diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour3_ui_default.conf b/gtk2_ardour/ardour3_ui_default.conf
index 6331198dca..8ab8480d46 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour3_ui_default.conf
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour3_ui_default.conf
@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@
     <Option name="solo safe: text" value="c7c7d8ff"/>
     <Option name="solo safe: text active" value="c8c8d9ff"/>
     <Option name="meterbridge peaklabel" value="ff1111ff"/>
+    <Option name="meter color BBC" value="aaaaaaff"/>
     <Option name="meterbridge peakindicator: fill start" value="444444ff"/>
     <Option name="meterbridge peakindicator: fill end" value="333333ff"/>
     <Option name="meterbridge peakindicator on: fill start" value="ff0000ff"/>
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/canvas_vars.h b/gtk2_ardour/canvas_vars.h
index e2f1f42766..34116c8736 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/canvas_vars.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/canvas_vars.h
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_MeasureLineBar, "measure line bar")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_MeasureLineBeat, "measure line beat")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_MeterBar, "meter bar")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_MeterBridgePeakLabel, "meterbridge peaklabel")
+CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_MeterColorBBC, "meter color BBC")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_MeterColor0, "meter fill: 0")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_MeterColor1, "meter fill: 1")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_MeterColor2, "meter fill: 2")
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/level_meter.cc b/gtk2_ardour/level_meter.cc
index 1c09b013ba..8c3242d889 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/level_meter.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/level_meter.cc
@@ -321,7 +321,8 @@ LevelMeterBase::setup_meters (int len, int initial_width, int thin_width)
 					c[8] = c[9] = 0xff0000ff;
 					break;
 				case MeterIEC2BBC:
-					c[0] = c[1] = c[2] = c[3] = c[4] = c[5] = c[6] = c[7] = c[8] = c[9] = 0xaaaaaaff;
+					c[0] = c[1] = c[2] = c[3] = c[4] = c[5] = c[6] = c[7] = c[8] = c[9] =
+						ARDOUR_UI::config()->color_by_name ("meter color BBC");
 					stp[0] = stp[1] = stp[2] = stp[3] = 115.0;
 					break;
 				case MeterIEC2EBU: