diff --git a/skimage/color/colorlabel.py b/skimage/color/colorlabel.py
index 4e2c2f9a..f1c91d67 100644
--- a/skimage/color/colorlabel.py
+++ b/skimage/color/colorlabel.py
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
-import os
-import ast
 import warnings
 import itertools
-import ConfigParser
 
 import numpy as np
 
 from skimage import img_as_float
 from skimage._shared.utils import is_str
 from .colorconv import rgb2gray, gray2rgb
+from . import rgb_colors
 
 
 __all__ = ['color_dict', 'label2rgb', 'DEFAULT_COLORS']
@@ -18,14 +16,7 @@ DEFAULT_COLORS = ('red', 'blue', 'yellow', 'magenta', 'green',
                   'indigo', 'darkorange', 'cyan', 'pink', 'yellowgreen')
 
 
-def _load_colors():
-    directory, _ = os.path.split(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-    config_file = os.path.join(directory, 'colors.ini')
-
-    parser = ConfigParser.ConfigParser()
-    parser.read(config_file)
-    return dict((k, ast.literal_eval(v)) for k, v in parser.items('colors'))
-color_dict = _load_colors()
+color_dict = rgb_colors.__dict__
 
 
 def _rgb_vector(color):
diff --git a/skimage/color/colors.ini b/skimage/color/rgb_colors.py
similarity index 99%
rename from skimage/color/colors.ini
rename to skimage/color/rgb_colors.py
index 659c0e36..23046105 100644
--- a/skimage/color/colors.ini
+++ b/skimage/color/rgb_colors.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-[colors]
 aliceblue = (0.941, 0.973, 1)
 antiquewhite = (0.98, 0.922, 0.843)
 aqua = (0, 1, 1)
diff --git a/skimage/color/setup.py b/skimage/color/setup.py
deleted file mode 100644
index ef073836..00000000
--- a/skimage/color/setup.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
-
-def configuration(parent_package='', top_path=None):
-    from numpy.distutils.misc_util import Configuration
-
-    config = Configuration('color', parent_package, top_path)
-    config.add_data_files('colors.ini')
-
-    return config
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    from numpy.distutils.core import setup
-    setup(maintainer='scikit-image Developers',
-          maintainer_email='scikit-image@googlegroups.com',
-          description='Image Color Routines',
-          url='https://github.com/scikit-image/scikit-image',
-          license='Modified BSD',
-          **(configuration(top_path='').todict())
-          )