diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index becac2f..5ec1e9f 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -24,13 +24,12 @@ if minetest.global_exists("modlib") and (modlib.version or 0) >= 54 then
         return spec:to_number_rgb()
     end
 else
-    function colorstring_to_number(col)
-        colorstring_to_number = dofile(minetest.get_modpath(modname) ..
-            "/colorstring_to_number.lua")
-        return colorstring_to_number(col)
-    end
+    colorstring_to_number = dofile(minetest.get_modpath(modname) ..
+        "/colorstring_to_number.lua")
 end
 
+hud_fs.colorstring_to_number = colorstring_to_number
+
 -- Hacks to allow colorize() to work to some extent on labels
 local function get_label_number(label)
     local number, text = label:match("^\027%(c@([^%)]+)%)(.*)$")