diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/data_transfer.cc b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/data_transfer.cc
index 740af7fa4db..225011f1556 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/data_transfer.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/data_transfer.cc
@@ -250,6 +250,88 @@ int BKE_object_data_transfer_dttype_to_srcdst_index(const int dtdata_type)
 
 /* ********** */
 
+/**
+ * When transfering color attributes, also transfer the active color attribute string.
+ * If a match can't be found, use the first color layer that can be found (to ensure a valid string
+ * is set).
+ */
+static void data_transfer_mesh_attributes_transfer_active_color_string(
+    Mesh *mesh_dst, Mesh *mesh_src, const eAttrDomainMask mask_domain, const int data_type)
+{
+  if (mesh_dst->active_color_attribute) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const char *active_color_src = BKE_id_attributes_active_color_name(&mesh_src->id);
+
+  if ((data_type == CD_PROP_COLOR) &&
+      !BKE_id_attribute_search(&mesh_src->id, active_color_src, CD_MASK_PROP_COLOR, ATTR_DOMAIN_MASK_COLOR)) {
+    return;
+  }
+  else if ((data_type == CD_PROP_BYTE_COLOR) &&
+           !BKE_id_attribute_search(&mesh_src->id, active_color_src, CD_MASK_PROP_BYTE_COLOR, ATTR_DOMAIN_MASK_COLOR)) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if ((data_type == CD_PROP_COLOR) &&
+      BKE_id_attribute_search(&mesh_dst->id, active_color_src, CD_MASK_PROP_COLOR, ATTR_DOMAIN_MASK_COLOR)) {
+    mesh_dst->active_color_attribute = BLI_strdup(active_color_src);
+  }
+  else if ((data_type == CD_PROP_BYTE_COLOR) &&
+           BKE_id_attribute_search(&mesh_dst->id, active_color_src, CD_MASK_PROP_BYTE_COLOR, ATTR_DOMAIN_MASK_COLOR)) {
+    mesh_dst->active_color_attribute = BLI_strdup(active_color_src);
+  }
+  else {
+    CustomDataLayer *first_color_layer = BKE_id_attribute_from_index(
+        &mesh_dst->id, 0, mask_domain, CD_MASK_COLOR_ALL);
+    if (first_color_layer != nullptr) {
+      mesh_dst->active_color_attribute = BLI_strdup(first_color_layer->name);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * When transfering color attributes, also transfer the default color attribute string.
+ * If a match cant be found, use the first color layer that can be found (to ensure a valid string
+ * is set).
+ */
+static void data_transfer_mesh_attributes_transfer_default_color_string(
+    Mesh *mesh_dst, Mesh *mesh_src, const eAttrDomainMask mask_domain, const int data_type)
+{
+  if (mesh_dst->default_color_attribute) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const char *default_color_src = BKE_id_attributes_default_color_name(&mesh_src->id);
+
+  if ((data_type == CD_PROP_COLOR) &&
+      !BKE_id_attribute_search(&mesh_src->id, default_color_src, CD_MASK_PROP_COLOR, ATTR_DOMAIN_MASK_COLOR)) {
+    return;
+  }
+  else if ((data_type == CD_PROP_BYTE_COLOR) &&
+           !BKE_id_attribute_search(&mesh_src->id, default_color_src, CD_MASK_PROP_BYTE_COLOR, ATTR_DOMAIN_MASK_COLOR)) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if ((data_type == CD_PROP_COLOR) &&
+      BKE_id_attribute_search(&mesh_dst->id, default_color_src, CD_MASK_PROP_COLOR, ATTR_DOMAIN_MASK_COLOR)) {
+    mesh_dst->default_color_attribute = BLI_strdup(default_color_src);
+  }
+  else if ((data_type == CD_PROP_BYTE_COLOR) &&
+           BKE_id_attribute_search(&mesh_dst->id, default_color_src, CD_MASK_PROP_BYTE_COLOR, ATTR_DOMAIN_MASK_COLOR)) {
+    mesh_dst->default_color_attribute = BLI_strdup(default_color_src);
+  }
+  else {
+    CustomDataLayer *first_color_layer = BKE_id_attribute_from_index(
+        &mesh_dst->id, 0, mask_domain, CD_MASK_COLOR_ALL);
+    if (first_color_layer != nullptr) {
+      mesh_dst->default_color_attribute = BLI_strdup(first_color_layer->name);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/* ********** */
+
 /* Generic pre/post processing, only used by custom loop normals currently. */
 
