diff --git a/src/color.c b/src/color.c
index 9aaa0222..f0e8328a 100644
--- a/src/color.c
+++ b/src/color.c
@@ -57,16 +57,16 @@ void set_colorpairs(void)
 
 	/* Initialize the color pairs for nano's interface elements. */
 	for (i = 0; i < NUMBER_OF_ELEMENTS; i++) {
-		colortype *color = specified_color_combo[i];
+		colortype *combo = color_combo[i];
 
-		if (color != NULL) {
-			if (color->fg == -1 && !using_defaults)
-				color->fg = COLOR_WHITE;
-			if (color->bg == -1 && !using_defaults)
-				color->bg = COLOR_BLACK;
-			init_pair(i + 1, color->fg, color->bg);
+		if (combo != NULL) {
+			if (combo->fg == -1 && !using_defaults)
+				combo->fg = COLOR_WHITE;
+			if (combo->bg == -1 && !using_defaults)
+				combo->bg = COLOR_BLACK;
+			init_pair(i + 1, combo->fg, combo->bg);
 			interface_color_pair[i] = COLOR_PAIR(i + 1) | A_BANDAID |
-										(color->bright ? A_BOLD : A_NORMAL);
+										(combo->bright ? A_BOLD : A_NORMAL);
 		} else {
 			if (i != FUNCTION_TAG)
 				interface_color_pair[i] = hilite_attribute;
@@ -74,8 +74,7 @@ void set_colorpairs(void)
 				interface_color_pair[i] = A_NORMAL;
 		}
 
-		free(specified_color_combo[i]);
-		specified_color_combo[i] = NULL;
+		free(color_combo[i]);
 	}
 
 	/* For each syntax, go through its list of colors and assign each
diff --git a/src/global.c b/src/global.c
index 3896c437..677211be 100644
--- a/src/global.c
+++ b/src/global.c
@@ -233,8 +233,8 @@ regmatch_t regmatches[10];
 int hilite_attribute = A_REVERSE;
 		/* The curses attribute we use to highlight something. */
 #ifdef ENABLE_COLOR
-colortype* specified_color_combo[] = {NULL};
-		/* The color combinations as specified in the rcfile. */
+colortype* color_combo[] = {NULL};
+		/* The color combinations for interface elements given in the rcfile. */
 #endif
 int interface_color_pair[] = {0};
 		/* The processed color pairs for the interface elements. */
diff --git a/src/proto.h b/src/proto.h
index e49fa227..77ffc05c 100644
--- a/src/proto.h
+++ b/src/proto.h
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ extern regmatch_t regmatches[10];
 
 extern int hilite_attribute;
 #ifdef ENABLE_COLOR
-extern colortype* specified_color_combo[NUMBER_OF_ELEMENTS];
+extern colortype *color_combo[NUMBER_OF_ELEMENTS];
 #endif
 extern int interface_color_pair[NUMBER_OF_ELEMENTS];
 
diff --git a/src/rcfile.c b/src/rcfile.c
index e6a9a2c2..eece5a8e 100644
--- a/src/rcfile.c
+++ b/src/rcfile.c
@@ -1098,17 +1098,17 @@ void parse_rcfile(FILE *rcstream, bool syntax_only)
 
 #ifdef ENABLE_COLOR
 		if (strcasecmp(rcopts[i].name, "titlecolor") == 0)
-			specified_color_combo[TITLE_BAR] = parse_interface_color(option);
+			color_combo[TITLE_BAR] = parse_interface_color(option);
 		else if (strcasecmp(rcopts[i].name, "numbercolor") == 0)
-			specified_color_combo[LINE_NUMBER] = parse_interface_color(option);
+			color_combo[LINE_NUMBER] = parse_interface_color(option);
 		else if (strcasecmp(rcopts[i].name, "selectedcolor") == 0)
-			specified_color_combo[SELECTED_TEXT] = parse_interface_color(option);
+			color_combo[SELECTED_TEXT] = parse_interface_color(option);
 		else if (strcasecmp(rcopts[i].name, "statuscolor") == 0)
-			specified_color_combo[STATUS_BAR] = parse_interface_color(option);
+			color_combo[STATUS_BAR] = parse_interface_color(option);
 		else if (strcasecmp(rcopts[i].name, "keycolor") == 0)
-			specified_color_combo[KEY_COMBO] = parse_interface_color(option);
+			color_combo[KEY_COMBO] = parse_interface_color(option);
 		else if (strcasecmp(rcopts[i].name, "functioncolor") == 0)
-			specified_color_combo[FUNCTION_TAG] = parse_interface_color(option);
+			color_combo[FUNCTION_TAG] = parse_interface_color(option);
 		else
 #endif
 #ifdef ENABLE_OPERATINGDIR