diff --git a/src/ColorPicker/index.jsx b/src/ColorPicker/index.jsx
index 1cef1c336b8..e59f03d4e4f 100644
--- a/src/ColorPicker/index.jsx
+++ b/src/ColorPicker/index.jsx
@@ -10,29 +10,59 @@ import { OverlayTrigger } from '../Overlay';
 import Tooltip from '../Tooltip';
 import useToggle from '../hooks/useToggle';
 
+const colorIsValid = (colorToValidate) => {
+  const hexRegex = /^#([A-Fa-f0-9]{6}|[A-Fa-f0-9]{3})$/;
+  return hexRegex.test(colorToValidate);
+}
+
+const formatHexColorString = (colorString) => {
+  if (!colorString.startsWith('#')) {
+    colorString = `#${colorString}`;
+  }
+  return colorString.slice(0,7);
+}
+
 function ColorPicker({
   color, setColor, className, size,
 }) {
   const [isOpen, open, close] = useToggle(false);
   const [target, setTarget] = React.useState(null);
-  const [hexValid, setHexValid] = React.useState(true);
+  const [hexValid, setHexValid] = React.useState(() => (color === '' || colorIsValid(formatHexColorString(color))));
+  const [hexColorString, setHexColorString] = React.useState(() => formatHexColorString(color));
+  const [colorToDisplay, setColorToDisplay] = React.useState(() => {
+    const formattedColor = formatHexColorString(color);
+    if (colorIsValid(formattedColor)) {
+      return formattedColor;
+    }
 
-  const validateHex = useCallback((input) => {
-    const hexRegex = /^#([A-Fa-f0-9]{6}|[A-Fa-f0-9]{3})$/;
-    if (input.length > 1 && !input.startsWith('#')) {
-      setColor(`#${input}`);
-    } else {
-      setColor(input);
+    return '#fff';
+  });
+
+  const setValidatedColor = (newColor) => {
+    if (newColor === '') {
+      setHexValid(true);
+      setColor('');
+      setHexColorString('');
+      setColorToDisplay('#fff');
+      return;
     }
-    if (input === '' || hexRegex.test(input) === true) {
+
+    newColor = formatHexColorString(newColor);
+
+    if (colorIsValid(newColor)) {
       setHexValid(true);
-    } else {
-      setHexValid(false);
+      setColor(newColor);
+      setHexColorString(newColor);
+      setColorToDisplay(newColor);
+      return;
     }
-  }, [setColor]);
 
-  // this is needed for when a user changes the color through the sliders
-  useEffect(() => validateHex(color), [validateHex, color]);
+    setHexValid(false);
+    setHexColorString(newColor);
+    
+    // not sure if we want to do this, but if we don't then the value of the picker could be out of sync from what is in the textbox  
+    setColor(newColor);
+  }
 
   return (
     <>
@@ -65,16 +95,17 @@ function ColorPicker({
           className="pgn__color-modal rounded shadow"
           style={{ textAlign: 'start' }}
         >
-          <HexColorPicker color={color || ''} onChange={setColor} />
+          <HexColorPicker color={colorToDisplay} onChange={setValidatedColor} />
           <Form.Group className="pgn__hex-form" size="sm">
             <div>
               <Form.Label className="pgn__hex-label">Hex</Form.Label>
               <Form.Control
                 className="pgn__hex-field"
                 isInvalid={!hexValid}
-                value={color}
-                onChange={(e) => validateHex(e.target.value)}
+                value={hexColorString}
+                onChange={(e) => setValidatedColor(e.target.value)}
                 data-testid="hex-input"
+                spellCheck="false"
               />
             </div>
             {!hexValid && (