diff --git a/lib/realtime.js b/lib/realtime.js
index 7e93f20..1c99f02 100644
--- a/lib/realtime.js
+++ b/lib/realtime.js
@@ -368,6 +368,10 @@ function finishConnection(socket, note, user) {
             return failConnection(403, 'connection forbidden', socket);
         }
     }
+    // update user color to author color
+    if (note.authors[user.userid]) {
+        user.color = users[socket.id].color = note.authors[user.userid].color;
+    }
     note.users[socket.id] = user;
     note.socks.push(socket);
     note.server.addClient(socket);