diff --git a/src/servers/app/ServerApp.cpp b/src/servers/app/ServerApp.cpp
index 8877fff855..88f8d2a16e 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/ServerApp.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/ServerApp.cpp
@@ -2123,6 +2123,33 @@ ServerApp::_DispatchMessage(int32 code, BPrivate::LinkReceiver& link)
 			break;
 		}
 
+		case AS_SET_DESKTOP_COLOR:
+		{
+			STRACE(("ServerApp %s: set desktop color\n", Signature()));
+
+			rgb_color color;
+			uint32 index;
+			bool makeDefault;
+
+			link.Read<rgb_color>(&color);
+			link.Read<uint32>(&index);
+			if (link.Read<bool>(&makeDefault) != B_OK)
+				break;
+
+			fDesktop->Lock();
+
+			// we're nice to our children (and also take the default case
+			// into account which asks for the current workspace)
+			if (index >= (uint32)kMaxWorkspaces)
+				index = fDesktop->CurrentWorkspace();
+
+			Workspace workspace(*fDesktop, index);
+			workspace.SetColor(color, makeDefault);
+
+			fDesktop->Unlock();
+			break;
+		}
+
 		case AS_GET_ACCELERANT_INFO:
 		{
 			STRACE(("ServerApp %s: get accelerant info\n", Signature()));
diff --git a/src/servers/app/Workspace.cpp b/src/servers/app/Workspace.cpp
index 9e0094941a..c5ebf6e0b8 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/Workspace.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/Workspace.cpp
@@ -90,6 +90,15 @@ Workspace::Color() const
 }
 
 
+void
+Workspace::SetColor(const RGBColor& color, bool makeDefault)
+{
+	// TODO: support makeDefault
+	// TODO: redraw desktop!
+	fWorkspace.SetColor(color);
+}
+
+
 status_t
 Workspace::GetNextWindow(WindowLayer*& _window, BPoint& _leftTop)
 {
diff --git a/src/servers/app/Workspace.h b/src/servers/app/Workspace.h
index 4db551ed68..5adba0e391 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/Workspace.h
+++ b/src/servers/app/Workspace.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ class Workspace {
 		~Workspace();
 
 		const RGBColor& Color() const;
+		void		SetColor(const RGBColor& color, bool makeDefault);
 		bool		IsCurrent() const
 						{ return fCurrentWorkspace; }