diff --git a/package/base-files/files/bin/config_generate b/package/base-files/files/bin/config_generate
index c8d3f418880..1243938c6ff 100755
--- a/package/base-files/files/bin/config_generate
+++ b/package/base-files/files/bin/config_generate
@@ -395,6 +395,7 @@ generate_rssimon() {
 generate_led() {
 	local key="$1"
 	local cfg="led_$key"
+	local led_keys led_key led_value
 
 	json_select led
 	json_select "$key"
@@ -409,6 +410,19 @@ generate_led() {
 		set system.$cfg.default='$default'
 	EOF
 
+	# A multicolor LED carries one intensity per entry of its multi_index,
+	# which the led init script applies through multi_intensity.
+	json_get_keys led_keys
+	for led_key in $led_keys; do
+		case "$led_key" in
+			color_*) ;;
+			*) continue ;;
+		esac
+
+		json_get_var led_value "$led_key"
+		uci -q set "system.$cfg.$led_key=$led_value"
+	done
+
 	case "$type" in
 		brightness)
 			local brightness
diff --git a/package/base-files/files/lib/functions/uci-defaults.sh b/package/base-files/files/lib/functions/uci-defaults.sh
index b3e9824a6cf..34005fe0fa4 100644
--- a/package/base-files/files/lib/functions/uci-defaults.sh
+++ b/package/base-files/files/lib/functions/uci-defaults.sh
@@ -439,6 +439,23 @@ _ucidef_set_led_common() {
 	json_add_string sysfs "$sysfs"
 }
 
+ucidef_set_led_colors() {
+	local cfg="$1"
+
+	shift
+
+	json_select_object led
+	json_select_object "$cfg"
+
+	while [ "$#" -gt 1 ]; do
+		json_add_string "color_$1" "$2"
+		shift 2
+	done
+
+	json_select ..
+	json_select ..
+}
+
 ucidef_set_led_default() {
 	local default="$4"