diff --git a/src/Color.cc b/src/Color.cc
index 27ffc08d..725d0d70 100644
--- a/src/Color.cc
+++ b/src/Color.cc
@@ -205,7 +205,8 @@ float& Color::operator[](const unsigned int _index)
   }
 
   std::cerr << "Trying to read index " << _index << " of Color" << std::endl;
-  throw std::runtime_error("Index Error: Color index out of range");
+  static float invalidValue = NAN_F;
+  return invalidValue;
 }
 
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////