diff --git a/glsl_ext.c b/glsl_ext.c
index e765b03..6c890ef 100644
--- a/glsl_ext.c
+++ b/glsl_ext.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <errno.h>
@@ -68,6 +69,42 @@ struct schar {
     size_t sz;
 };
 
+bool ext_parse_color(const char* str, size_t elem_sz, float** results) {
+    size_t t, len = strlen(str), i = 0, s = 0;
+    uint8_t elem_bytes[elem_sz];
+    /* Ignore '0x' prefix, if present */
+    if (len >= 2 && str[0] == '0' && (str[1] == 'x' || str[1] == 'X')) {
+        len -= 2;
+        str += 2;
+    }
+    for (t = 0; t < len && t < 8; ++t) {
+        char c = str[t];
+        uint8_t b;
+        /* obtain value from character */
+        switch (c) {
+        case 'a' ... 'f': b = (c - 'a') + 10; break;
+        case 'A' ... 'F': b = (c - 'A') + 10; break;
+        case '0' ... '9': b =  c - '0';       break;
+        default: return false;
+        }
+        elem_bytes[s] = b;
+        if (s >= elem_sz - 1) { /* advance to next element */
+            uint32_t e = 0; /* component storage */
+                            /* mask storage with input data */
+            for (size_t v = 0; v < elem_sz; ++v) {
+                e |= (uint32_t) elem_bytes[v] << (((elem_sz - 1) - v) * 4);
+            }
+            /* convert to [0, 1] as floating point value */
+            *results[i] = (float) e / (float) ((1 << (elem_sz * 4)) - 1);
+            s = 0;
+            ++i;
+        } else { /* advance character */
+            ++s;
+        }
+    }
+    return true;
+}
+
 /* handle raw arguments for #include and #request directives */
 /* NOTE: munmap needs to be called on the result */
 static struct schar directive(struct glsl_ext* ext, char** args,
@@ -128,7 +165,7 @@ static struct schar directive(struct glsl_ext* ext, char** args,
 
             struct request_handler* handler;
             bool found = false;
-            size_t t, i;
+            size_t t;
             for (t = 0; (handler = &ext->handlers[t])->name != NULL; ++t) {
                 if(!strcmp(handler->name, request)) {
                     found = true;
diff --git a/glsl_ext.h b/glsl_ext.h
index fa9fc09..9b13338 100644
--- a/glsl_ext.h
+++ b/glsl_ext.h
@@ -35,3 +35,4 @@ struct glsl_ext {
 
 void ext_process(struct glsl_ext* ext, const char* f);
 void ext_free   (struct glsl_ext* ext);
+bool ext_parse_color(const char* hex, size_t elem_sz, float** results);
diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index bacc209..9d51d08 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -783,42 +783,9 @@ struct renderer* rd_new(const char** paths, const char* entry, const char* force
                         &gl->clear_color.b,
                         &gl->clear_color.a
                     };
-                    const size_t elem_sz = 2;
-                    char* str = (char*) args[0];
-                    size_t t, len = strlen(str), i = 0, s = 0;
-                    uint8_t elem_bytes[elem_sz];
-                    /* Ignore '0x' prefix, if present */
-                    if (len >= 2 && str[0] == '0' && (str[1] == 'x' || str[1] == 'X')) {
-                        len -= 2;
-                        str += 2;
-                    }
-                    for (t = 0; t < len && t < 8; ++t) {
-                        char c = str[t];
-                        uint8_t b;
-                        /* obtain value from character */
-                        switch (c) {
-                        case 'a' ... 'f': b = (c - 'a') + 10; break;
-                        case 'A' ... 'F': b = (c - 'A') + 10; break;
-                        case '0' ... '9': b =  c - '0';       break;
-                        default:
-                            fprintf(stderr, "Invalid value for `setbg` request: '%s'\n", (char*) args[0]);
-                            exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-                        }
-                        elem_bytes[s] = b;
-                        if (s >= elem_sz - 1) { /* advance to next element */
-                            uint32_t e = 0; /* component storage */
-                            /* mask storage with input data */
-                            for (size_t v = 0; v < elem_sz; ++v) {
-                                e |= (uint32_t) elem_bytes[v] << (((elem_sz - 1) - v) * 4);
-                            }
-                            /* convert to [0, 1] as floating point value */
-                            *results[i] = (float) e / (float) ((1 << (elem_sz * 4)) - 1);
-                            printf("[DEBUG] component %d value: %d (float: %f)\n", i, e, *results[i]);
-                            s = 0;
-                            ++i;
-                        } else { /* advance character */
-                            ++s;
-                        }
+                    if (!ext_parse_color((char*) args[0], 2, results)) {
+                        fprintf(stderr, "Invalid value for `setbg` request: '%s'\n", (char*) args[0]);
+                        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
                     }
                 })
         },