diff --git a/models/cards.js b/models/cards.js
index a674efe31..b72293cfa 100644
--- a/models/cards.js
+++ b/models/cards.js
@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@ Cards.attachSchema(
       type: Number,
       decimal: true,
       defaultValue: 0,
+      optional: true,
     },
     subtaskSort: {
       /**
diff --git a/models/trelloCreator.js b/models/trelloCreator.js
index d7e861a75..2054cf28b 100644
--- a/models/trelloCreator.js
+++ b/models/trelloCreator.js
@@ -157,9 +157,14 @@ export class TrelloCreator {
 
   // You must call parseActions before calling this one.
   createBoardAndLabels(trelloBoard) {
+    let color = 'blue';
+    if (this.getColor(trelloBoard.prefs.background) !== undefined) {
+      color = this.getColor(trelloBoard.prefs.background);
+    }
+
     const boardToCreate = {
       archived: trelloBoard.closed,
-      color: this.getColor(trelloBoard.prefs.background),
+      color: color,
       // very old boards won't have a creation activity so no creation date
       createdAt: this._now(this.createdAt.board),
       labels: [],