diff --git a/clutter/cogl/cogl-material.h b/clutter/cogl/cogl-material.h
index c77b09100..95a474831 100644
--- a/clutter/cogl/cogl-material.h
+++ b/clutter/cogl/cogl-material.h
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ void cogl_material_set_color (CoglHandle material, const CoglColor *color);
  *
  * This is the basic color of the material, used when no lighting is enabled.
  *
- * The default value is (1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0)
+ * The default value is (0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff)
  *
  * Since 1.0
  */
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ void cogl_material_set_color4ub (CoglHandle material,
  * Since 1.0
  */
 void cogl_material_set_color4f (CoglHandle material,
-			        float      red,
+                                float      red,
                                 float      green,
                                 float      blue,
                                 float      alpha);
diff --git a/clutter/cogl/common/cogl-material.c b/clutter/cogl/common/cogl-material.c
index 2c7df33c8..c456cac6a 100644
--- a/clutter/cogl/common/cogl-material.c
+++ b/clutter/cogl/common/cogl-material.c
@@ -193,6 +193,18 @@ cogl_material_set_color4ub (CoglHandle handle,
   cogl_material_set_color (handle, &color);
 }
 
+void
+cogl_material_set_color4f (CoglHandle handle,
+			   float red,
+                           float green,
+                           float blue,
+                           float alpha)
+{
+  CoglColor color;
+  cogl_color_set_from_4f (&color, red, green, blue, alpha);
+  cogl_material_set_color (handle, &color);
+}
+
 void
 cogl_material_get_ambient (CoglHandle  handle,
                            CoglColor  *ambient)