 static void data_transfer_dtdata_type_preprocess(Mesh *me_src,
@@ -1124,6 +1206,14 @@ void BKE_object_data_transfer_layout(struct Depsgraph *depsgraph,
                                            fromlayers,
                                            tolayers,
                                            nullptr);
+      /* Make sure we have active/defaut color layers if none existed before.
+       * Use the active/defaut from src (if it was transferred), otherwise the first. */
+      if (ELEM(cddata_type, CD_PROP_COLOR, CD_PROP_BYTE_COLOR)) {
+        data_transfer_mesh_attributes_transfer_active_color_string(
+            me_dst, me_src, ATTR_DOMAIN_MASK_POINT, cddata_type);
+        data_transfer_mesh_attributes_transfer_default_color_string(
+            me_dst, me_src, ATTR_DOMAIN_MASK_POINT, cddata_type);
+      }
     }
     if (DT_DATATYPE_IS_EDGE(dtdata_type)) {
       const int num_elem_dst = me_dst->totedge;
@@ -1164,6 +1254,14 @@ void BKE_object_data_transfer_layout(struct Depsgraph *depsgraph,
                                            fromlayers,
                                            tolayers,
                                            nullptr);
+      /* Make sure we have active/defaut color layers if none existed before.
+       * Use the active/defaut from src (if it was transferred), otherwise the first. */
+      if (ELEM(cddata_type, CD_PROP_COLOR, CD_PROP_BYTE_COLOR)) {
+        data_transfer_mesh_attributes_transfer_active_color_string(
+            me_dst, me_src, ATTR_DOMAIN_MASK_CORNER, cddata_type);
+        data_transfer_mesh_attributes_transfer_default_color_string(
+            me_dst, me_src, ATTR_DOMAIN_MASK_CORNER, cddata_type);
+      }
     }
     if (DT_DATATYPE_IS_POLY(dtdata_type)) {
       const int num_elem_dst = me_dst->totpoly;
diff --git a/source/blender/io/collada/MeshImporter.cpp b/source/blender/io/collada/MeshImporter.cpp
index 288e208fe6c..e3a20aae5fd 100644
--- a/source/blender/io/collada/MeshImporter.cpp
+++ b/source/blender/io/collada/MeshImporter.cpp
@@ -491,6 +491,8 @@ void MeshImporter::allocate_poly_data(COLLADAFW::Mesh *collada_mesh, Mesh *me)
       }
       BKE_id_attributes_active_color_set(
           &me->id, CustomData_get_layer_name(&me->ldata, CD_PROP_BYTE_COLOR, 0));
+      BKE_id_attributes_default_color_set(
+          &me->id, CustomData_get_layer_name(&me->ldata, CD_PROP_BYTE_COLOR, 0));
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/source/blender/io/wavefront_obj/importer/obj_import_mesh.cc b/source/blender/io/wavefront_obj/importer/obj_import_mesh.cc
index aa89be9780c..ac27f53184e 100644
--- a/source/blender/io/wavefront_obj/importer/obj_import_mesh.cc
+++ b/source/blender/io/wavefront_obj/importer/obj_import_mesh.cc
@@ -401,6 +401,7 @@ void MeshFromGeometry::create_colors(Mesh *mesh)
       CustomDataLayer *color_layer = BKE_id_attribute_new(
           &mesh->id, "Color", CD_PROP_COLOR, ATTR_DOMAIN_POINT, nullptr);
       BKE_id_attributes_active_color_set(&mesh->id, color_layer->name);
+      BKE_id_attributes_default_color_set(&mesh->id, color_layer->name);
       float4 *colors = (float4 *)color_layer->data;
       int offset = mesh_geometry_.vertex_index_min_ - block.start_vertex_index;
       for (int i = 0, n = mesh_geometry_.get_vertex_count(); i != n; ++i) {
diff --git a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_mesh.c b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_mesh.c
index e660513a243..060efd979ca 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_mesh.c
+++ b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_mesh.c
@@ -2292,6 +2292,13 @@ static PointerRNA rna_Mesh_vertex_color_new(struct Mesh *me,
   if (index != -1) {
     ldata = rna_mesh_ldata_helper(me);
     cdl = &ldata->layers[CustomData_get_layer_index_n(ldata, CD_PROP_BYTE_COLOR, index)];
+
+    if (!me->active_color_attribute) {
+      me->active_color_attribute = BLI_strdup(cdl->name);
+    }
+    if (!me->default_color_attribute) {
+      me->default_color_attribute = BLI_strdup(cdl->name);
+    }
   }
 
   RNA_pointer_create(&me->id, &RNA_MeshLoopColorLayer, cdl, &ptr);