diff --git a/common/r_efx.h b/common/r_efx.h
index 366b7c6b9..7fdca48a6 100644
--- a/common/r_efx.h
+++ b/common/r_efx.h
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ color24 gTracerColors[] =
 };
 */
 
+#define TRACER_COLORINDEX_DEFAULT 4
+
 // Temporary entity array
 #define TENTPRIORITY_LOW	0
 #define TENTPRIORITY_HIGH	1
diff --git a/engine/client/cl_efx.c b/engine/client/cl_efx.c
index 32dd092e3..55272953b 100644
--- a/engine/client/cl_efx.c
+++ b/engine/client/cl_efx.c
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ static particle_t *R_AllocTracer( const vec3_t org, const vec3_t vel, float life
 	VectorCopy( vel, p->vel );
 	p->die = cl.time + life;
 	p->ramp = tracerlength.value;
-	p->color = 4; // select custom color
+	p->color = TRACER_COLORINDEX_DEFAULT; // select custom color
 	p->packedColor = 255; // alpha
 
 	return p;
diff --git a/ref/gl/gl_rpart.c b/ref/gl/gl_rpart.c
index f43e034e8..963f7323c 100644
--- a/ref/gl/gl_rpart.c
+++ b/ref/gl/gl_rpart.c
@@ -229,10 +229,9 @@ void CL_DrawTracers( double frametime, particle_t *cl_active_tracers )
 			VectorAdd( verts[0], delta, verts[2] );
 			VectorAdd( verts[1], delta, verts[3] );
 
-			if( p->color > sizeof( gTracerColors ) / sizeof( gTracerColors[0] ))
+			if( p->color < 0 || p->color > sizeof( gTracerColors ) / sizeof( gTracerColors[0] ))
 			{
-				gEngfuncs.Con_Printf( S_ERROR "UserTracer with color(%d) > %zu\n", p->color, sizeof( gTracerColors ) / sizeof( gTracerColors[0] ));
-				p->color = 0;
+				p->color = TRACER_COLORINDEX_DEFAULT;
 			}
 
 			color = gTracerColors[p->color];
diff --git a/ref/soft/r_part.c b/ref/soft/r_part.c
index c40852dae..f4e91b019 100644
--- a/ref/soft/r_part.c
+++ b/ref/soft/r_part.c
@@ -236,10 +236,9 @@ void GAME_EXPORT CL_DrawTracers( double frametime, particle_t *cl_active_tracers
 			VectorAdd( verts[0], delta, verts[2] );
 			VectorAdd( verts[1], delta, verts[3] );
 
-			if( p->color > sizeof( gTracerColors ) / sizeof( gTracerColors[0] ))
+			if( p->color < 0 || p->color > sizeof( gTracerColors ) / sizeof( gTracerColors[0] ))
 			{
-				gEngfuncs.Con_Printf( S_ERROR "UserTracer with color(%d) > %zu\n", p->color, sizeof( gTracerColors ) / sizeof( gTracerColors[0] ));
-				p->color = 0;
+				p->color = TRACER_COLORINDEX_DEFAULT;
 			}
 
 			color = gTracerColors[p->color];