diff --git a/src/ol/color.js b/src/ol/color.js
index ca8fca14b4..63c2ea755f 100644
--- a/src/ol/color.js
+++ b/src/ol/color.js
@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@ goog.require('ol.math');
 
 
 /**
- * This RegExp matches # followed by 3 or 6 hex digits.
+ * This RegExp matches # followed by 3, 4, 6, or 8 hex digits.
  * @const
  * @type {RegExp}
  * @private
  */
-ol.color.HEX_COLOR_RE_ = /^#(?:[0-9a-f]{3}){1,2}$/i;
+ol.color.HEX_COLOR_RE_ = /^#(?:[0-9a-f]{3,4}){1,2}$/i;
 
 
 /**
@@ -138,18 +138,30 @@ ol.color.fromStringInternal_ = function(s) {
 
   if (ol.color.HEX_COLOR_RE_.exec(s)) { // hex
     var n = s.length - 1; // number of hex digits
-    ol.asserts.assert(n == 3 || n == 6, 54); // Hex color should have 3 or 6 digits
-    var d = n == 3 ? 1 : 2; // number of digits per channel
+    var d; // number of digits per channel
+    if (n <= 4) {
+      d = 1;
+    } else {
+      d = 2;
+    }
+    var hasAlpha = n === 4 || n === 8;
     r = parseInt(s.substr(1 + 0 * d, d), 16);
     g = parseInt(s.substr(1 + 1 * d, d), 16);
     b = parseInt(s.substr(1 + 2 * d, d), 16);
+    if (hasAlpha) {
+      a = parseInt(s.substr(1 + 3 * d, d), 16);
+    } else {
+      a = 255;
+    }
     if (d == 1) {
       r = (r << 4) + r;
       g = (g << 4) + g;
       b = (b << 4) + b;
+      if (hasAlpha) {
+        a = (a << 4) + a;
+      }
     }
-    a = 1;
-    color = [r, g, b, a];
+    color = [r, g, b, a / 255];
   } else if (s.indexOf('rgba(') == 0) { // rgba()
     parts = s.slice(5, -1).split(',').map(Number);
     color = ol.color.normalize(parts);
diff --git a/test/spec/ol/color.test.js b/test/spec/ol/color.test.js
index 2bbb3a6099..b9e131f6b5 100644
--- a/test/spec/ol/color.test.js
+++ b/test/spec/ol/color.test.js
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
-
-
 goog.require('ol.color');
 goog.require('ol');
 
 
 describe('ol.color', function() {
 
-  describe('ol.color.asArray()', function() {
+  describe('asArray()', function() {
 
     it('returns the same for an array', function() {
       var color = [1, 2, 3, 0.4];
@@ -29,9 +27,14 @@ describe('ol.color', function() {
       expect(color).to.eql([0, 204, 255, 1]);
     });
 
+    it('returns an array given a hex string with alpha', function() {
+      var color = ol.color.asArray('#00ccffb0');
+      expect(color).to.eql([0, 204, 255, 176 / 255]);
+    });
+
   });
 
-  describe('ol.color.asString()', function() {
+  describe('asString()', function() {
 
     it('returns the same for a string', function() {
       var color = 'rgba(0,1,2,0.3)';
@@ -51,7 +54,7 @@ describe('ol.color', function() {
 
   });
 
-  describe('ol.color.fromString', function() {
+  describe('fromString()', function() {
 
     before(function() {
       sinon.spy(ol.color, 'fromStringInternal_');
@@ -72,10 +75,18 @@ describe('ol.color', function() {
       expect(ol.color.fromString('#087')).to.eql([0, 136, 119, 1]);
     });
 
+    it('can parse 4-digit hex colors', function() {
+      expect(ol.color.fromString('#0876')).to.eql([0, 136, 119, 102 / 255]);
+    });
+
     it('can parse 6-digit hex colors', function() {
       expect(ol.color.fromString('#56789a')).to.eql([86, 120, 154, 1]);
     });
 
+    it('can parse 8-digit hex colors', function() {
+      expect(ol.color.fromString('#56789acc')).to.eql([86, 120, 154, 204 / 255]);
+    });
+
     it('can parse rgb colors', function() {
       expect(ol.color.fromString('rgb(0, 0, 255)')).to.eql([0, 0, 255, 1]);
     });
@@ -130,7 +141,7 @@ describe('ol.color', function() {
     });
 
     it('throws an error on invalid colors', function() {
-      var invalidColors = ['tuesday', '#1234567', 'rgb(255.0,0,0)'];
+      var invalidColors = ['tuesday', '#12345', '#1234567', 'rgb(255.0,0,0)'];
       var i, ii;
       for (i = 0, ii < invalidColors.length; i < ii; ++i) {
         expect(function() {
@@ -141,7 +152,7 @@ describe('ol.color', function() {
 
   });
 
-  describe('ol.color.normalize', function() {
+  describe('normalize()', function() {
 
     it('clamps out-of-range channels', function() {
       expect(ol.color.normalize([-1, 256, 0, 2])).to.eql([0, 255, 0, 1]);
@@ -153,7 +164,7 @@ describe('ol.color', function() {
 
   });
 
-  describe('ol.color.toString', function() {
+  describe('toString()', function() {
 
     it('converts valid colors', function() {
       expect(ol.color.toString([1, 2, 3, 0.4])).to.be('rgba(1,2,3,0.4)');