diff --git a/handle.c b/handle.c
index 16a416c..c93522e 100644
--- a/handle.c
+++ b/handle.c
@@ -25,16 +25,22 @@
 #include "chat.h"
 
 // Adapted from <https://github.com/cbreeden/fxhash/blob/master/lib.rs>.
+static uint32_t hashChar(uint32_t hash, char ch) {
+	hash = (hash << 5) | (hash >> 27);
+	hash ^= ch;
+	hash *= 0x27220A95;
+	return hash;
+}
 static int color(const char *str) {
 	if (!str) return IRC_GRAY;
 	uint32_t hash = 0;
 	for (; str[0]; ++str) {
-		hash = (hash << 5) | (hash >> 27);
-		hash ^= str[0];
-		hash *= 0x27220A95;
+		hash = hashChar(hash, str[0]);
 	}
-	hash &= IRC_LIGHT_GRAY;
-	return (hash == IRC_BLACK) ? IRC_GRAY : hash;
+	while (IRC_BLACK == (hash & IRC_LIGHT_GRAY)) {
+		hash = hashChar(hash, '\0');
+	}
+	return (hash & IRC_LIGHT_GRAY);
 }
 
 static char *paramField(char **params) {