diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableParticleEffectEntityItem.cpp b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableParticleEffectEntityItem.cpp
index 4abd8dbafd..379d1cc4a3 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableParticleEffectEntityItem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/RenderableParticleEffectEntityItem.cpp
@@ -223,10 +223,10 @@ void RenderableParticleEffectEntityItem::updateRenderItem() {
     particleUniforms.radius.middle = getParticleRadius();
     particleUniforms.radius.finish = getRadiusFinish();
     particleUniforms.radius.spread = getRadiusSpread();
-    particleUniforms.color.start = toGlm(getColorStart(), getAlphaStart());
-    particleUniforms.color.middle = toGlm(getXColor(), getAlpha());
-    particleUniforms.color.finish = toGlm(getColorFinish(), getAlphaFinish());
-    particleUniforms.color.spread = toGlm(getColorSpread(), getAlphaSpread());
+    particleUniforms.color.start = glm::vec4(getColorStartRGB(), getAlphaStart());
+    particleUniforms.color.middle = glm::vec4(getColorRGB(), getAlpha());
+    particleUniforms.color.finish = glm::vec4(getColorFinishRGB(), getAlphaFinish());
+    particleUniforms.color.spread = glm::vec4(getColorSpreadRGB(), getAlphaSpread());
     particleUniforms.lifespan = getLifespan();
     
     // Build particle primitives
diff --git a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/untextured_particle.slv b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/untextured_particle.slv
index 3d1d99c0dc..ab0ea15219 100644
--- a/libraries/entities-renderer/src/untextured_particle.slv
+++ b/libraries/entities-renderer/src/untextured_particle.slv
@@ -9,16 +9,15 @@
 //
 
 <@include gpu/Inputs.slh@>
-
+<@include gpu/Color.slh@>
 <@include gpu/Transform.slh@>
-
 <$declareStandardTransform()$>
 
 out vec4 _color;
 
 void main(void) {
     // pass along the diffuse color
-    _color = inColor;
+    _color = colorToLinearRGBA(inColor);
 
     TransformCamera cam = getTransformCamera();
     TransformObject obj = getTransformObject();
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/ParticleEffectEntityItem.h b/libraries/entities/src/ParticleEffectEntityItem.h
index c35a45baeb..cae9340b6d 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/ParticleEffectEntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/ParticleEffectEntityItem.h
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 
 #include "EntityItem.h"
 
+#include "ColorUtils.h"
+
 class ParticleEffectEntityItem : public EntityItem {
 public:
     ALLOW_INSTANTIATION // This class can be instantiated
@@ -47,6 +49,7 @@ public:
 
     const rgbColor& getColor() const { return _color; }
     xColor getXColor() const { xColor color = { _color[RED_INDEX], _color[GREEN_INDEX], _color[BLUE_INDEX] }; return color; }
+    glm::vec3 getColorRGB() const { return  ColorUtils::toLinearVec3(toGlm(getXColor())); }
 
     static const xColor DEFAULT_COLOR;
     void setColor(const rgbColor& value) { memcpy(_color, value, sizeof(_color)); }
@@ -59,14 +62,17 @@ public:
     bool _isColorStartInitialized = false;
     void setColorStart(const xColor& colorStart) { _colorStart = colorStart; _isColorStartInitialized = true; }
     xColor getColorStart() const { return _isColorStartInitialized ? _colorStart : getXColor(); }
+    glm::vec3 getColorStartRGB() const { return _isColorStartInitialized ? ColorUtils::toLinearVec3(toGlm(_colorStart)) : getColorRGB(); }
 
     bool _isColorFinishInitialized = false;
     void setColorFinish(const xColor& colorFinish) { _colorFinish = colorFinish; _isColorFinishInitialized = true; }
     xColor getColorFinish() const { return _isColorFinishInitialized ? _colorFinish : getXColor(); }
+    glm::vec3 getColorFinishRGB() const { return _isColorStartInitialized ? ColorUtils::toLinearVec3(toGlm(_colorFinish)) : getColorRGB(); }
 
     static const xColor DEFAULT_COLOR_SPREAD;
     void setColorSpread(const xColor& colorSpread) { _colorSpread = colorSpread; }
     xColor getColorSpread() const { return _colorSpread; }
+    glm::vec3 getColorSpreadRGB() const { return ColorUtils::toLinearVec3(toGlm(_colorSpread)); }
 
     static const float MAXIMUM_ALPHA;
     static const float MINIMUM_ALPHA;