diff --git a/frontend/main.c b/frontend/main.c
index 22065b08e..802b4a19b 100644
--- a/frontend/main.c
+++ b/frontend/main.c
@@ -1216,6 +1216,9 @@ weston_compositor_init_config(struct weston_compositor *ec,
 	weston_log("Output repaint window is %d ms maximum.\n",
 		   ec->repaint_msec);
 
+	weston_config_section_get_uint(s, "placeholder-color",
+				       &ec->placeholder_color, 0x660000);
+
 	weston_config_section_get_bool(s, "color-management",
 				       &color_management, false);
 	if (color_management) {
diff --git a/include/libweston/libweston.h b/include/libweston/libweston.h
index 193dcdaa4..9d9e860d1 100644
--- a/include/libweston/libweston.h
+++ b/include/libweston/libweston.h
@@ -1421,6 +1421,10 @@ struct weston_compositor {
 		/** fires with frame_counter_interval rate */
 		struct wl_event_source *frame_counter_timer;
 	} perf_surface_stats;
+
+	/* if set use this placeholder-color to use instead of the default
+	 * grenadier one */
+	uint32_t placeholder_color;
 };
 
 struct weston_solid_buffer_values {
diff --git a/libweston/compositor.c b/libweston/compositor.c
index 399a632f7..08216803d 100644
--- a/libweston/compositor.c
+++ b/libweston/compositor.c
@@ -214,9 +214,13 @@ maybe_replace_paint_node(struct weston_paint_node *pnode)
 		(surface->desired_protection > WESTON_HDCP_DISABLE);
 	bool unprotected_censor =
 		(surface->desired_protection > output->current_protection);
-	struct weston_solid_buffer_values placeholder_color = {
-		0.40f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f
-	};
+	struct weston_solid_buffer_values placeholder_color;
+	uint32_t color_tmp = output->compositor->placeholder_color;
+
+	placeholder_color.r = ((color_tmp >> 16) & 0xff) / 255.0;
+	placeholder_color.g = ((color_tmp >> 8) & 0xff) / 255.0;
+	placeholder_color.b = ((color_tmp >> 0) & 0xff) / 255.0;
+	placeholder_color.a = 1.0;
 
 	pnode->draw_solid = false;
 	pnode->is_direct = false;
diff --git a/man/weston.ini.man b/man/weston.ini.man
index 305004f87..f35b42673 100644
--- a/man/weston.ini.man
+++ b/man/weston.ini.man
@@ -249,6 +249,12 @@ Boolean, defaults to
 .BR false .
 These decorations cannot normally be screenshot. This option is useful for
 the Weston test suite only.
+.TP 7
+.BI "placeholder-color=" 0xRRGGBB
+sets the color of the placeholder (unsigned integer). The hexadecimal digit
+pairs are in order red, green, and blue. This placeholder is used for
+content-protection or when we're not able to lift a surface/view in a HW plane,
+but we require direct scan-out of buffers. Defaults to 0x660000 (red grenadier).
 .\"---------------------------------------------------------------------
 .SH "LIBINPUT SECTION"
 The