diff --git a/cogl/cogl-pango/cogl-pango-display-list.c b/cogl/cogl-pango/cogl-pango-display-list.c
index 0483f46e3..caf202d06 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-pango/cogl-pango-display-list.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-pango/cogl-pango-display-list.c
@@ -421,7 +421,9 @@ _cogl_pango_display_list_render (CoglFramebuffer *fb,
                                   cogl_color_get_red_byte (&node->color),
                                   cogl_color_get_green_byte (&node->color),
                                   cogl_color_get_blue_byte (&node->color),
-                                  cogl_color_get_alpha_byte (&node->color));
+                                  (cogl_color_get_alpha_byte (&node->color) *
+                                   cogl_color_get_alpha_byte (color) /
+                                   255));
       else
         draw_color = *color;
       cogl_color_premultiply (&draw_color);