diff --git a/code/game/objects/items/weapons/handcuffs.dm b/code/game/objects/items/weapons/handcuffs.dm
index 1f73e5c7062..69b4abbe10d 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/items/weapons/handcuffs.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/items/weapons/handcuffs.dm
@@ -126,13 +126,15 @@
 	color = pick(COLOR_RED, COLOR_BLUE, COLOR_GREEN, COLOR_WHITE, COLOR_PINK, COLOR_YELLOW, COLOR_CYAN)
 	..()
 
-/obj/item/restraints/handcuffs/cable/proc/cable_color(var/colorC)
-	if(colorC)
-		if(colorC == "rainbow")
-			colorC = color_rainbow()
-		color = colorC
-	else
+/obj/item/restraints/handcuffs/cable/proc/cable_color(colorC)
+	if(!colorC)
 		color = COLOR_RED
+	else if(colorC == "rainbow")
+		color = color_rainbow()
+	else if(colorC == "orange") //byond only knows 16 colors by name, and orange isn't one of them
+		color = COLOR_ORANGE
+	else
+		color = colorC
 
 /obj/item/restraints/handcuffs/cable/proc/color_rainbow()
 	color = pick(COLOR_RED, COLOR_BLUE, COLOR_GREEN, COLOR_PINK, COLOR_YELLOW, COLOR_CYAN)
diff --git a/code/modules/power/cable.dm b/code/modules/power/cable.dm
index b6c65d979cf..992020e7090 100644
--- a/code/modules/power/cable.dm
+++ b/code/modules/power/cable.dm
@@ -229,14 +229,15 @@ By design, d1 is the smallest direction and d2 is the highest
 	if(current_size >= STAGE_FIVE)
 		deconstruct()
 
-obj/structure/cable/proc/cable_color(var/colorC)
-	if(colorC)
-		if(colorC == "rainbow")
-			color = color_rainbow()
-		else
-			color = colorC
+obj/structure/cable/proc/cable_color(colorC)
+	if(!colorC)
+		color = COLOR_RED
+	else if(colorC == "rainbow")
+		color = color_rainbow()
+	else if(colorC == "orange") //byond only knows 16 colors by name, and orange isn't one of them
+		color = COLOR_ORANGE
 	else
-		color = "#DD0000"
+		color = colorC
 
 /obj/structure/cable/proc/color_rainbow()
 	color = pick(COLOR_RED, COLOR_BLUE, COLOR_GREEN, COLOR_PINK, COLOR_YELLOW, COLOR_CYAN)
@@ -845,13 +846,15 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_INIT(cable_coil_recipes, list (new/datum/stack_recipe("cable restrai
 	color = pick(COLOR_RED, COLOR_BLUE, COLOR_GREEN, COLOR_WHITE, COLOR_PINK, COLOR_YELLOW, COLOR_CYAN)
 	..()
 
-/obj/item/stack/cable_coil/proc/cable_color(var/colorC)
-	if(colorC)
-		if(colorC == "rainbow")
-			colorC = color_rainbow()
-		color = colorC
-	else
+/obj/item/stack/cable_coil/proc/cable_color(colorC)
+	if(!colorC)
 		color = COLOR_RED
+	else if(colorC == "rainbow")
+		color = color_rainbow()
+	else if(colorC == "orange") //byond only knows 16 colors by name, and orange isn't one of them
+		color = COLOR_ORANGE
+	else
+		color = colorC
 
 /obj/item/stack/cable_coil/proc/color_rainbow()
 	color = pick(COLOR_RED, COLOR_BLUE, COLOR_GREEN, COLOR_PINK, COLOR_YELLOW, COLOR_CYAN)