diff --git a/src/tests/cal.t b/src/tests/cal.t
index 8796248f2..fc30ee14d 100755
--- a/src/tests/cal.t
+++ b/src/tests/cal.t
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ if (open my $fh, '>', 'details.rc')
             "calendar.details.report=list\n",
             "calendar.holidays=full\n",
             "color=on\n",
+            "color.alternate=\n",
             "confirmation=no\n",
             "holiday.AAAA.name=AAAA\n",
             "holiday.AAAA.date=20150101\n",
diff --git a/src/tests/color.pri.t b/src/tests/color.pri.t
index 40bf29d43..a198e8f46 100755
--- a/src/tests/color.pri.t
+++ b/src/tests/color.pri.t
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ if (open my $fh, '>', 'color.rc')
             "color.pri.M=green\n",
             "color.pri.L=blue\n",
             "color.pri.none=yellow\n",
+            "color.alternate=\n",
             "_forcecolor=1\n";
   close $fh;
   ok (-r 'color.rc', 'Created color.rc');
diff --git a/src/tests/color.tag.t b/src/tests/color.tag.t
index 4c2ab58c6..bdebb5c69 100755
--- a/src/tests/color.tag.t
+++ b/src/tests/color.tag.t
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ use Test::More tests => 7;
 if (open my $fh, '>', 'color.rc')
 {
   print $fh "data.location=.\n",
+            "color.tagged=\n",
+            "color.alternate=\n",
             "color.tag.red=red\n",
             "color.tag.green=green\n",
             "_forcecolor=1\n";
diff --git a/src/tests/due.t b/src/tests/due.t
index d03a1808d..c45d35802 100755
--- a/src/tests/due.t
+++ b/src/tests/due.t
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ if (open my $fh, '>', 'due.rc')
             "due=4\n",
             "color=on\n",
             "color.due=red\n",
+            "color.alternate=\n",
             "_forcecolor=on\n",
             "dateformat=m/d/Y\n";
   close $fh;