diff --git a/src/common/QskBoxBorderColors.cpp b/src/common/QskBoxBorderColors.cpp
index a3d73479..15a7680f 100644
--- a/src/common/QskBoxBorderColors.cpp
+++ b/src/common/QskBoxBorderColors.cpp
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, const QskBoxBorderColors& colors )
         if ( colors.isMonochrome() )
         {
             const auto& gradient = colors.gradientAt( Qt::LeftEdge );
-            QskRgb::debugColor( debug, gradient.startColor() );
+            QskRgb::debugColor( debug, gradient.rgbStart() );
         }
         else
         {
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, const QskBoxBorderColors& colors )
                 debug << prompts[ i ] << ": ";
 
                 if ( gradient.isValid() && gradient.isMonochrome() )
-                    QskRgb::debugColor( debug, gradient.startColor() );
+                    QskRgb::debugColor( debug, gradient.rgbStart() );
                 else
                     debug << gradient;
             }
diff --git a/src/common/QskGradient.cpp b/src/common/QskGradient.cpp
index 0642fd3c..0cc87426 100644
--- a/src/common/QskGradient.cpp
+++ b/src/common/QskGradient.cpp
@@ -609,8 +609,7 @@ QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, const QskGradient& gradient )
         if ( gradient.isMonochrome() )
         {
             debug << ' ';
-            const auto color = gradient.stops().first().color();
-            QskRgb::debugColor( debug, color );
+            QskRgb::debugColor( debug, gradient.rgbStart() );
         }
         else
         {
diff --git a/src/common/QskGradient.h b/src/common/QskGradient.h
index d38c4303..ce391945 100644
--- a/src/common/QskGradient.h
+++ b/src/common/QskGradient.h
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ class QSK_EXPORT QskGradient
     Q_INVOKABLE QColor startColor() const noexcept;
     Q_INVOKABLE QColor endColor() const noexcept;
 
+    QRgb rgbStart() const;
+    QRgb rgbEnd() const;
+
     void setAlpha( int alpha );
 
     void setSpread( QGradient::Spread );
@@ -218,6 +221,16 @@ inline QColor QskGradient::endColor() const noexcept
     return m_stops.isEmpty() ? QColor() : m_stops.last().color();
 }
 
+inline QRgb QskGradient::rgbStart() const
+{
+    return m_stops.isEmpty() ? qRgba( 0, 0, 0, 255 ) : m_stops.first().rgb();
+}
+
+inline QRgb QskGradient::rgbEnd() const
+{
+    return m_stops.isEmpty() ? qRgba( 0, 0, 0, 255 ) : m_stops.last().rgb();
+}
+
 inline QGradient::Spread QskGradient::spread() const noexcept
 {
     return m_spread;
diff --git a/src/nodes/QskBoxNode.cpp b/src/nodes/QskBoxNode.cpp
index 1af72446..8b4b946a 100644
--- a/src/nodes/QskBoxNode.cpp
+++ b/src/nodes/QskBoxNode.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ static inline QskGradient qskEffectiveGradient( const QskGradient& gradient )
         if ( gradient.isMonochrome() )
         {
             g.setLinearDirection( Qt::Vertical );
-            g.setStops( gradient.startColor() );
+            g.setStops( gradient.rgbStart() );
         }
         else
         {
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ void QskBoxNode::setBoxData( const QRectF& rect,
     {
         if ( isFillMonochrome && isBorderMonochrome )
         {
-            if ( borderColors.left().startColor() == fillGradient.startColor() )
+            if ( borderColors.left().rgbStart() == fillGradient.rgbStart() )
             {
                 // we can draw border and background in one
                 hasBorder = false;
@@ -246,12 +246,12 @@ void QskBoxNode::setBoxData( const QRectF& rect,
 
         if ( hasFill )
         {
-            flatMaterial->setColor( fillGradient.startColor() );
+            flatMaterial->setColor( fillGradient.rgbStart() );
             renderer.renderFill( d->rect, shape, QskBoxBorderMetrics(), *geometry() );
         }
         else
         {
-            flatMaterial->setColor( borderColors.left().startColor().rgba() );
+            flatMaterial->setColor( borderColors.left().rgbStart() );
             renderer.renderBorder( d->rect, shape, borderMetrics, *geometry() );
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererColorMap.h b/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererColorMap.h
index cba59b20..25606a01 100644
--- a/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererColorMap.h
+++ b/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererColorMap.h
@@ -261,13 +261,13 @@ namespace QskVertex
         {
             if ( value2 == 1.0 && value1 == 0.0 )
             {
-                TwoColorIterator01 colorIt( gradient.startColor(), gradient.endColor() );
+                TwoColorIterator01 colorIt( gradient.rgbStart(), gradient.rgbEnd() );
                 line = fillOrdered( contourIt, colorIt, line );
             }
             else
             {
                 TwoColorIterator colorIt( value1, value2,
-                    gradient.startColor(), gradient.endColor() );
+                    gradient.rgbStart(), gradient.rgbEnd() );
 
                 line = fillOrdered( contourIt, colorIt, line );
             }
diff --git a/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererEllipse.cpp b/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererEllipse.cpp
index dc473ae9..a0aa5736 100644
--- a/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererEllipse.cpp
+++ b/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererEllipse.cpp
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ namespace
     {
       public:
         inline BorderMapSolid( const QskBoxBorderColors& colors )
-            : m_color( colors.left().startColor() )
+            : m_color( colors.left().rgbStart() )
         {
         }
 
@@ -515,8 +515,8 @@ namespace
       public:
         inline BorderMapGradient( int stepCount, const QskGradient& gradient1, const QskGradient& gradient2 )
             : m_stepCount( stepCount )
-            , m_color1( gradient1.startColor() )
-            , m_color2( gradient2.endColor() )
+            , m_color1( gradient1.rgbStart() )
+            , m_color2( gradient2.rgbEnd() )
             , m_gradient( gradient2 )
         {
         }
@@ -1037,12 +1037,12 @@ static inline void qskRenderFillRandom(
 
     if ( gradient.isMonochrome() )
     {
-        const ColorMapSolid map( gradient.startColor() );
+        const ColorMapSolid map( gradient.rgbStart() );
         qskRenderFillLines( metrics, orientation, line, map );
     }
     else
     {
-        const ColorMapGradient map( gradient.startColor(), gradient.endColor() );
+        const ColorMapGradient map( gradient.rgbStart(), gradient.rgbEnd() );
         qskRenderFillLines( metrics, orientation, line, map );
     }
 }
@@ -1059,14 +1059,14 @@ static inline void qskRenderBoxRandom(
 
         if ( gradient.isMonochrome() )
         {
-            const ColorMapSolid fillMap( gradient.startColor() );
+            const ColorMapSolid fillMap( gradient.rgbStart() );
             qskRenderLines( metrics, Qt::Vertical, borderLine, borderMap, fillLine, fillMap );
         }
         else
         {
             const auto orientation = qskQtOrientation( gradient );
 
-            const ColorMapGradient fillMap( gradient.startColor(), gradient.endColor() );
+            const ColorMapGradient fillMap( gradient.rgbStart(), gradient.rgbEnd() );
             qskRenderLines( metrics, orientation, borderLine, borderMap, fillLine, fillMap );
         }
     }
@@ -1086,14 +1086,14 @@ static inline void qskRenderBoxRandom(
 
         if ( gradient.isMonochrome() )
         {
-            const ColorMapSolid fillMap( gradient.startColor() );
+            const ColorMapSolid fillMap( gradient.rgbStart() );
             qskRenderLines( metrics, Qt::Vertical, borderLine, tl, tr, bl, br, fillLine, fillMap );
         }
         else
         {
             const auto orientation = qskQtOrientation( gradient );
 
-            const ColorMapGradient fillMap( gradient.startColor(), gradient.endColor() );
+            const ColorMapGradient fillMap( gradient.rgbStart(), gradient.rgbEnd() );
             qskRenderLines( metrics, orientation, borderLine, tl, tr, bl, br, fillLine, fillMap );
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererRect.cpp b/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererRect.cpp
index 567d8737..f2ea37c6 100644
--- a/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererRect.cpp
+++ b/src/nodes/QskBoxRendererRect.cpp
@@ -622,7 +622,7 @@ void QskBoxRenderer::renderRect(
 
         if ( gd.isMonochrome() )
         {
-            const ColorMapSolid colorMap( gd.startColor() );
+            const ColorMapSolid colorMap( gd.rgbStart() );
             qskCreateFillRandom( Qt::Vertical, in, colorMap, line );
         }
         else
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ void QskBoxRenderer::renderRect(
                 const auto orientation = gd.linearDirection().isVertical()
                     ? Qt::Vertical : Qt::Horizontal;
 
-                const ColorMapGradient colorMap( gd.startColor(), gd.endColor() );
+                const ColorMapGradient colorMap( gd.rgbStart(), gd.rgbEnd() );
                 qskCreateFillRandom( orientation, in, colorMap, line );
             }
             else
@@ -660,7 +660,7 @@ void QskBoxRenderer::renderRect(
 
         if ( bc.isMonochrome() )
         {
-            const auto rgb = bc.left().startColor().rgba();
+            const auto rgb = bc.left().rgbStart();
             qskCreateBorderMonochrome( rect, in, rgb, fillLines );
         }
         else