rb
index 873988893..63f819a5d 100644
--- a/app/models/legislation/process.rb
+++ b/app/models/legislation/process.rb
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ class Legislation::Process < ApplicationRecord
   acts_as_paranoid column: :hidden_at
   acts_as_taggable_on :customs
 
+  attribute :background_color, default: "#e7f2fc"
+  attribute :font_color, default: "#222222"
+
   translates :title,              touch: true
   translates :summary,            touch: true
   translates :description,        touch: true
diff --git a/app/views/admin/legislation/processes/_form.html.erb b/app/views/admin/legislation/processes/_form.html.erb
index eddba469a..267414ee9 100644
--- a/app/views/admin/legislation/processes/_form.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/admin/legislation/processes/_form.html.erb
@@ -134,8 +134,7 @@
       <p class="help-text"><%= t("admin.shared.color_help") %></p>
       <div class="row collapse">
         <div class="small-12 medium-6 column">
-          <%= f.text_field :background_color, label: false, type: :color,
-                                              value: bg_color_or_default %>
+          <%= f.text_field :background_color, label: false, type: :color %>
         </div>
         <div class="small-12 medium-6 column">
           <%= f.text_field :background_color, label: false, id: "background_color_input" %>
@@ -148,7 +147,7 @@
       <p class="help-text"><%= t("admin.shared.color_help") %></p>
       <div class="row collapse">
         <div class="small-12 medium-6 column">
-          <%= f.text_field :font_color, label: false, type: :color, value: font_color_or_default %>
+          <%= f.text_field :font_color, label: false, type: :color %>
         </div>
         <div class="small-12 medium-6 column">
           <%= f.text_field :font_color, label: false, id: "font_color_input" %>
diff --git a/spec/models/legislation/process_spec.rb b/spec/models/legislation/process_spec.rb
index 8a2c9eee7..0ea89c715 100644
--- a/spec/models/legislation/process_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/legislation/process_spec.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,13 @@ describe Legislation::Process do
     expect(process).to be_valid
   end
 
+  it "assigns default values to new processes" do
+    process = Legislation::Process.new
+
+    expect(process.background_color).to be_present
+    expect(process.font_color).to be_present
+  end
+
   describe "dates validations" do
     it "is invalid if debate_start_date is present but debate_end_date is not" do
       process = build(:legislation_process, debate_start_date: Date.current, debate_end_date: "")