diff --git a/assets/js/colors.test.ts b/assets/js/colors.test.ts
index 4957fda9a..82b60addd 100644
--- a/assets/js/colors.test.ts
+++ b/assets/js/colors.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
-import colors, { dimColor, lighterColor, fullColor, resolveColors } from "./colors";
+import colors, { dimColor, lighterColor, fullColor, resolveColors, deviceColorMap } from "./colors";
 import type { DeviceColors } from "./types/evcc";
 
 describe("setAlpha helpers", () => {
@@ -88,3 +88,20 @@ describe("resolveColors", () => {
     expect(res["extra"]).toBe(palette[0]);
   });
 });
+
+describe("deviceColorMap", () => {
+  it("returns empty map for undefined", () => {
+    expect(deviceColorMap(undefined)).toEqual({});
+  });
+  it("returns empty map for empty list", () => {
+    expect(deviceColorMap([])).toEqual({});
+  });
+  it("converts list of entries to title→color map", () => {
+    expect(
+      deviceColorMap([
+        { title: "WP-SG+", color: "#2563EB" },
+        { title: "Heizung", color: "#DC2626" },
+      ])
+    ).toEqual({ "WP-SG+": "#2563EB", Heizung: "#DC2626" });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/assets/js/colors.ts b/assets/js/colors.ts
index 937b34cf5..619d1f1c0 100644
--- a/assets/js/colors.ts
+++ b/assets/js/colors.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 import { reactive } from "vue";
-import type { DeviceColors } from "./types/evcc";
+import type { DeviceColorEntry, DeviceColors } from "./types/evcc";
+
+export function deviceColorMap(list: DeviceColorEntry[] | undefined): DeviceColors {
+  const m: DeviceColors = {};
+  for (const { title, color } of list ?? []) m[title] = color;
+  return m;
+}
 
 // alternatives
 // const COLORS = [ "#40916C", "#52B788", "#74C69D", "#95D5B2", "#B7E4C7", "#D8F3DC", "#081C15", "#1B4332", "#2D6A4F"];
diff --git a/assets/js/components/History/GroupChart.vue b/assets/js/components/History/GroupChart.vue
index 79af34805..8a7b93cca 100644
--- a/assets/js/components/History/GroupChart.vue
+++ b/assets/js/components/History/GroupChart.vue
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {
 	forecastYAxis,
 	tooltipStyle,
 } from "../Forecast/echarts";
-import colors, { lighterColor, resolveColors } from "@/colors";
+import colors, { lighterColor, resolveColors, deviceColorMap } from "@/colors";
 import store from "@/store";
 import formatter, { POWER_UNIT } from "@/mixins/formatter";
 import { PERIODS } from "../Sessions/types";
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ export default defineComponent({
 				for (const s of this.series) {
 					if (!s.virtual && !titles.includes(s.name)) titles.push(s.name);
 				}
-				const palette = resolveColors(titles, store.state.deviceColors ?? {});
+				const palette = resolveColors(titles, deviceColorMap(store.state.deviceColors));
 				return this.series.map((s) => {
 					// Virtual "other consumers" entity renders in a neutral gray to set
 					// it apart from explicit meter entities.
diff --git a/assets/js/types/evcc.ts b/assets/js/types/evcc.ts
index c1b036b41..5ee75011f 100644
--- a/assets/js/types/evcc.ts
+++ b/assets/js/types/evcc.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ declare global {
 export type AuthProviders = Record<string, { id: string; authenticated: boolean }>;
 
 export type DeviceColors = Record<string, string>;
+export type DeviceColorEntry = { title: string; color: string };
 
