diff --git a/parser-specs/config.spec b/parser-specs/config.spec
index f1021b26..7a93b9fb 100644
--- a/parser-specs/config.spec
+++ b/parser-specs/config.spec
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ state INITIAL:
   exectype = 'exec_always', 'exec'         -> EXEC
   colorclass = 'client.background'
       -> COLOR_SINGLE
-  colorclass = 'client.focused_inactive', 'client.focused', 'client.unfocused', 'client.urgent'
+  colorclass = 'client.focused_inactive', 'client.focused', 'client.unfocused', 'client.urgent', 'client.placeholder'
       -> COLOR_BORDER
 
 # We ignore comments and 'set' lines (variables).
diff --git a/src/config_directives.c b/src/config_directives.c
index e45db0e2..781d6b36 100644
--- a/src/config_directives.c
+++ b/src/config_directives.c
@@ -390,6 +390,7 @@ CFGFUN(color, const char *colorclass, const char *border, const char *background
     APPLY_COLORS(focused);
     APPLY_COLORS(unfocused);
     APPLY_COLORS(urgent);
+    APPLY_COLORS(placeholder);
 
 #undef APPLY_COLORS
 }
diff --git a/testcases/t/201-config-parser.t b/testcases/t/201-config-parser.t
index 874a25ec..51192f55 100644
--- a/testcases/t/201-config-parser.t
+++ b/testcases/t/201-config-parser.t
@@ -408,6 +408,7 @@ client.focused          #4c7899 #285577 #ffffff #2e9ef4
 client.focused_inactive #333333 #5f676a #ffffff #484e50
 client.unfocused        #333333 #222222 #888888 #292d2e
 client.urgent           #2f343a #900000 #ffffff #900000
+client.placeholder      #000000 #0c0c0c #ffffff #000000
 EOT
 
 $expected = <<'EOT';
@@ -415,6 +416,7 @@ cfg_color(client.focused, #4c7899, #285577, #ffffff, #2e9ef4)
 cfg_color(client.focused_inactive, #333333, #5f676a, #ffffff, #484e50)
 cfg_color(client.unfocused, #333333, #222222, #888888, #292d2e)
 cfg_color(client.urgent, #2f343a, #900000, #ffffff, #900000)
+cfg_color(client.placeholder, #000000, #0c0c0c, #ffffff, #000000)
 EOT
 
 is(parser_calls($config),
@@ -431,7 +433,7 @@ client.focused          #4c7899 #285577 #ffffff #2e9ef4
 EOT
 
 my $expected_all_tokens = <<'EOT';
-ERROR: CONFIG: Expected one of these tokens: <end>, '#', 'set', 'bindsym', 'bindcode', 'bind', 'bar', 'font', 'mode', 'floating_minimum_size', 'floating_maximum_size', 'floating_modifier', 'default_orientation', 'workspace_layout', 'new_window', 'new_float', 'hide_edge_borders', 'for_window', 'assign', 'focus_follows_mouse', 'mouse_warping', 'force_focus_wrapping', 'force_xinerama', 'force-xinerama', 'workspace_auto_back_and_forth', 'fake_outputs', 'fake-outputs', 'force_display_urgency_hint', 'workspace', 'ipc_socket', 'ipc-socket', 'restart_state', 'popup_during_fullscreen', 'exec_always', 'exec', 'client.background', 'client.focused_inactive', 'client.focused', 'client.unfocused', 'client.urgent'
+ERROR: CONFIG: Expected one of these tokens: <end>, '#', 'set', 'bindsym', 'bindcode', 'bind', 'bar', 'font', 'mode', 'floating_minimum_size', 'floating_maximum_size', 'floating_modifier', 'default_orientation', 'workspace_layout', 'new_window', 'new_float', 'hide_edge_borders', 'for_window', 'assign', 'focus_follows_mouse', 'mouse_warping', 'force_focus_wrapping', 'force_xinerama', 'force-xinerama', 'workspace_auto_back_and_forth', 'fake_outputs', 'fake-outputs', 'force_display_urgency_hint', 'workspace', 'ipc_socket', 'ipc-socket', 'restart_state', 'popup_during_fullscreen', 'exec_always', 'exec', 'client.background', 'client.focused_inactive', 'client.focused', 'client.unfocused', 'client.urgent', 'client.placeholder'
 EOT
 
 my $expected_end = <<'EOT';