diff --git a/sway/config/bar.c b/sway/config/bar.c
index 63facdef8..695ef6762 100644
--- a/sway/config/bar.c
+++ b/sway/config/bar.c
@@ -172,7 +172,9 @@ struct bar_config *default_bar_config(void) {
 	bar->colors.binding_mode_text = NULL;
 
 #if HAVE_TRAY
-	bar->colors.tray_background = NULL;
+	if (!(bar->colors.tray_background = strndup("#00000000", 9))) {
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
 	bar->tray_padding = 2;
 	wl_list_init(&bar->tray_bindings);
 #endif
diff --git a/sway/ipc-json.c b/sway/ipc-json.c
index b834983c6..88faf937d 100644
--- a/sway/ipc-json.c
+++ b/sway/ipc-json.c
@@ -1405,13 +1405,8 @@ json_object *ipc_json_describe_bar_config(struct bar_config *bar) {
 	}
 
 #if HAVE_TRAY
-	if (bar->colors.tray_background) {
-		json_object_object_add(colors, "tray_background",
-				json_object_new_string(bar->colors.tray_background));
-	} else {
-		json_object_object_add(colors, "tray_background",
-				json_object_new_string(bar->colors.background));
-	}
+	json_object_object_add(colors, "tray_background",
+			json_object_new_string(bar->colors.tray_background));
 #endif
 
 	json_object_object_add(json, "colors", colors);