diff --git a/kitty/rgb.py b/kitty/rgb.py
index ff0e9b3e6..b37d05657 100644
--- a/kitty/rgb.py
+++ b/kitty/rgb.py
@@ -3,9 +3,12 @@
 
 import re
 from contextlib import suppress
-from typing import Optional
+from typing import Optional, overload, TYPE_CHECKING
 from .fast_data_types import Color
 
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from typing import Literal
+
 
 def alpha_blend_channel(top_color: int, bottom_color: int, alpha: float) -> int:
     return int(alpha * top_color + (1 - alpha) * bottom_color)
@@ -56,6 +59,12 @@ def color_as_sgr(x: Color) -> str:
     return x.as_sgr
 
 
+@overload
+def to_color(raw: str, validate: 'Literal[True]' = True) -> Color: ...
+@overload
+def to_color(raw: str, validate: 'Literal[False]' = False) -> Optional[Color]: ...
+
+
 def to_color(raw: str, validate: bool = False) -> Optional[Color]:
     # See man XParseColor
     x = raw.strip().lower()