diff --git a/builtin/config.c b/builtin/config.c
index 65e79c7673..cfd89a4186 100644
--- a/builtin/config.c
+++ b/builtin/config.c
@@ -923,6 +923,8 @@ static int cmd_config_get(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 
 	if (url)
 		ret = get_urlmatch(&location_opts, &display_opts, argv[0], url);
+	else if (display_opts.type == TYPE_COLOR && !strlen(argv[0]) && display_opts.default_value)
+		ret = get_color(&location_opts, "", display_opts.default_value);
 	else
 		ret = get_value(&location_opts, &display_opts, argv[0], value_pattern,
 				get_value_flags, flags);
diff --git a/t/t1300-config.sh b/t/t1300-config.sh
index 6d1015acfd..3cf5d17aba 100755
--- a/t/t1300-config.sh
+++ b/t/t1300-config.sh
@@ -1083,11 +1083,22 @@ test_expect_success 'get --type=color' '
 	rm .git/config &&
 	git config ${mode_set} foo.color "red" &&
 	git config --get --type=color foo.color >actual.raw &&
+	git config get --type=color foo.color >actual-subcommand.raw &&
+	test_cmp actual.raw actual-subcommand.raw &&
 	test_decode_color <actual.raw >actual &&
 	echo "<RED>" >expect &&
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'get --type=color with default value only' '
+	git config --get-color "" "red" >actual.raw &&
+	test_decode_color <actual.raw >actual &&
+	echo "<RED>" >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual &&
+	git config get --type=color --default="red" "" >actual-subcommand.raw &&
+	test_cmp actual.raw actual-subcommand.raw
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'set --type=color' '
 	cat >expect <<\EOF &&
 [foo]