diff --git a/repos/os/run/demo.run b/repos/os/run/demo.run
index 20784afe7e..5c2145f0e7 100644
--- a/repos/os/run/demo.run
+++ b/repos/os/run/demo.run
@@ -119,6 +119,9 @@ append config {
 		<resource name="RAM" quantum="1M"/>
 		<provides><service name="Nitpicker"/></provides>
 		<config>
+			<domain name="default" color="#ffffff"/>
+			<policy label="" domain="default"/>
+
 			<global-keys>
 				<key name="KEY_SCROLLLOCK" operation="xray" />
 				<key name="KEY_SYSRQ"      operation="kill" />
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/domain_registry.h b/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/domain_registry.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9321a20d1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/domain_registry.h
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+/*
+ * \brief  Domain registry
+ * \author Norman Feske
+ * \date   2014-06-12
+ */
+
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2014 Genode Labs GmbH
+ *
+ * This file is part of the Genode OS framework, which is distributed
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2.
+ */
+
+#ifndef _DOMAIN_REGISTRY_
+#define _DOMAIN_REGISTRY_
+
+#include <util/xml_node.h>
+#include <util/color.h>
+
+class Domain_registry
+{
+	public:
+
+		class Entry : public Genode::List<Entry>::Element
+		{
+			public:
+
+				typedef Genode::String<64> Name;
+				typedef Genode::Color      Color;
+
+			private:
+
+				Name  _name;
+				Color _color;
+
+				friend class Domain_registry;
+
+				Entry(Name const &name, Color color)
+				:
+					_name(name), _color(color)
+				{ }
+
+			public:
+
+				bool has_name(Name const &name) const { return name == _name; }
+
+				Color color() const { return _color; }
+		};
+
+		void _insert(Genode::Xml_node domain)
+		{
+			char buf[sizeof(Entry::Name)];
+			buf[0] = 0;
+			bool name_defined = false;
+			try {
+				domain.attribute("name").value(buf, sizeof(buf));
+				name_defined = true;
+			} catch (...) { }
+
+			if (!name_defined) {
+				PERR("no valid domain name specified");
+				return;
+			}
+
+			Entry::Name const name(buf);
+
+			if (lookup(name)) {
+				PERR("domain name \"%s\" is not unique", name.string());
+				return;
+			}
+
+			Entry::Color const color = domain.attribute_value("color", Entry::Color());
+
+			_entries.insert(new (_alloc) Entry(name, color));
+		}
+
+	private:
+
+		Genode::List<Entry> _entries;
+		Genode::Allocator  &_alloc;
+
+	public:
+
+		Domain_registry(Genode::Allocator &alloc, Genode::Xml_node config)
+		:
+			_alloc(alloc)
+		{
+			char const *type = "domain";
+
+			if (!config.has_sub_node(type))
+				return;
+
+			Genode::Xml_node domain = config.sub_node(type);
+
+			for (;; domain = domain.next(type)) {
+
+				_insert(domain);
+
+				if (domain.is_last(type))
+					break;
+			}
+		}
+
+		~Domain_registry()
+		{
+			while (Entry *e = _entries.first())
+				Genode::destroy(_alloc, e);
+		}
+
+		Entry const *lookup(Entry::Name const &name) const
+		{
+			for (Entry const *e = _entries.first(); e; e = e->next())
+				if (e->has_name(name))
+					return e;
+			return 0;
+		}
+};
+
+#endif /* _DOMAIN_REGISTRY_ */
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/main.cc b/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/main.cc
index ef1d97e4dd..e10e7c8378 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/main.cc
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/main.cc
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include "clip_guard.h"
 #include "mouse_cursor.h"
 #include "chunky_menubar.h"
+#include "domain_registry.h"
 
 namespace Input       { class Session_component; }
 namespace Framebuffer { class Session_component; }
@@ -895,13 +896,14 @@ class Nitpicker::Root : public Genode::Root_component<Session_component>
 {
 	private:
 
