diff --git a/htdp-lib/2htdp/private/image-more.rkt b/htdp-lib/2htdp/private/image-more.rkt
index 9a6c8b6c..93a2f791 100644
--- a/htdp-lib/2htdp/private/image-more.rkt
+++ b/htdp-lib/2htdp/private/image-more.rkt
@@ -1584,7 +1584,7 @@
           (bytes-set! bytes (+ j 3) (color-blue c))]
          [else
           (define str (if (string? c) c (symbol->string c)))
-          (define clr (or (send the-color-database find-color str)
+          (define clr (or (string->color-object/f str)
                           (send the-color-database find-color "black")))
           (bytes-set! bytes j 255)  ;; this should probably (send clr alpha) when that's possible
           (bytes-set! bytes (+ j 1) (send clr red))
diff --git a/htdp-test/2htdp/tests/test-image.rkt b/htdp-test/2htdp/tests/test-image.rkt
index 1d4e8b99..70ea01df 100644
--- a/htdp-test/2htdp/tests/test-image.rkt
+++ b/htdp-test/2htdp/tests/test-image.rkt
@@ -2216,6 +2216,15 @@
                      (rectangle 1 1 'solid (color 5 5 5))
                      (rectangle 1 1 'solid (color 6 6 6)))))
 
+(test (equal? (color-list->bitmap (list "MediumGreen") 1 1)
+              (color-list->bitmap (list "black") 1 1))
+      =>
+      #f)
+(test (equal? (color-list->bitmap (list "DarkPink") 1 1)
+              (color-list->bitmap (list "black") 1 1))
+      =>
+      #f)
+
 (test (color-list->bitmap '() 0 0) => (empty-scene 0 0))
 (test (color-list->bitmap '() 0 10) => (empty-scene 0 10))
 (test (color-list->bitmap '() 4 0) => (empty-scene 4 0))