 export interface MqttConfig {
   broker: string;
@@ -111,7 +112,7 @@ export interface State {
   smartCostAvailable?: boolean;
   smartCostType?: SMART_COST_TYPE;
   siteTitle?: string;
-  deviceColors?: DeviceColors;
+  deviceColors?: DeviceColorEntry[];
   vehicles: Record<string, Vehicle>;
   statistics?: Statistics;
   authDisabled?: boolean;
diff --git a/assets/js/views/History.vue b/assets/js/views/History.vue
index f4bac7ff5..b8fa80235 100644
--- a/assets/js/views/History.vue
+++ b/assets/js/views/History.vue
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ import type { Legend } from "../components/Sessions/types";
 import type { DeviceColors } from "@/types/evcc";
 import { PERIODS } from "../components/Sessions/types";
 import { GROUP_ORDER, groupColor } from "../components/History/groups";
-import colors, { resolveColors } from "../colors";
+import colors, { resolveColors, deviceColorMap } from "../colors";
 import LegendList from "../components/Sessions/LegendList.vue";
 import formatter, { POWER_UNIT } from "../mixins/formatter";
 import api from "../api";
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ export default defineComponent({
 	},
 	computed: {
 		deviceColors(): DeviceColors {
-			return store.state.deviceColors ?? {};
+			return deviceColorMap(store.state.deviceColors);
 		},
 		effectivePeriod(): PERIODS {
 			return this.period && HISTORY_PERIODS.includes(this.period)
diff --git a/assets/js/views/Optimize.vue b/assets/js/views/Optimize.vue
index 1d6f011d4..dfcee23c5 100644
--- a/assets/js/views/Optimize.vue
+++ b/assets/js/views/Optimize.vue
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ import { formatCompactJson } from "../components/Optimize/compactJson";
 import api from "../api";
 import store from "../store";
 import formatter from "../mixins/formatter";
-import { resolveColors } from "../colors";
+import { resolveColors, deviceColorMap } from "../colors";
 import { CURRENCY } from "../types/evcc";
 
 export default defineComponent({
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ export default defineComponent({
 			}
 		},
 		deviceColors() {
-			return store.state.deviceColors ?? {};
+			return deviceColorMap(store.state.deviceColors);
 		},
 		batteryTitles(): string[] {
 			const details = this.evopt?.details?.batteryDetails || [];
diff --git a/assets/js/views/Sessions.vue b/assets/js/views/Sessions.vue
index 2ca3bf132..752986107 100644
--- a/assets/js/views/Sessions.vue
+++ b/assets/js/views/Sessions.vue
@@ -205,7 +205,8 @@ import IconSelectGroup from "../components/Helper/IconSelectGroup.vue";
 import IconSelectItem from "../components/Helper/IconSelectItem.vue";
 import SelectGroup from "../components/Helper/SelectGroup.vue";
 import CustomSelect from "../components/Helper/CustomSelect.vue";
-import colors, { resolveColors } from "../colors";
+import colors, { resolveColors, deviceColorMap } from "../colors";
+import type { DeviceColors } from "@/types/evcc";
 import settings from "../settings";
 import PeriodSelector from "../components/Sessions/PeriodSelector.vue";
 import DateNavigator from "../components/Sessions/DateNavigator.vue";
@@ -503,8 +504,8 @@ export default defineComponent({
 			}
 			return this.csvHrefLink();
 		},
-		deviceColors() {
-			return store.state.deviceColors ?? {};
+		deviceColors(): DeviceColors {
+			return deviceColorMap(store.state.deviceColors);
 		},
 		colorMappings() {
 			const lastThreeMonths = new Date();
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 0d43db9de..e58ac265a 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ func runRoot(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	}
 
 	// publish initial settings
-	valueChan <- util.Param{Key: keys.DeviceColors, Val: ui.GetDeviceColors()}
+	valueChan <- util.Param{Key: keys.DeviceColors, Val: ui.DeviceColorList()}
 	valueChan <- util.Param{Key: keys.EEBus, Val: globalconfig.ConfigStatus{
 		Config:     conf.EEBus.Redacted(),
 		Status:     eebus.GetStatus(),
diff --git a/server/http_devicecolors_handler.go b/server/http_devicecolors_handler.go
index bdcede30c..17262d38d 100644
--- a/server/http_devicecolors_handler.go
+++ b/server/http_devicecolors_handler.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package server
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
-	"maps"
 	"net/http"
 	"regexp"
 
@@ -14,7 +13,6 @@ import (
 
 var hexColorRE = regexp.MustCompile(`^#[0-9a-fA-F]{6}$`)
 
