diff --git a/include/render/color.h b/include/render/color.h
index cddf1e219..176abf3a7 100644
--- a/include/render/color.h
+++ b/include/render/color.h
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ struct wlr_color_transform_lut3d {
 	size_t dim_len;
 };
 
+void wlr_color_transform_init(struct wlr_color_transform *tr,
+	enum wlr_color_transform_type type);
+
 /**
  * Gets a wlr_color_transform_lut3d from a generic wlr_color_transform.
  * Asserts that the base type is COLOR_TRANSFORM_LUT_3D
diff --git a/render/color.c b/render/color.c
index c708938c7..a033619b5 100644
--- a/render/color.c
+++ b/render/color.c
@@ -21,14 +21,20 @@ static const struct wlr_color_primaries COLOR_PRIMARIES_BT2020 = { // code point
 	.white = { 0.3127, 0.3290 },
 };
 
+void wlr_color_transform_init(struct wlr_color_transform *tr, enum wlr_color_transform_type type) {
+	*tr = (struct wlr_color_transform){
+		.type = type,
+		.ref_count = 1,
+	};
+	wlr_addon_set_init(&tr->addons);
+}
+
 struct wlr_color_transform *wlr_color_transform_init_srgb(void) {
 	struct wlr_color_transform *tx = calloc(1, sizeof(struct wlr_color_transform));
 	if (!tx) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
-	tx->type = COLOR_TRANSFORM_SRGB;
-	tx->ref_count = 1;
-	wlr_addon_set_init(&tx->addons);
+	wlr_color_transform_init(tx, COLOR_TRANSFORM_SRGB);
 	return tx;
 }
 
diff --git a/render/color_lcms2.c b/render/color_lcms2.c
index c0f4db817..e6a2673e1 100644
--- a/render/color_lcms2.c
+++ b/render/color_lcms2.c
@@ -99,11 +99,9 @@ struct wlr_color_transform *wlr_color_transform_init_linear_to_icc(
 	if (!tx) {
 		goto out_lcms_tr;
 	}
-	tx->base.type = COLOR_TRANSFORM_LUT_3D;
+	wlr_color_transform_init(&tx->base, COLOR_TRANSFORM_LUT_3D);
 	tx->dim_len = dim_len;
 	tx->lut_3d = lut_3d;
-	tx->base.ref_count = 1;
-	wlr_addon_set_init(&tx->base.addons);
 
 out_lcms_tr:
 	cmsDeleteTransform(lcms_tr);