diff --git a/app/helpers/legislation_helper.rb b/app/helpers/legislation_helper.rb
index d695e0400..99ce8b12a 100644
--- a/app/helpers/legislation_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/legislation_helper.rb
@@ -42,6 +42,22 @@ 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.present? ? @process.background_color : default_bg_color
+  end
+
+  def font_color_or_default
+    @process.font_color.present? ? @process.font_color : default_font_color
+  end
+
   def css_for_process_header
     if banner_color?
       "background:" + @process.background_color + ";color:" + @process.font_color + ";"
diff --git a/app/views/admin/legislation/processes/_form.html.erb b/app/views/admin/legislation/processes/_form.html.erb
index 952b78cdd..e9bcb9aaa 100644
--- a/app/views/admin/legislation/processes/_form.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/admin/legislation/processes/_form.html.erb
@@ -218,12 +218,11 @@
     <p class="help-text"><%= t("admin.legislation.processes.form.color_help") %></p>
     <div class="row collapse">
       <div class="small-12 medium-6 column">
-        <%= f.text_field :background_color, label: false, type: :color %>
+        <%= f.text_field :background_color, label: false, type: :color,
+                                            value: bg_color_or_default %>
       </div>
       <div class="small-12 medium-6 column">
-        <%= f.text_field :background_color, label: false,
-                                            placeholder: "#e7f2fc",
-                                            id: "background_color_input" %>
+        <%= f.text_field :background_color, label: false, id: "background_color_input" %>
       </div>
     </div>
   </div>
@@ -233,12 +232,10 @@
     <p class="help-text"><%= t("admin.legislation.processes.form.color_help") %></p>
     <div class="row collapse">
       <div class="small-12 medium-6 column">
-        <%= f.text_field :font_color, label: false, type: :color %>
+        <%= f.text_field :font_color, label: false, type: :color, value: font_color_or_default %>
       </div>
       <div class="small-12 medium-6 column">
-        <%= f.text_field :font_color, label: false,
-                                      placeholder: "#222222",
-                                      id: "font_color_input" %>
+        <%= f.text_field :font_color, label: false, id: "font_color_input" %>
       </div>
     </div>
   </div>