diff --git a/osu.Game/Online/Chat/ErrorMessage.cs b/osu.Game/Online/Chat/ErrorMessage.cs
index a8ff0e9a98..87a65fb3f1 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Online/Chat/ErrorMessage.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Online/Chat/ErrorMessage.cs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Online.Chat
         public ErrorMessage(string message)
             : base(message)
         {
-            Sender.Colour = @"ff0000";
+            // todo: this should likely be styled differently in the future.
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game/Users/User.cs b/osu.Game/Users/User.cs
index b738eff4a6..a5f3578711 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Users/User.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Users/User.cs
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Users
         public static readonly User SYSTEM_USER = new User
         {
             Username = "system",
+            Colour = @"9c0101",
             Id = 0
         };