diff --git a/gen/config.py b/gen/config.py
index d41e9c84d..7feefd6ef 100755
--- a/gen/config.py
+++ b/gen/config.py
@@ -60,9 +60,11 @@ def main(args: list[str]=sys.argv) -> None:
     patch_color_list('tools/themes/collection.go', all_colors, 'ALL')
     nc = ',\n    '.join(f'{x!r}' for x in nullable_colors)
     sc = ',\n    '.join(f'{x!r}' for x in special_colors)
+    ac = ',\n    '.join(f'{x!r}' for x in all_colors)
     write_output('kitty', definition,
                  f'\nnullable_colors = frozenset({{\n    {nc}\n}})\n'
                  f'\nspecial_colors = frozenset({{\n    {sc}\n}})\n'
+                 f'\nall_colors = frozenset({{\n    {ac}\n}})\n'
     )
 
 
diff --git a/kitty/colors.py b/kitty/colors.py
index c10776aa0..734003484 100644
--- a/kitty/colors.py
+++ b/kitty/colors.py
@@ -5,13 +5,14 @@ import os
 from collections.abc import Iterable, Sequence
 from contextlib import suppress
 from enum import Enum
-from typing import Literal, Optional, TypedDict
+from typing import Any, Literal, Optional, TypedDict
 
 from .config import parse_config
 from .constants import config_dir
 from .fast_data_types import Color, get_boss, get_options, glfw_get_system_color_theme, patch_color_profiles, patch_global_colors, set_os_window_chrome
-from .options.types import Options, nullable_colors, special_colors
+from .options.types import Options, all_colors, nullable_colors, special_colors
 from .rgb import color_from_int
+from .types import run_once
 from .typing_compat import WindowType
 
 ColorsSpec = dict[str, Optional[int]]
@@ -191,19 +192,32 @@ class ThemeColors:
 theme_colors = ThemeColors()
 
 
-def parse_colors(args: Iterable[str | Iterable[str]], background_image_options: BackgroundImageOptions | None = None) -> Colors:
+@run_once
+def all_color_related_conf_keys() -> frozenset[str]:
+    return all_colors | frozenset(BackgroundImageOptions.__optional_keys__) | frozenset({'transparent_background_colors'})
+
+
+def parse_colors(
+    args: Iterable[str | Iterable[str]], background_image_options: BackgroundImageOptions | None = None,
+    allow_reading_conf_files: bool = True,
+) -> Colors:
+    from kitty.options.parse import parse_conf_item
     colors: dict[str, Color | None | int] = {}
     nullable_color_map: dict[str, int | None] = {}
     special_color_map: dict[str, int] = {}
     transparent_background_colors = ()
+    allowed = all_color_related_conf_keys()
     for spec in args:
+        conf: dict[str, Any] = {}
         if isinstance(spec, str):
-            if '=' in spec:
-                conf = parse_config((spec.replace('=', ' '),))
-            else:
+            k, sep, v = spec.partition('=')
+            if sep == '=':
+                if k in allowed:
+                    parse_conf_item(k, v, conf)
+            elif allow_reading_conf_files:
                 with open(os.path.expanduser(spec), encoding='utf-8', errors='replace') as f:
                     conf = parse_config(f)
-        else:
+        elif allow_reading_conf_files:
             conf = parse_config(spec)
         transparent_background_colors = conf.pop('transparent_background_colors', ())
         if background_image_options is not None:
diff --git a/kitty/options/types.py b/kitty/options/types.py
index bbe05b840..2766de82d 100644
--- a/kitty/options/types.py
+++ b/kitty/options/types.py
@@ -1412,5 +1412,296 @@ special_colors = frozenset({
     'macos_titlebar_color'
 })
 
