diff --git a/src/rcfile.c b/src/rcfile.c
index 1e27f164..7f5fb138 100644
--- a/src/rcfile.c
+++ b/src/rcfile.c
@@ -1029,6 +1029,16 @@ bool parse_combination(char *combostr, short *fg, short *bg, int *attributes)
 
 	*attributes = A_NORMAL;
 
+	if (strncmp(combostr, "bold", 4) == 0) {
+		*attributes = A_BOLD;
+		if (combostr[4] != ',') {
+			jot_error(N_("An attribute requires a subsequent comma"));
+			return FALSE;
+		}
+		combostr += 5;
+		comma = strchr(combostr, ',');
+	}
+
 	if (comma != NULL) {
 		*bg = color_to_short(comma + 1, &vivid, &thick);
 		if (vivid && thick) {
@@ -1050,7 +1060,7 @@ bool parse_combination(char *combostr, short *fg, short *bg, int *attributes)
 		if (vivid && !thick && COLORS > 8)
 			*fg += 8;
 		else if (vivid)
-			*attributes = A_BOLD;
+			*attributes |= A_BOLD;
 	} else
 		*fg = USE_THE_DEFAULT;
 
diff --git a/syntax/nanorc.nanorc b/syntax/nanorc.nanorc
index fcc96a4b..ba132df3 100644
--- a/syntax/nanorc.nanorc
+++ b/syntax/nanorc.nanorc
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ color green "^[[:space:]]*((un)?(bind|set)|include|syntax|header|magic|comment|f
 color brightmagenta "([[:space:]]|(start|end)=)".+"([[:space:]]|$)"
 
 # Colors
-color yellow "^[[:space:]]*i?color[[:space:]]*(bright|light)?(white|black|red|blue|green|yellow|magenta|cyan|normal)?(,(light)?(white|black|red|blue|green|yellow|magenta|cyan|normal))?\>"
+color yellow "^[[:space:]]*i?color[[:space:]]*(bright|(bold,)?(light)?)?(white|black|red|blue|green|yellow|magenta|cyan|normal)?(,(light)?(white|black|red|blue|green|yellow|magenta|cyan|normal))?\>"
 color magenta "^[[:space:]]*i?color\>" "\<(start|end)="
 
 # Comments