diff --git a/src/app/qgisapp.cpp b/src/app/qgisapp.cpp
index e3ed37fcb00..068c92876c5 100644
--- a/src/app/qgisapp.cpp
+++ b/src/app/qgisapp.cpp
@@ -3440,7 +3440,7 @@ void QgisApp::fileNew( bool thePromptToSaveFlag, bool forceBlank )
   prj->writeEntry( "Gui", "/SelectionColorGreenPart", myGreen );
   prj->writeEntry( "Gui", "/SelectionColorBluePart", myBlue );
   prj->writeEntry( "Gui", "/SelectionColorAlphaPart", myAlpha );
-  mMapCanvas->setSelectionColor( QColor( myRed, myGreen, myBlue ) );
+  mMapCanvas->setSelectionColor( QColor( myRed, myGreen, myBlue, myAlpha ) );
 
   //set the canvas to the default background color
   //the default can be set in qgisoptions