diff --git a/src/note.typ b/src/note.typ
index 454d20b..b23355d 100644
--- a/src/note.typ
+++ b/src/note.typ
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@
       panic("Aligned notes can only be over a participant (got side '" + side + "')")
     }
   }
+  if color == auto {
+    color = COL-NOTE
+  }
   return ((
     type: "note",
     side: side,
diff --git a/src/participant.typ b/src/participant.typ
index d1ec7ef..e396595 100644
--- a/src/participant.typ
+++ b/src/participant.typ
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
   "queue",
   "custom"
 )
+#let DEFAULT-COLOR = rgb("#E2E2F0")
 
 #let _par(
   name,
@@ -20,11 +21,14 @@
   from-start: true,
   invisible: false,
   shape: "participant",
-  color: rgb("#E2E2F0"),
+  color: DEFAULT-COLOR,
   custom-image: none,
   show-bottom: true,
   show-top: true,
 ) = {
+  if color == auto {
+    color = DEFAULT-COLOR
+  }
   return ((
     type: "par",
     name: name,
diff --git a/src/sequence.typ b/src/sequence.typ
index 4d2f735..09806dd 100644
--- a/src/sequence.typ
+++ b/src/sequence.typ
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 #import "note.typ"
 
 #let get-arrow-marks(sym, color) = {
+  if sym == none {
+    return none
+  }
   if type(sym) == array {
     return sym.map(s => get-arrow-marks(s, color))
   }