diff --git a/cogl/cogl-context.c b/cogl/cogl-context.c
index ad4f4f2e2..5cd544342 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-context.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-context.c
@@ -129,7 +129,8 @@ cogl_create_context (void)
 
   _context->legacy_fog_state.enabled = FALSE;
 
-  _context->simple_pipeline = cogl_pipeline_new ();
+  _context->opaque_color_pipeline = cogl_pipeline_new ();
+  _context->blended_color_pipeline = cogl_pipeline_new ();
   _context->texture_pipeline = cogl_pipeline_new ();
   _context->arbfp_source_buffer = g_string_new ("");
   _context->source_stack = NULL;
@@ -237,8 +238,8 @@ cogl_create_context (void)
                                 0, /* auto calc row stride */
                                 default_texture_data);
 
-  cogl_push_source (_context->simple_pipeline);
-  _cogl_pipeline_flush_gl_state (_context->simple_pipeline, FALSE);
+  cogl_push_source (_context->opaque_color_pipeline);
+  _cogl_pipeline_flush_gl_state (_context->opaque_color_pipeline, FALSE);
   _cogl_enable (enable_flags);
   _cogl_flush_face_winding ();
 
@@ -277,8 +278,10 @@ _cogl_destroy_context (void)
   if (_context->default_gl_texture_rect_tex)
     cogl_handle_unref (_context->default_gl_texture_rect_tex);
 
-  if (_context->simple_pipeline)
-    cogl_handle_unref (_context->simple_pipeline);
+  if (_context->opaque_color_pipeline)
+    cogl_handle_unref (_context->opaque_color_pipeline);
+  if (_context->blended_color_pipeline)
+    cogl_handle_unref (_context->blended_color_pipeline);
   if (_context->texture_pipeline)
     cogl_handle_unref (_context->texture_pipeline);
 
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-context.h b/cogl/cogl-context.h
index e9a677570..ac7e630e2 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-context.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-context.h
@@ -82,8 +82,9 @@ typedef struct
 
   CoglPipelineFogState legacy_fog_state;
 
-  /* Materials */
-  CoglPipeline     *simple_pipeline; /* used for set_source_color */
+  /* Pipelines */
+  CoglPipeline     *opaque_color_pipeline; /* used for set_source_color */
+  CoglPipeline     *blended_color_pipeline; /* used for set_source_color */
   CoglPipeline     *texture_pipeline; /* used for set_source_texture */
   GString          *arbfp_source_buffer;
   GList            *source_stack;
diff --git a/cogl/cogl.c b/cogl/cogl.c
index 3e12c4d71..9f35468a7 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl.c
@@ -379,15 +379,24 @@ _cogl_flush_face_winding (void)
 void
 cogl_set_source_color (const CoglColor *color)
 {
-  CoglColor premultiplied;
+  CoglPipeline *pipeline;
 
   _COGL_GET_CONTEXT (ctx, NO_RETVAL);
 
-  premultiplied = *color;
-  cogl_color_premultiply (&premultiplied);
-  cogl_pipeline_set_color (ctx->simple_pipeline, &premultiplied);
+  if (cogl_color_get_alpha_byte (color) == 0xff)
+    {
+      cogl_pipeline_set_color (ctx->opaque_color_pipeline, color);
+      pipeline = ctx->opaque_color_pipeline;
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      CoglColor premultiplied = *color;
+      cogl_color_premultiply (&premultiplied);
+      cogl_pipeline_set_color (ctx->blended_color_pipeline, &premultiplied);
+      pipeline = ctx->blended_color_pipeline;
+    }
 
-  cogl_set_source (ctx->simple_pipeline);
+  cogl_set_source (pipeline);
 }
 
 void