=== modified file 'dhis-2/dhis-services/dhis-service-dxf2/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/dxf2/schema/DefaultSchemaValidator.java'
--- dhis-2/dhis-services/dhis-service-dxf2/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/dxf2/schema/DefaultSchemaValidator.java	2015-01-15 09:50:45 +0000
+++ dhis-2/dhis-services/dhis-service-dxf2/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/dxf2/schema/DefaultSchemaValidator.java	2015-01-16 06:55:12 +0000
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@
 
         if ( PropertyType.COLOR == property.getPropertyType() && !ValidationUtils.isValidHexColor( value ) )
         {
-            validationViolations.add( new ValidationViolation( property.getName(), "Not a valid color (in hex format).", value ) );
+            validationViolations.add( new ValidationViolation( property.getName(), "Not a valid hex color.", value ) );
         }
 
         /* TODO add proper validation for both Points and Polygons, ValidationUtils only supports points at this time

=== modified file 'dhis-2/dhis-support/dhis-support-system/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/system/util/ValidationUtils.java'
--- dhis-2/dhis-support/dhis-support-system/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/system/util/ValidationUtils.java	2014-12-22 09:56:13 +0000
+++ dhis-2/dhis-support/dhis-support-system/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/system/util/ValidationUtils.java	2015-01-16 06:55:12 +0000
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@
     }
 
     /**
-     * Checks to see if given parameter is a valid hex color string (#xxx and #xxxxxx).
+     * Checks to see if given parameter is a valid hex color string (#xxx and #xxxxxx, xxx, xxxxxx).
      *
      * @param value Value to check against
      * @return true if value is a hex color string, false otherwise
@@ -386,21 +386,19 @@
             return false;
         }
 
-        if ( !value.startsWith( "#" ) )
-        {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        if ( !(value.length() == 4 || value.length() == 7) )
-        {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        char[] chars = value.toCharArray();
-
-        for ( int i = 1; i < chars.length; i++ )
-        {
-            if ( !Verifier.isHexDigit( chars[i] ) )
+        if ( value.startsWith( "#" ) )
+        {
+            value = value.substring( 1 );
+        }
+
+        if ( !(value.length() == 3 || value.length() == 6) )
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        for ( char aChar : value.toCharArray() )
+        {
+            if ( !Verifier.isHexDigit( aChar ) )
             {
                 return false;
             }