+all_colors = frozenset({
+    'cursor',
+    'cursor_text_color',
+    'cursor_trail_color',
+    'scrollbar_handle_color',
+    'scrollbar_track_color',
+    'url_color',
+    'visual_bell_color',
+    'active_border_color',
+    'inactive_border_color',
+    'bell_border_color',
+    'window_title_bar_active_foreground',
+    'window_title_bar_active_background',
+    'window_title_bar_inactive_foreground',
+    'window_title_bar_inactive_background',
+    'active_tab_foreground',
+    'active_tab_background',
+    'inactive_tab_foreground',
+    'inactive_tab_background',
+    'tab_bar_background',
+    'tab_bar_margin_color',
+    'foreground',
+    'background',
+    'selection_foreground',
+    'selection_background',
+    'color0',
+    'color8',
+    'color1',
+    'color9',
+    'color2',
+    'color10',
+    'color3',
+    'color11',
+    'color4',
+    'color12',
+    'color5',
+    'color13',
+    'color6',
+    'color14',
+    'color7',
+    'color15',
+    'mark1_foreground',
+    'mark1_background',
+    'mark2_foreground',
+    'mark2_background',
+    'mark3_foreground',
+    'mark3_background',
+    'color16',
+    'color17',
+    'color18',
+    'color19',
+    'color20',
+    'color21',
+    'color22',
+    'color23',
+    'color24',
+    'color25',
+    'color26',
+    'color27',
+    'color28',
+    'color29',
+    'color30',
+    'color31',
+    'color32',
+    'color33',
+    'color34',
+    'color35',
+    'color36',
+    'color37',
+    'color38',
+    'color39',
+    'color40',
+    'color41',
+    'color42',
+    'color43',
+    'color44',
+    'color45',
+    'color46',
+    'color47',
+    'color48',
+    'color49',
+    'color50',
+    'color51',
+    'color52',
+    'color53',
+    'color54',
+    'color55',
+    'color56',
+    'color57',
+    'color58',
+    'color59',
+    'color60',
+    'color61',
+    'color62',
+    'color63',
+    'color64',
+    'color65',
+    'color66',
+    'color67',
+    'color68',
+    'color69',
+    'color70',
+    'color71',
+    'color72',
+    'color73',
+    'color74',
+    'color75',
+    'color76',
+    'color77',
+    'color78',
+    'color79',
+    'color80',
+    'color81',
+    'color82',
+    'color83',
+    'color84',
+    'color85',
+    'color86',
+    'color87',
+    'color88',
+    'color89',
+    'color90',
+    'color91',
+    'color92',
+    'color93',
+    'color94',
+    'color95',
+    'color96',
+    'color97',
+    'color98',
+    'color99',
+    'color100',
+    'color101',
+    'color102',
+    'color103',
+    'color104',
+    'color105',
+    'color106',
+    'color107',
+    'color108',
+    'color109',
+    'color110',
+    'color111',
+    'color112',
+    'color113',
+    'color114',
+    'color115',
+    'color116',
+    'color117',
+    'color118',
+    'color119',
+    'color120',
+    'color121',
+    'color122',
+    'color123',
+    'color124',
+    'color125',
+    'color126',
+    'color127',
+    'color128',
+    'color129',
+    'color130',
+    'color131',
+    'color132',
+    'color133',
+    'color134',
+    'color135',
+    'color136',
+    'color137',
+    'color138',
+    'color139',
+    'color140',
+    'color141',
+    'color142',
+    'color143',
+    'color144',
+    'color145',
+    'color146',
+    'color147',
+    'color148',
+    'color149',
+    'color150',
+    'color151',
+    'color152',
+    'color153',
+    'color154',
+    'color155',
+    'color156',
+    'color157',
+    'color158',
+    'color159',
+    'color160',
+    'color161',
+    'color162',
+    'color163',
+    'color164',
+    'color165',
+    'color166',
+    'color167',
+    'color168',
+    'color169',
+    'color170',
+    'color171',
+    'color172',
+    'color173',
+    'color174',
+    'color175',
+    'color176',
+    'color177',
+    'color178',
+    'color179',
+    'color180',
+    'color181',
+    'color182',
+    'color183',
+    'color184',
+    'color185',
+    'color186',
+    'color187',
+    'color188',
+    'color189',
+    'color190',
+    'color191',
+    'color192',
+    'color193',
+    'color194',
+    'color195',
+    'color196',
+    'color197',
+    'color198',
+    'color199',
+    'color200',
+    'color201',
+    'color202',
+    'color203',
+    'color204',
+    'color205',
+    'color206',
+    'color207',
+    'color208',
+    'color209',
+    'color210',
+    'color211',
+    'color212',
+    'color213',
+    'color214',
+    'color215',
+    'color216',
+    'color217',
+    'color218',
+    'color219',
+    'color220',
+    'color221',
+    'color222',
+    'color223',
+    'color224',
+    'color225',
+    'color226',
+    'color227',
+    'color228',
+    'color229',
+    'color230',
+    'color231',
+    'color232',
+    'color233',
+    'color234',
+    'color235',
+    'color236',
+    'color237',
+    'color238',
+    'color239',
+    'color240',
+    'color241',
+    'color242',
+    'color243',
+    'color244',
+    'color245',
+    'color246',
+    'color247',
+    'color248',
+    'color249',
+    'color250',
+    'color251',
+    'color252',
+    'color253',
+    'color254',
+    'color255',
+    'wayland_titlebar_color',
+    'macos_titlebar_color'
+})
+
 
 secret_options = ('remote_control_password', 'file_transfer_confirmation_bypass')
\ No newline at end of file