Index: trunk/src/board.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/board.c	(revision 17999)
+++ trunk/src/board.c	(revision 18000)
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include "event.h"
 #include "safe_fs.h"
 #include "tool.h"
+#include "layer.h"
 
 
 pcb_board_t *PCB;
@@ -161,7 +162,7 @@
 
 	/* copy default settings */
 	for (i = 0; i < PCB_MAX_LAYER; i++)
-		ptr->Data->Layer[i].meta.real.color = conf_core.appearance.color.layer[i];
+		ptr->Data->Layer[i].meta.real.color = pcb_layer_default_color(i, pcb_layer_flags(ptr, i));
 }
 
 typedef struct {
Index: trunk/src/layer.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/layer.c	(revision 17999)
+++ trunk/src/layer.c	(revision 18000)
@@ -484,6 +484,20 @@
 		ar->link.parent = &dst->Arc.lst;
 }
 
+const char *pcb_layer_default_color(int idx, pcb_layer_type_t lyt)
+{
+	const int clrs = sizeof(conf_core.appearance.color.layer) / sizeof(conf_core.appearance.color.layer[0]);
+
+	if (lyt & PCB_LYT_MASK)
+		return conf_core.appearance.color.mask;
+	if (lyt & PCB_LYT_PASTE)
+		return conf_core.appearance.color.paste;
+	if (lyt & PCB_LYT_SILK)
+		return conf_core.appearance.color.element;
+
+	return conf_core.appearance.color.layer[idx % clrs];
+}
+
 /* Initialize a new layer with safe initial values */
 static void layer_init(pcb_board_t *pcb, pcb_layer_t *lp, pcb_layer_id_t idx, pcb_layergrp_id_t gid, pcb_data_t *parent)
 {
@@ -491,7 +505,7 @@
 	lp->meta.real.grp = gid;
 	lp->meta.real.vis = 1;
 	lp->name = pcb_strdup("New Layer");
-	lp->meta.real.color = conf_core.appearance.color.layer[idx];
+	lp->meta.real.color = pcb_layer_default_color(idx, (gid >= 0) ? pcb->LayerGroups.grp[gid].ltype : 0);
 	if ((gid >= 0) && (pcb->LayerGroups.grp[gid].len == 0)) { /*When adding the first layer in a group, set up comb flags automatically */
 		switch((pcb->LayerGroups.grp[gid].ltype) & PCB_LYT_ANYTHING) {
 			case PCB_LYT_MASK:  lp->comb = PCB_LYC_AUTO | PCB_LYC_SUB; break;
Index: trunk/src/layer.h
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/layer.h	(revision 17999)
+++ trunk/src/layer.h	(revision 18000)
@@ -249,6 +249,9 @@
 /* Return the name of a layer (resolving the true name of virtual layers too) */
 const char *pcb_layer_name(pcb_data_t *data, pcb_layer_id_t id);
 
+/* Return the default color for a new layer from the config */
+const char *pcb_layer_default_color(int idx, pcb_layer_type_t lyt);
+
 /* Rename an existing layer by idx */
 int pcb_layer_rename(pcb_data_t *data, pcb_layer_id_t layer, const char *lname);