diff --git a/lib/components/term.js b/lib/components/term.js
index 4bb212b9..73474455 100644
--- a/lib/components/term.js
+++ b/lib/components/term.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import Color from 'color';
 import hterm from '../hterm';
 import Component from '../component';
 import { getColorList } from '../utils/colors';
+import notify from '../utils/notify';
 
 export default class Term extends Component {
 
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ export default class Term extends Component {
     this.term.prefs_.set('font-family', props.fontFamily);
     this.term.prefs_.set('font-size', props.fontSize);
     this.term.prefs_.set('font-smoothing', props.fontSmoothing);
-    this.term.prefs_.set('cursor-color', Color(props.cursorColor).rgbString());
+    this.term.prefs_.set('cursor-color', this.validateColor(props.cursorColor, 'rgba(255,255,255,0.5)'));
     this.term.prefs_.set('enable-clipboard-notice', false);
     this.term.prefs_.set('foreground-color', props.foregroundColor);
     this.term.prefs_.set('background-color', props.backgroundColor);
@@ -158,6 +159,15 @@ export default class Term extends Component {
     return URL.createObjectURL(blob);
   }
 
+  validateColor (color, alternative = 'rgb(255,255,255)') {
+    try {
+      return Color(color).rgbString();
+    } catch (err) {
+      notify(`color "${color}" is invalid`);
+    }
+    return alternative;
+  }
+
   componentWillReceiveProps (nextProps) {
     if (this.props.url !== nextProps.url) {
       // when the url prop changes, we make sure
@@ -201,7 +211,7 @@ export default class Term extends Component {
     }
 
     if (this.props.cursorColor !== nextProps.cursorColor) {
-      this.term.prefs_.set('cursor-color', Color(nextProps.cursorColor).rgbString());
+      this.term.prefs_.set('cursor-color', this.validateColor(nextProps.cursorColor, 'rgba(255,255,255,0.5)'));
     }
 
     if (this.props.cursorShape !== nextProps.cursorShape) {