-		Session_list         &_session_list;
-		Global_keys          &_global_keys;
-		Framebuffer::Mode     _scr_mode;
-		View_stack           &_view_stack;
-		Mode                 &_mode;
-		Framebuffer::Session &_framebuffer;
-		int                   _default_v_offset;
+		Session_list          &_session_list;
+		Domain_registry const &_domain_registry;
+		Global_keys           &_global_keys;
+		Framebuffer::Mode      _scr_mode;
+		View_stack            &_view_stack;
+		Mode                  &_mode;
+		Framebuffer::Session  &_framebuffer;
+		int                    _default_v_offset;
 
 	protected:
 
@@ -933,7 +935,7 @@ class Nitpicker::Root : public Genode::Root_component<Session_component>
 				                  _framebuffer, v_offset, provides_default_bg,
 				                  stay_top, *md_alloc(), unused_quota);
 
-			session->apply_session_color();
+			session->apply_session_policy(_domain_registry);
 			_session_list.insert(session);
 			_global_keys.apply_config(_session_list);
 
@@ -962,17 +964,16 @@ class Nitpicker::Root : public Genode::Root_component<Session_component>
 		/**
 		 * Constructor
 		 */
-		Root(Session_list &session_list, Global_keys &global_keys,
-		     Rpc_entrypoint &session_ep, View_stack &view_stack,
-		     Mode &mode, Allocator &md_alloc,
-		     Framebuffer::Session &framebuffer,
+		Root(Session_list &session_list,
+		     Domain_registry const &domain_registry, Global_keys &global_keys,
+		     Rpc_entrypoint &session_ep, View_stack &view_stack, Mode &mode,
+		     Allocator &md_alloc, Framebuffer::Session &framebuffer,
 		     int default_v_offset)
 		:
 			Root_component<Session_component>(&session_ep, &md_alloc),
-			_session_list(session_list), _global_keys(global_keys),
-			_view_stack(view_stack), _mode(mode),
-			_framebuffer(framebuffer),
-			_default_v_offset(default_v_offset)
+			_session_list(session_list), _domain_registry(domain_registry),
+			_global_keys(global_keys), _view_stack(view_stack), _mode(mode),
+			_framebuffer(framebuffer), _default_v_offset(default_v_offset)
 		{ }
 };
 
@@ -1046,6 +1047,13 @@ struct Nitpicker::Main
 
 	Session_list session_list;
 
+	/*
+	 * Construct empty domain registry. The initial version will be replaced
+	 * on the first call of 'handle_config'.
+	 */
+	Genode::Volatile_object<Domain_registry> domain_registry {
+		*env()->heap(), Genode::Xml_node("<config/>") };
+
 	User_state user_state = { global_keys, fb_screen->screen.size(), fb_screen->menubar };
 
 	/*
@@ -1062,9 +1070,9 @@ struct Nitpicker::Main
 	 */
 	Genode::Sliced_heap sliced_heap = { env()->ram_session(), env()->rm_session() };
 
-	Root<PT> np_root = { session_list, global_keys, ep.rpc_ep(), user_state,
-	                     user_state, sliced_heap, framebuffer,
-	                     Framebuffer_screen::MENUBAR_HEIGHT };
+	Root<PT> np_root = { session_list, *domain_registry, global_keys,
+	                     ep.rpc_ep(), user_state, user_state, sliced_heap,
+	                     framebuffer, Framebuffer_screen::MENUBAR_HEIGHT };
 
 	Genode::Reporter pointer_reporter = { "pointer" };
 
@@ -1196,9 +1204,16 @@ void Nitpicker::Main::handle_config(unsigned)
 		                                             .has_value("yes"));
 	} catch (...) { }
 
-	/* update session policies */
+	/* update domain registry and session policies */
 	for (::Session *s = session_list.first(); s; s = s->next())
-		s->apply_session_color();
+		s->reset_domain();
+
+	try {
+		domain_registry.construct(*env()->heap(), config()->xml_node()); }
+	catch (...) { }
+
+	for (::Session *s = session_list.first(); s; s = s->next())
+		s->apply_session_policy(*domain_registry);
 