-// updateDeviceColor sets/removes a single title→hex association.
 func updateDeviceColor(site site.API) http.HandlerFunc {
 	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		var req struct {
@@ -29,26 +27,23 @@ func updateDeviceColor(site site.API) http.HandlerFunc {
 			jsonError(w, http.StatusBadRequest, errors.New("title required"))
 			return
 		}
-		color := req.Color
-		if color != "" && !hexColorRE.MatchString(color) {
+		if req.Color != "" && !hexColorRE.MatchString(req.Color) {
 			jsonError(w, http.StatusBadRequest, errors.New("invalid hex color"))
 			return
 		}
 
 		m := ui.GetDeviceColors()
-		m[req.Title] = color
-
-		// clone — Publish serializes async
-		site.Publish(keys.DeviceColors, maps.Clone(m))
-
-		// delete only after publish to enforce update in client
-		if color == "" {
+		if req.Color == "" {
 			delete(m, req.Title)
+		} else {
+			m[req.Title] = req.Color
 		}
 		if err := ui.SaveDeviceColors(m); err != nil {
 			jsonError(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, err)
 			return
 		}
+
+		site.Publish(keys.DeviceColors, ui.DeviceColorList())
 		jsonWrite(w, m)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/ui/colors.go b/ui/colors.go
index b4960d09c..597e219d1 100644
--- a/ui/colors.go
+++ b/ui/colors.go
@@ -3,15 +3,22 @@ package ui
 
 import (
 	"maps"
+	"slices"
+	"strings"
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/core/keys"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/server/db/settings"
 )
 
+// DeviceColor is the MQTT-safe publish format (map keys would leak into topic segments).
+type DeviceColor struct {
+	Title string `json:"title"`
+	Color string `json:"color"`
+}
+
 var colorsMu sync.RWMutex
 
-// GetDeviceColors returns the persisted title→hex map (never nil).
 func GetDeviceColors() map[string]string {
 	colorsMu.RLock()
 	defer colorsMu.RUnlock()
@@ -20,7 +27,6 @@ func GetDeviceColors() map[string]string {
 	return m
 }
 
-// SaveDeviceColors persists the title→hex map.
 func SaveDeviceColors(m map[string]string) error {
 	colorsMu.Lock()
 	defer colorsMu.Unlock()
@@ -28,3 +34,13 @@ func SaveDeviceColors(m map[string]string) error {
 	maps.Copy(clean, m)
 	return settings.SetJson(keys.DeviceColors, clean)
 }
+
+func DeviceColorList() []DeviceColor {
+	m := GetDeviceColors()
+	list := make([]DeviceColor, 0, len(m))
+	for title, color := range m {
+		list = append(list, DeviceColor{Title: title, Color: color})
+	}
+	slices.SortFunc(list, func(a, b DeviceColor) int { return strings.Compare(a.Title, b.Title) })
+	return list
+}
diff --git a/ui/colors_test.go b/ui/colors_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2329765bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/colors_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+package ui
+
+import (
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/server/db"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func setupDB(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Helper()
+	require.NoError(t, db.NewInstance("sqlite", filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "test.db")))
+}
+
+func TestDeviceColors_RoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
+	setupDB(t)
+
+	in := map[string]string{"WP-SG+": "#2563EB", "Heizung": "#DC2626"}
+	require.NoError(t, SaveDeviceColors(in))
+
+	assert.Equal(t, in, GetDeviceColors())
+}
+
+func TestDeviceColors_EmptyWhenAbsent(t *testing.T) {
+	setupDB(t)
+	assert.Empty(t, GetDeviceColors())
+}
+
+func TestDeviceColorList_SortedAndSafe(t *testing.T) {
+	setupDB(t)
+
+	require.NoError(t, SaveDeviceColors(map[string]string{
+		"WP-SG+":  "#2563EB",
+		"Heizung": "#DC2626",
+		"Carport": "#10B981",
+	}))
+
+	assert.Equal(t, []DeviceColor{
+		{Title: "Carport", Color: "#10B981"},
+		{Title: "Heizung", Color: "#DC2626"},
+		{Title: "WP-SG+", Color: "#2563EB"},
+	}, DeviceColorList())
+}