diff --git a/src/Magnum/DebugTools/ObjectRenderer.cpp b/src/Magnum/DebugTools/ObjectRenderer.cpp
index aa71cec98..bebbc4c95 100644
--- a/src/Magnum/DebugTools/ObjectRenderer.cpp
+++ b/src/Magnum/DebugTools/ObjectRenderer.cpp
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ template<UnsignedInt dimensions> ObjectRenderer<dimensions>::ObjectRenderer(Scen
         .setCount(Renderer<dimensions>::indices.size())
         .addVertexBuffer(*vertexBuffer, 0,
             typename Shaders::VertexColor<dimensions>::Position(),
-            typename Shaders::VertexColor<dimensions>::Color())
+            typename Shaders::VertexColor<dimensions>::Color{Shaders::VertexColor<dimensions>::Color::Components::Four})
         .setIndexBuffer(*indexBuffer, 0, Mesh::IndexType::UnsignedByte, 0, Renderer<dimensions>::positions.size());
     ResourceManager::instance().set<Mesh>(_mesh.key(), mesh, ResourceDataState::Final, ResourcePolicy::Manual);
 }
diff --git a/src/Magnum/Shaders/Generic.h b/src/Magnum/Shaders/Generic.h
index 66c0ae48f..5f3e90223 100644
--- a/src/Magnum/Shaders/Generic.h
+++ b/src/Magnum/Shaders/Generic.h
@@ -70,9 +70,25 @@ template<UnsignedInt dimensions> struct Generic {
     /**
      * @brief Vertex color
      *
-     * @ref Color3.
+     * @ref Color4, however defaults to @ref Color3 if @ref MAGNUM_BUILD_DEPRECATED
+     * is defined. See the constructor documentation for more information.
      */
-    typedef Attribute<3, Color3> Color;
+    struct Color: Attribute<3, Color4> {
+        /**
+         * @brief Constructor
+         * @param components    Component count
+         * @param dataType      Type of passed data
+         * @param dataOptions   Data options
+         */
+        constexpr explicit Color(Components components, DataType dataType = DataType::Float, DataOptions dataOptions = {});
+
+        #ifdef MAGNUM_BUILD_DEPRECATED
+        /** @copybrief Color(Components, DataType, DataOptions)
+         * @deprecated Use @ref Color(Components, DataType, DataOptions) instead.
+         */
+        CORRADE_DEPRECATED("use Color(Components, DataType, DataOptions) instead") constexpr explicit Color(DataType dataType = DataType::Float, DataOptions dataOptions = {});
+        #endif
+    };
 };
 #endif
 
@@ -85,7 +101,14 @@ typedef Generic<3> Generic3D;
 #ifndef DOXYGEN_GENERATING_OUTPUT
 struct BaseGeneric {
     typedef Attribute<1, Vector2> TextureCoordinates;
-    typedef Attribute<3, Color3> Color;
+
+    struct Color: Attribute<3, Color4> {
+        constexpr explicit Color(Components components, DataType dataType = DataType::Float, DataOptions dataOptions = DataOptions()): Attribute<3, Color4>{components, dataType, dataOptions} {}
+
+        #ifdef MAGNUM_BUILD_DEPRECATED
+        CORRADE_DEPRECATED("use Color(Components, DataType, DataOptions) instead") constexpr explicit Color(DataType dataType = DataType::Float, DataOptions dataOptions = DataOptions()): Attribute<3, Color4>{Components::Three, dataType, dataOptions} {}
+        #endif
+    };
 };
 
 template<> struct Generic<2>: BaseGeneric {
diff --git a/src/Magnum/Shaders/VertexColor.frag b/src/Magnum/Shaders/VertexColor.frag
index 9e281bebf..8d48c3fd3 100644
--- a/src/Magnum/Shaders/VertexColor.frag
+++ b/src/Magnum/Shaders/VertexColor.frag
@@ -28,12 +28,12 @@
 #define fragmentColor gl_FragColor
 #endif
 
-in lowp vec3 interpolatedColor;
+in lowp vec4 interpolatedColor;
 
 #ifdef NEW_GLSL
 out lowp vec4 fragmentColor;
 #endif
 
 void main() {
-    fragmentColor = vec4(interpolatedColor, 1.0);
+    fragmentColor = interpolatedColor;
 }
diff --git a/src/Magnum/Shaders/VertexColor.h b/src/Magnum/Shaders/VertexColor.h
index 5c527bfe3..3449456bd 100644
--- a/src/Magnum/Shaders/VertexColor.h
+++ b/src/Magnum/Shaders/VertexColor.h
@@ -51,7 +51,10 @@ attributes in your triangle mesh and call at least
 
 ## Example usage
 
-Common mesh setup:
+Common mesh setup. Note the explicit specification of components for the color
+attribute -- the shader accepts four-component color attribute but, similarly
+to all other attributes, it's possible to supply also three-component colors if
+alpha is not important.
 @code
 struct Vertex {
     Vector3 position;
@@ -65,7 +68,7 @@ vertices.setData(data, BufferUsage::StaticDraw);
 Mesh mesh;
 mesh.addVertexBuffer(vertices, 0,
     Shaders::VertexColor3D::Position{},
-    Shaders::VertexColor3D::Color{});
+    Shaders::VertexColor3D::Color{Shaders::VertexColor3D::Color::Components::Three});
 @endcode
 
 Common rendering setup:
@@ -94,7 +97,9 @@ template<UnsignedInt dimensions> class MAGNUM_SHADERS_EXPORT VertexColor: public
         /**
          * @brief Vertex color
          *
-         * @ref shaders-generic "Generic attribute", @ref Color3.
+         * @ref shaders-generic "Generic attribute", @ref Color4, however
+         * defaults to @ref Color3 if @ref MAGNUM_BUILD_DEPRECATED is defined.
+         * See the @ref Generic::Color for more information.
          */
         typedef typename Generic<dimensions>::Color Color;
 
diff --git a/src/Magnum/Shaders/VertexColor2D.vert b/src/Magnum/Shaders/VertexColor2D.vert
index c803f83a9..b5ab39bfb 100644
--- a/src/Magnum/Shaders/VertexColor2D.vert
+++ b/src/Magnum/Shaders/VertexColor2D.vert
@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@ in highp vec2 position;
 #ifdef EXPLICIT_ATTRIB_LOCATION
 layout(location = 3)
 #endif
-in lowp vec3 color;
+in lowp vec4 color;
 
-out lowp vec3 interpolatedColor;
+out lowp vec4 interpolatedColor;
 
 void main() {
     gl_Position.xywz = vec4(transformationProjectionMatrix*vec3(position, 1.0), 0.0);
diff --git a/src/Magnum/Shaders/VertexColor3D.vert b/src/Magnum/Shaders/VertexColor3D.vert
index 5542ef6dd..4cf67a095 100644
--- a/src/Magnum/Shaders/VertexColor3D.vert
+++ b/src/Magnum/Shaders/VertexColor3D.vert
@@ -40,13 +40,13 @@ uniform highp mat4 transformationProjectionMatrix;
 
 #ifdef EXPLICIT_ATTRIB_LOCATION
 layout(location = POSITION_ATTRIBUTE_LOCATION) in highp vec4 position;
-layout(location = 3) in lowp vec3 color;
+layout(location = 3) in lowp vec4 color;
 #else
 in highp vec4 position;
-in lowp vec3 color;
+in lowp vec4 color;
 #endif
 
-out lowp vec3 interpolatedColor;
+out lowp vec4 interpolatedColor;
 
 void main() {
     gl_Position = transformationProjectionMatrix*position;