diff --git a/main.lua b/main.lua
index 6802ae7..a212977 100644
--- a/main.lua
+++ b/main.lua
@@ -1290,7 +1290,14 @@ function Bookhoard:applyServerAnnotations(annotations)
                 entry.drawer = "lighten"
                 entry.text = srv_text
                 if srv_notes ~= "" then entry.note = srv_notes end
-                if server_entry.color and server_entry.color ~= "" then entry.color = server_entry.color end
+                -- KOReader renders highlight colors from a fixed name set
+                -- (Blitbuffer.HIGHLIGHT_COLORS); anything else (e.g. a web
+                -- hex value slipping through) draws nothing useful, so only
+                -- keep plain names and let the device default apply.
+                local srv_color = server_entry.color or ""
+                if srv_color ~= "" and not srv_color:find("^#") then
+                    entry.color = srv_color
+                end
             else
                 if srv_text ~= "" then entry.note = srv_text end -- bookmark label
             end
@@ -1367,6 +1374,11 @@ function Bookhoard:applyServerAnnotations(annotations)
         if self.ui.saveSettings then
             self.ui:saveSettings()
         end
+        -- ReaderView paints annotations from the model on each repaint;
+        -- request one so applied highlights appear immediately.
+        if self.ui.dialog then
+            UIManager:setDirty(self.ui.dialog, "ui")
+        end
         logger.dbg("Bookhoard: annotations updated from server")
     end
 end