Index: trunk/src/board.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/board.c	(revision 18015)
+++ trunk/src/board.c	(revision 18016)
@@ -152,17 +152,17 @@
 int pcb_board_new_postproc(pcb_board_t *pcb, int use_defaults)
 {
 	/* copy default settings */
-	pcb_layer_colors_from_conf(pcb);
+	pcb_layer_colors_from_conf(pcb, 0);
 	return 0;
 }
 
-void pcb_layer_colors_from_conf(pcb_board_t *ptr)
+void pcb_layer_colors_from_conf(pcb_board_t *ptr, int force)
 {
 	int i;
 
 	/* copy default settings */
 	for (i = 0; i < PCB_MAX_LAYER; i++)
-		if ((ptr->Data->Layer[i].meta.real.color == NULL) || (ptr->Data->Layer[i].meta.real.color[0] == '\0')) {
+		if (force || (ptr->Data->Layer[i].meta.real.color == NULL) || (ptr->Data->Layer[i].meta.real.color[0] == '\0')) {
 			free(ptr->Data->Layer[i].meta.real.color);
 			ptr->Data->Layer[i].meta.real.color = pcb_strdup(pcb_layer_default_color(i, pcb_layer_flags(ptr, i)));
 		}
Index: trunk/src/board.h
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/board.h	(revision 18015)
+++ trunk/src/board.h	(revision 18016)
@@ -114,9 +114,10 @@
 /* Called after PCB->Data->LayerN is set.  Returns non-zero on error */
 int pcb_board_new_postproc(pcb_board_t *pcb, int use_defaults);
 
-/* Perhaps PCB should internally just use the Settings colors?  For now,
- * use this to set PCB colors so the config can reassign PCB colors. */
-void pcb_layer_colors_from_conf(pcb_board_t *);
+/* Set the color field of each layer that does not yet have an explicit
+   color, from the config, using default colors per layer type. If
+   force is non-zero, overwrite even existing colors. */
+void pcb_layer_colors_from_conf(pcb_board_t *pcb, int force);
 
 /* counts the number of plated and unplated holes in the design within
    a given area of the board. To count for the whole board, pass NULL