diff --git a/protocols/vnc/include/vnc_handlers.h b/protocols/vnc/include/vnc_handlers.h
index c325e5ab..92730db3 100644
--- a/protocols/vnc/include/vnc_handlers.h
+++ b/protocols/vnc/include/vnc_handlers.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ rfbBool guac_vnc_malloc_framebuffer(rfbClient* rfb_client);
 void guac_vnc_cut_text(rfbClient* client, const char* text, int textlen);
 void guac_vnc_client_log_info(const char* format, ...);
 void guac_vnc_client_log_error(const char* format, ...);
+void guac_vnc_set_pixel_format(rfbClient* client, int color_depth);
 
 #endif
 
diff --git a/protocols/vnc/src/client.c b/protocols/vnc/src/client.c
index 8d35e01e..eb12ee3d 100644
--- a/protocols/vnc/src/client.c
+++ b/protocols/vnc/src/client.c
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ const char* GUAC_CLIENT_ARGS[] = {
     "encodings",
     "password",
     "swap-red-blue",
+    "color-depth",
     NULL
 };
 
@@ -75,7 +76,7 @@ int guac_client_init(guac_client* client, int argc, char** argv) {
 
     /*** PARSE ARGUMENTS ***/
 
-    if (argc < 6) {
+    if (argc < 7) {
         guac_protocol_send_error(client->socket, "Wrong argument count received.");
         guac_socket_flush(client->socket);
         return 1;
@@ -117,6 +118,9 @@ int guac_client_init(guac_client* client, int argc, char** argv) {
 
     /* Password */
     rfb_client->GetPassword = guac_vnc_get_password;
+
+    /* Depth */    
+    guac_vnc_set_pixel_format(rfb_client, atoi(argv[6]));
     
     /* Hook into allocation so we can handle resize. */
     guac_client_data->rfb_MallocFrameBuffer = rfb_client->MallocFrameBuffer;
diff --git a/protocols/vnc/src/vnc_handlers.c b/protocols/vnc/src/vnc_handlers.c
index 5cd1d03c..f03e8b0c 100644
--- a/protocols/vnc/src/vnc_handlers.c
+++ b/protocols/vnc/src/vnc_handlers.c
@@ -251,6 +251,44 @@ char* guac_vnc_get_password(rfbClient* client) {
     return ((vnc_guac_client_data*) gc->data)->password;
 }
 
+void guac_vnc_set_pixel_format(rfbClient* client, int color_depth) {
+    switch(color_depth) {
+        case 8:
+            client->format.depth = 8;
+            client->format.bitsPerPixel = 8;
+            client->format.blueShift = 6;
+               client->format.redShift = 0;
+               client->format.greenShift = 3;
+               client->format.blueMax = 3;
+               client->format.redMax = 7;
+               client->format.greenMax = 7;
+        break;
+
+        case 16:
+                   client->format.depth = 16;
+            client->format.bitsPerPixel = 16;
+            client->format.blueShift = 0;
+            client->format.redShift = 11;
+            client->format.greenShift = 5;
+            client->format.blueMax = 0x1f;
+            client->format.redMax = 0x1f;
+            client->format.greenMax = 0x3f;
+        break;
+
+        case 24: 
+        case 32:
+        default:
+            client->format.depth = 24;
+            client->format.bitsPerPixel = 32;
+            client->format.blueShift = 0;
+            client->format.redShift = 16;
+            client->format.greenShift = 8;
+            client->format.blueMax = 0xff;
+            client->format.redMax = 0xff;
+            client->format.greenMax    = 0xff;
+     }
+}
+
 rfbBool guac_vnc_malloc_framebuffer(rfbClient* rfb_client) {
 
     guac_client* gc = rfbClientGetClientData(rfb_client, __GUAC_CLIENT);