diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/formats.c b/src/fe-common/core/formats.c
index 005e6fb7..37db6f7c 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/formats.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/formats.c
@@ -1072,33 +1072,29 @@ static void get_mirc_color(const char **str, int *fg_ret, int *bg_ret)
 	fg = fg_ret == NULL ? -1 : *fg_ret;
 	bg = bg_ret == NULL ? -1 : *bg_ret;
 
-	if (!i_isdigit(**str) && **str != ',') {
+	if (!i_isdigit(**str)) {
+		/* turn off color */
 		fg = -1;
 		bg = -1;
 	} else {
 		/* foreground color */
-		if (**str != ',') {
-			fg = **str-'0';
+		fg = **str-'0';
+		(*str)++;
+		if (i_isdigit(**str)) {
+			fg = fg*10 + (**str-'0');
+			(*str)++;
+		}
+
+		if ((*str)[0] == ',' && i_isdigit((*str)[1])) {
+			/* background color */
+			(*str)++;
+			bg = **str-'0';
 			(*str)++;
 			if (i_isdigit(**str)) {
-				fg = fg*10 + (**str-'0');
+				bg = bg*10 + (**str-'0');
 				(*str)++;
 			}
 		}
-		if (**str == ',') {
-			/* background color */
-			if (!i_isdigit((*str)[1]))
-				bg = -1;
-			else {
-				(*str)++;
-				bg = **str-'0';
-				(*str)++;
-				if (i_isdigit(**str)) {
-					bg = bg*10 + (**str-'0');
-					(*str)++;
-				}
-			}
-		}
 	}
 
 	if (fg_ret) *fg_ret = fg;