diff --git a/common/layer_id.cpp b/common/layer_id.cpp
index f0b2b65418..9dcc8f1cda 100644
--- a/common/layer_id.cpp
+++ b/common/layer_id.cpp
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ wxString LayerName( int aLayer )
     case LAYER_VIA_THROUGH:             return _( "Through Via" );
     case LAYER_VIA_BBLIND:              return _( "Bl/Buried Via" );
     case LAYER_VIA_MICROVIA:            return _( "Micro Via" );
+    case LAYER_VIAS_HOLES:              return _( "Via Holes" );
     case LAYER_NON_PLATEDHOLES:         return _( "Non Plated Holes" );
     case LAYER_RATSNEST:                return _( "Ratsnest" );
     case LAYER_NO_CONNECTS:             return _( "No-Connects" );
diff --git a/common/settings/color_settings.cpp b/common/settings/color_settings.cpp
index c77071792c..6284e9ba8d 100644
--- a/common/settings/color_settings.cpp
+++ b/common/settings/color_settings.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 
 
 ///! Update the schema version whenever a migration is required
-const int colorsSchemaVersion = 1;
+const int colorsSchemaVersion = 2;
 
 
 COLOR_SETTINGS::COLOR_SETTINGS( wxString aFilename ) :
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ COLOR_SETTINGS::COLOR_SETTINGS( wxString aFilename ) :
     CLR( "board.select_overlay",           LAYER_SELECT_OVERLAY,     COLOR4D( PUREGREEN ) );
     CLR( "board.through_via",              LAYER_VIA_THROUGH,        COLOR4D( LIGHTGRAY ) );
     CLR( "board.via_blind_buried",         LAYER_VIA_BBLIND,         COLOR4D( BROWN ) );
-    CLR( "board.via_hole",                 LAYER_VIAS_HOLES,         COLOR4D( WHITE ) );
+    CLR( "board.via_hole",                 LAYER_VIAS_HOLES,         COLOR4D( 0.5, 0.4, 0, 0.8 ) );
     CLR( "board.via_micro",                LAYER_VIA_MICROVIA,       COLOR4D( CYAN ) );
     CLR( "board.via_through",              LAYER_VIA_THROUGH,        COLOR4D( LIGHTGRAY ) );
     CLR( "board.worksheet",                LAYER_WORKSHEET,          COLOR4D( DARKRED ) );
@@ -266,11 +266,19 @@ bool COLOR_SETTINGS::Migrate()
         ret &= migrateSchema0to1();
 
         if( ret )
-        {
-            ( *this )[PointerFromString( "meta.version" )] = 1;
-        }
+            filever = 1;
     }
 
+    if( filever == 1 )
+    {
+        ret &= migrateSchema1to2();
+
+        if( ret )
+            filever = 2;
+    }
+
+    ( *this )[PointerFromString( "meta.version" )] = filever;
+
     return ret;
 }
 
@@ -323,6 +331,17 @@ bool COLOR_SETTINGS::migrateSchema0to1()
 }
 
 
+bool COLOR_SETTINGS::migrateSchema1to2()
+{
+    // Fix LAYER_VIAS_HOLES color - before version 2, this setting had no effect
+    nlohmann::json::json_pointer ptr( "/board/via_hole");
+
+    ( *this )[ptr] = COLOR4D( 0.5, 0.4, 0, 0.8 ).ToWxString( wxC2S_CSS_SYNTAX );
+
+    return true;
+}
+
+
 COLOR4D COLOR_SETTINGS::GetColor( int aLayer ) const
 {
     if( m_colors.count( aLayer ) )
diff --git a/common/settings/json_settings.cpp b/common/settings/json_settings.cpp
index b9de808f32..b282b57bae 100644
--- a/common/settings/json_settings.cpp
+++ b/common/settings/json_settings.cpp
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ bool JSON_SETTINGS::LoadFromFile( const wxString& aDirectory )
         }
 
         // And write-out immediately so that we don't lose data if the program later crashes.
-        SaveToFile( aDirectory );
+        SaveToFile( aDirectory, true );
     }
 
     return success;
diff --git a/include/settings/color_settings.h b/include/settings/color_settings.h
index 7f8010fdf9..426ec26c95 100644
--- a/include/settings/color_settings.h
+++ b/include/settings/color_settings.h
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ public:
 
 private:
     bool migrateSchema0to1();
+    bool migrateSchema1to2();
 
     void initFromOther( const COLOR_SETTINGS& aOther );
 
diff --git a/pcbnew/dialogs/panel_pcbnew_color_settings.cpp b/pcbnew/dialogs/panel_pcbnew_color_settings.cpp
index 56e0e5f7c9..c22678532e 100644
--- a/pcbnew/dialogs/panel_pcbnew_color_settings.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/dialogs/panel_pcbnew_color_settings.cpp
@@ -363,7 +363,6 @@ std::set<int> g_excludedLayers =
             LAYER_MOD_TEXT_FR,
             LAYER_MOD_TEXT_BK,
             LAYER_PADS_PLATEDHOLES,
-            LAYER_VIAS_HOLES,
             LAYER_GP_OVERLAY,
             LAYER_DRAW_BITMAPS
         };
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcb_painter.cpp b/pcbnew/pcb_painter.cpp
index 233a50f1fc..8c706370d4 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcb_painter.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcb_painter.cpp
@@ -101,7 +101,6 @@ void PCB_RENDER_SETTINGS::LoadColors( const COLOR_SETTINGS* aSettings )
         m_layerColors[i] = aSettings->GetColor( i );
 
     // Default colors for specific layers (not really board layers).
-    m_layerColors[LAYER_VIAS_HOLES]         = COLOR4D( 0.5, 0.4, 0.0, 0.8 );
     m_layerColors[LAYER_PADS_PLATEDHOLES]   = aSettings->GetColor( LAYER_PCB_BACKGROUND );
     m_layerColors[LAYER_VIAS_NETNAMES]      = COLOR4D( 0.2, 0.2, 0.2, 0.9 );
     m_layerColors[LAYER_PADS_NETNAMES]      = COLOR4D( 1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.9 );