diff --git a/app/soapbox/actions/soapbox.js b/app/soapbox/actions/soapbox.js
index c072a0bbc..58a2417c7 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/actions/soapbox.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/actions/soapbox.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ export const SOAPBOX_CONFIG_REQUEST_FAIL    = 'SOAPBOX_CONFIG_REQUEST_FAIL';
 export const defaultConfig = ImmutableMap({
   logo: '',
   banner: '',
-  brandColor: '#0482d8', // Azure
+  brandColor: '', // Empty
   customCss: ImmutableList(),
   promoPanel: ImmutableMap({
     items: ImmutableList(),
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ export function fetchSoapboxJson() {
 }
 
 export function importSoapboxConfig(soapboxConfig) {
+  if (!soapboxConfig.brandColor) {
+    soapboxConfig.brandColor = '#0482d8';
+  };
   return {
     type: SOAPBOX_CONFIG_REQUEST_SUCCESS,
     soapboxConfig,
diff --git a/app/soapbox/reducers/soapbox.js b/app/soapbox/reducers/soapbox.js
index dd7b0bea3..ecf1656f5 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/reducers/soapbox.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/reducers/soapbox.js
@@ -1,10 +1,17 @@
 import { ADMIN_CONFIG_UPDATE_SUCCESS } from '../actions/admin';
-import { SOAPBOX_CONFIG_REQUEST_SUCCESS } from '../actions/soapbox';
+import {
+  SOAPBOX_CONFIG_REQUEST_SUCCESS,
+  SOAPBOX_CONFIG_REQUEST_FAIL,
+} from '../actions/soapbox';
 import { Map as ImmutableMap, List as ImmutableList, fromJS } from 'immutable';
 import { ConfigDB } from 'soapbox/utils/config_db';
 
 const initialState = ImmutableMap();
 
+const fallbackState = ImmutableMap({
+  brandColor: '#0482d8', // Azure
+});
+
 const updateFromAdmin = (state, config) => {
   const configs = config.get('configs', ImmutableList());
 
@@ -22,6 +29,8 @@ export default function soapbox(state = initialState, action) {
   switch(action.type) {
   case SOAPBOX_CONFIG_REQUEST_SUCCESS:
     return fromJS(action.soapboxConfig);
+  case SOAPBOX_CONFIG_REQUEST_FAIL:
+    return fallbackState.mergeDeep(state);
   case ADMIN_CONFIG_UPDATE_SUCCESS:
     return updateFromAdmin(state, fromJS(action.config));
   default: