diff --git a/tests/modetest/buffers.c b/tests/modetest/buffers.c
index 03a6d424f102..328370ce2cfc 100644
--- a/tests/modetest/buffers.c
+++ b/tests/modetest/buffers.c
@@ -114,7 +114,8 @@ struct bo *
 bo_create(int fd, unsigned int format,
 	  unsigned int width, unsigned int height,
 	  unsigned int handles[4], unsigned int pitches[4],
-	  unsigned int offsets[4], enum util_fill_pattern pattern)
+	  unsigned int offsets[4], enum util_fill_pattern pattern,
+	  unsigned int color)
 {
 	unsigned int virtual_height, xsub, ysub;
 	struct bo *bo;
@@ -386,7 +387,7 @@ bo_create(int fd, unsigned int format,
 		break;
 	}
 
-	util_fill_pattern(format, pattern, 0x38383838, planes, width, height, pitches[0]);
+	util_fill_pattern(format, pattern, color, planes, width, height, pitches[0]);
 	bo_unmap(bo);
 
 	return bo;
diff --git a/tests/modetest/buffers.h b/tests/modetest/buffers.h
index cbd54e9ed386..3e2aa14796cb 100644
--- a/tests/modetest/buffers.h
+++ b/tests/modetest/buffers.h
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ struct bo;
 struct bo *bo_create(int fd, unsigned int format,
 		   unsigned int width, unsigned int height,
 		   unsigned int handles[4], unsigned int pitches[4],
-		   unsigned int offsets[4], enum util_fill_pattern pattern);
+		   unsigned int offsets[4], enum util_fill_pattern pattern,
+		   unsigned int color);
 void bo_destroy(struct bo *bo);
 void bo_dump(struct bo *bo, const char *filename);
 
diff --git a/tests/modetest/modetest.c b/tests/modetest/modetest.c
index d9e761e6cfa0..d98fe3c98dfb 100644
--- a/tests/modetest/modetest.c
+++ b/tests/modetest/modetest.c
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
 
 static enum util_fill_pattern primary_fill = UTIL_PATTERN_SMPTE;
 static enum util_fill_pattern secondary_fill = UTIL_PATTERN_TILES;
+static unsigned long color = 0x308830;
 static drmModeModeInfo user_mode;
 
 struct crtc {
@@ -1199,7 +1200,7 @@ bo_fb_create(int fd, unsigned int fourcc, const uint32_t w, const uint32_t h,
 	struct bo *bo;
 	unsigned int fb_id;
 
-	bo = bo_create(fd, fourcc, w, h, handles, pitches, offsets, pat);
+	bo = bo_create(fd, fourcc, w, h, handles, pitches, offsets, pat, color);
 
 	if (bo == NULL)
 		return -1;
@@ -1240,7 +1241,7 @@ static int atomic_set_plane(struct device *dev, struct plane_arg *p,
 
 	if (!plane_bo) {
 		if (bo_fb_create(dev->fd, p->fourcc, p->w, p->h,
-                         pattern, &plane_bo, &p->fb_id))
+				 pattern, &plane_bo, &p->fb_id))
 			return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -1665,7 +1666,7 @@ static unsigned int set_mode(struct device *dev, struct pipe_arg **pipe_args, un
 		}
 
 		if (bo_fb_create(dev->fd, pipes[0].fourcc, dev->mode.width, dev->mode.height,
-			             primary_fill, &dev->mode.bo, &dev->mode.fb_id))
+				 primary_fill, &dev->mode.bo, &dev->mode.fb_id))
 			return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -1857,7 +1858,7 @@ static void set_cursors(struct device *dev, struct pipe_arg *pipes, unsigned int
 	 * translucent alpha
 	 */
 	bo = bo_create(dev->fd, DRM_FORMAT_ARGB8888, cw, ch, handles, pitches,
-		       offsets, UTIL_PATTERN_PLAIN);
+		       offsets, UTIL_PATTERN_PLAIN, color);
 	if (bo == NULL)
 		return;
 
@@ -2126,6 +2127,13 @@ static void parse_fill_patterns(char *arg)
 	secondary_fill = util_pattern_enum(fill);
 }
 
+static void parse_fill_value(char *arg)
+{
+	char *end;
+
+	color = strtoul(arg, &end, 16);
+}
+
 static void usage(char *name)
 {
 	fprintf(stderr, "usage: %s [-acDdefMoPpsCvrw]\n", name);
@@ -2149,6 +2157,7 @@ static void usage(char *name)
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t-w <obj_id>:<prop_name>:<value>\tset property, see 'property'\n");
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t-a \tuse atomic API\n");
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t-F pattern1,pattern2\tspecify fill patterns\n");
+	fprintf(stderr, "\t-V <RRGGBB hex value>\tspecify RGB hex color for plain pattern\n");
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t-o <desired file path> \t Dump writeback output buffer to file\n");
 
 	fprintf(stderr, "\n Generic options:\n\n");
@@ -2179,7 +2188,7 @@ static void usage(char *name)
 	exit(0);
 }
 
-static char optstr[] = "acdD:efF:M:P:ps:Cvrw:o:";
+static const char optstr[] = "acdD:efF:V:M:P:ps:Cvrw:o:";
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
@@ -2236,6 +2245,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		case 'F':
 			parse_fill_patterns(optarg);
 			break;
+		case 'V':
+			parse_fill_value(optarg);
+			break;
 		case 'M':
 			module = optarg;
 			/* Preserve the default behaviour of dumping all information. */