 	/* redraw */
 	user_state.update_all_views();
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/mode.h b/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/mode.h
index c41c8b5044..cc73a62673 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/mode.h
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/mode.h
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ class Mode
 
 		bool has_key_cnt(unsigned cnt) const { return cnt == _key_cnt; }
 
-		Session *focused_session() { return _focused_session; }
+		Session       *focused_session()       { return _focused_session; }
+		Session const *focused_session() const { return _focused_session; }
 
 		virtual void focused_session(Session *session) { _focused_session = session; }
 
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/session.h b/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/session.h
index 1f797ea8cc..8dff028d58 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/session.h
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/session.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 /* local includes */
 #include "color.h"
 #include "canvas.h"
+#include "domain_registry.h"
 
 class View;
 class Session;
@@ -34,14 +35,14 @@ class Session : public Session_list::Element
 {
 	private:
 
-		Genode::Session_label const  _label;
-		Color                        _color;
-		Texture_base          const *_texture = { 0 };
-		bool                         _uses_alpha = { false };
-		View                        *_background = 0;
-		int                          _v_offset;
-		unsigned char         const *_input_mask = { 0 };
-		bool                  const  _stay_top;
+		Genode::Session_label  const  _label;
+		Domain_registry::Entry const *_domain;
+		Texture_base           const *_texture = { 0 };
+		bool                          _uses_alpha = { false };
+		View                         *_background = 0;
+		int                           _v_offset;
+		unsigned char          const *_input_mask = { 0 };
+		bool                   const  _stay_top;
 
 	public:
 
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ class Session : public Session_list::Element
 		 */
 		void input_mask(unsigned char const *mask) { _input_mask = mask; }
 
-		Color color() const { return _color; }
+		Color color() const { return _domain ? _domain->color() : WHITE; }
 
 		View *background() const { return _background; }
 
@@ -120,22 +121,51 @@ class Session : public Session_list::Element
 			return _input_mask[p.y()*_texture->size().w() + p.x()];
 		}
 
+		bool has_same_domain(Session const *s) const
+		{
+			return s && (s->_domain == _domain);
+		}
+
+		bool has_valid_domain() const
+		{
+			return _domain;
+		}
+
+		void reset_domain()
+		{
+			_domain = nullptr;
+		}
+
 		/**
-		 * Set session color according to the list of configured policies
+		 * Set session domain according to the list of configured policies
 		 *
 		 * Select the policy that matches the label. If multiple policies
 		 * match, select the one with the largest number of characters.
 		 */
-		void apply_session_color()
+		void apply_session_policy(Domain_registry const &domain_registry)
 		{
-			/* use white by default */
-			_color = WHITE;
+			reset_domain();
 
 			try {
 				Genode::Session_policy policy(_label);
 
-				/* read color attribute */
-				policy.attribute("color").value(&_color);
+				/* read domain attribute */
+				if (!policy.has_attribute("domain")) {
+					PERR("policy for label \"%s\" lacks domain declaration",
+					     _label.string());
+					return;
+				}
+
+				typedef Domain_registry::Entry::Name Domain_name;
+				char buf[sizeof(Domain_name)];
+				buf[0] = 0;
+				try {
+					policy.attribute("domain").value(buf, sizeof(buf)); }
+				catch (...) { }
+
+				Domain_name name(buf);
+				_domain = domain_registry.lookup(name);
+
 			} catch (...) { }
 		}
 };
diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/view.cc b/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/view.cc
index b07ddb89df..4025491690 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/view.cc
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nitpicker/view.cc
@@ -79,8 +79,7 @@ void View::frame(Canvas_base &canvas, Mode const &mode) const
 
 void View::draw(Canvas_base &canvas, Mode const &mode) const
 {
-	/* is this the currently focused view? */
-	bool const session_is_focused = mode.is_focused(_session);
+	bool const is_focused = _session.has_same_domain(mode.focused_session());
 
 	Color const frame_color = _session.color();
 
@@ -88,7 +87,7 @@ void View::draw(Canvas_base &canvas, Mode const &mode) const
 	 * Use dimming in x-ray and kill mode, but do not dim the focused view in
 	 * x-ray mode.
 	 */
-	Texture_painter::Mode const op = mode.flat() || (mode.xray() && session_is_focused)
+	Texture_painter::Mode const op = mode.flat() || (mode.xray() && is_focused)
 	                               ? Texture_painter::SOLID : Texture_painter::MIXED;
 
 	Rect const view_rect = abs_geometry();