diff --git a/man/man1/fzf.1 b/man/man1/fzf.1
index 98c1c79..2ef3cdd 100644
--- a/man/man1/fzf.1
+++ b/man/man1/fzf.1
@@ -197,7 +197,9 @@ Number of spaces for a tab character (default: 8)
 .BI "--color=" "[BASE_SCHEME][,COLOR:ANSI]"
 Color configuration. The name of the base color scheme is followed by custom
 color mappings. Ansi color code of -1 denotes terminal default
-foreground/background color.
+foreground/background color. You can also specify 24-bit color in \fB#rrggbb\fR
+format, but the support for 24-bit colors is experimental and only works when
+\fB--height\fR option is used.
 
 .RS
 e.g. \fBfzf --color=bg+:24\fR
diff --git a/src/options.go b/src/options.go
index cbb0155..bcd2458 100644
--- a/src/options.go
+++ b/src/options.go
@@ -493,6 +493,7 @@ func dupeTheme(theme *tui.ColorTheme) *tui.ColorTheme {
 
 func parseTheme(defaultTheme *tui.ColorTheme, str string) *tui.ColorTheme {
 	theme := dupeTheme(defaultTheme)
+	rrggbb := regexp.MustCompile("^#[0-9a-fA-F]{6}$")
 	for _, str := range strings.Split(strings.ToLower(str), ",") {
 		switch str {
 		case "dark":
@@ -516,11 +517,17 @@ func parseTheme(defaultTheme *tui.ColorTheme, str string) *tui.ColorTheme {
 			if len(pair) != 2 {
 				fail()
 			}
-			ansi32, err := strconv.Atoi(pair[1])
-			if err != nil || ansi32 < -1 || ansi32 > 255 {
-				fail()
+
+			var ansi tui.Color
+			if rrggbb.MatchString(pair[1]) {
+				ansi = tui.HexToColor(pair[1])
+			} else {
+				ansi32, err := strconv.Atoi(pair[1])
+				if err != nil || ansi32 < -1 || ansi32 > 255 {
+					fail()
+				}
+				ansi = tui.Color(ansi32)
 			}
-			ansi := tui.Color(ansi32)
 			switch pair[0] {
 			case "fg":
 				theme.Fg = ansi
diff --git a/src/tui/tui.go b/src/tui/tui.go
index 859eed7..11ac1e7 100644
--- a/src/tui/tui.go
+++ b/src/tui/tui.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package tui
 
 import (
+	"strconv"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -121,6 +122,13 @@ type ColorPair struct {
 	id int16
 }
 
+func HexToColor(rrggbb string) Color {
+	r, _ := strconv.ParseInt(rrggbb[1:3], 16, 0)
+	g, _ := strconv.ParseInt(rrggbb[3:5], 16, 0)
+	b, _ := strconv.ParseInt(rrggbb[5:7], 16, 0)
+	return Color((1 << 24) + (r << 16) + (g << 8) + b)
+}
+
 func NewColorPair(fg Color, bg Color) ColorPair {
 	return ColorPair{fg, bg, -1}
 }
diff --git a/src/tui/tui_test.go b/src/tui/tui_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3ba9bf3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tui/tui_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+package tui
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestHexToColor(t *testing.T) {
+	assert := func(expr string, r, g, b int) {
+		color := HexToColor(expr)
+		if !color.is24() ||
+			int((color>>16)&0xff) != r ||
+			int((color>>8)&0xff) != g ||
+			int((color)&0xff) != b {
+			t.Fail()
+		}
+	}
+
+	assert("#ff0000", 255, 0, 0)
+	assert("#010203", 1, 2, 3)
+	assert("#102030", 16, 32, 48)
+	assert("#ffffff", 255, 255, 255)
+}