diff --git a/release/datafiles/userdef/userdef_default_theme.c b/release/datafiles/userdef/userdef_default_theme.c
index 4570f7ec5ef..55d768d76cc 100644
--- a/release/datafiles/userdef/userdef_default_theme.c
+++ b/release/datafiles/userdef/userdef_default_theme.c
@@ -253,6 +253,7 @@ const bTheme U_theme_default = {
     .xaxis = RGBA(0xff3352ff),
     .yaxis = RGBA(0x8bdc00ff),
     .zaxis = RGBA(0x2890ffff),
+    .waxis = RGBA(0xedba18ff),
     .gizmo_hi = RGBA(0xffffffff),
     .gizmo_primary = RGBA(0xf5f14dff),
     .gizmo_secondary = RGBA(0x63ffffff),
diff --git a/scripts/presets/interface_theme/Blender_Light.xml b/scripts/presets/interface_theme/Blender_Light.xml
index 6550c5f4c99..1b688642c48 100644
--- a/scripts/presets/interface_theme/Blender_Light.xml
+++ b/scripts/presets/interface_theme/Blender_Light.xml
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
         axis_x="#ff3352"
         axis_y="#8bdc00"
         axis_z="#2890ff"
+        axis_w="#b47aff"
         gizmo_hi="#ffffff"
         gizmo_primary="#f5f14d"
         gizmo_secondary="#63ffff"
diff --git a/scripts/startup/bl_ui/space_userpref.py b/scripts/startup/bl_ui/space_userpref.py
index aaf0c3e1d0b..55a5f3ddf53 100644
--- a/scripts/startup/bl_ui/space_userpref.py
+++ b/scripts/startup/bl_ui/space_userpref.py
@@ -1233,6 +1233,7 @@ class USERPREF_PT_theme_interface_gizmos(ThemePanel, CenterAlignMixIn, Panel):
         col.prop(ui, "axis_x", text="Axis X")
         col.prop(ui, "axis_y", text="Y")
         col.prop(ui, "axis_z", text="Z")
+        col.prop(ui, "axis_w", text="W")
 
         col = flow.column()
         col.prop(ui, "gizmo_primary")
diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_blender_version.h b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_blender_version.h
index 966e66d812e..a57a46a758a 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_blender_version.h
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_blender_version.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
 /* Blender file format version. */
 #define BLENDER_FILE_VERSION BLENDER_VERSION
-#define BLENDER_FILE_SUBVERSION 51
+#define BLENDER_FILE_SUBVERSION 52
 
 /* Minimum Blender version that supports reading file written with the current
  * version. Older Blender versions will test this and cancel loading the file, showing a warning to
diff --git a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_userdef.cc b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_userdef.cc
index 4a2f43aaac7..74d63b9a579 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_userdef.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_userdef.cc
@@ -359,6 +359,10 @@ static void do_versions_theme(const UserDef *userdef, bTheme *btheme)
     FROM_DEFAULT_V4_UCHAR(common.anim.preview_range);
   }
 
+  if (!USER_VERSION_ATLEAST(500, 52)) {
+    FROM_DEFAULT_V4_UCHAR(tui.waxis);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Always bump subversion in BKE_blender_version.h when adding versioning
    * code here, and wrap it inside a USER_VERSION_ATLEAST check.
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/include/UI_resources.hh b/source/blender/editors/include/UI_resources.hh
index 70aec9dc1b7..b4e815b7669 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/include/UI_resources.hh
+++ b/source/blender/editors/include/UI_resources.hh
@@ -342,6 +342,8 @@ enum ThemeColorID {
   TH_AXIS_Y,
   TH_AXIS_Z,
 
+  TH_AXIS_W, /* W (quaternion and axis-angle rotations) */
+
   TH_GIZMO_HI,
   TH_GIZMO_PRIMARY,
   TH_GIZMO_SECONDARY,
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/interface/resources.cc b/source/blender/editors/interface/resources.cc
index 4134564e9ea..ea953c08528 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/interface/resources.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/interface/resources.cc
@@ -1001,6 +1001,9 @@ const uchar *UI_ThemeGetColorPtr(bTheme *btheme, int spacetype, int colorid)
         case TH_AXIS_Z:
           cp = btheme->tui.zaxis;
           break;
+        case TH_AXIS_W:
+          cp = btheme->tui.waxis;
+          break;
 
         case TH_GIZMO_HI:
           cp = btheme->tui.gizmo_hi;
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/space_graph/space_graph.cc b/source/blender/editors/space_graph/space_graph.cc
index e51a9a42051..4a3805a84c6 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/space_graph/space_graph.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/space_graph/space_graph.cc
@@ -751,23 +751,7 @@ static void graph_refresh_fcurve_colors(const bContext *C)
             break;
 
           case 0: {
-            /* Special Case: "W" channel should be yellowish, so blend X and Y channel colors... */
-            float c1[3], c2[3];
-            float h1[3], h2[3];
-            float hresult[3];
-
-            /* - get colors (rgb) */
-            UI_GetThemeColor3fv(TH_AXIS_X, c1);
-            UI_GetThemeColor3fv(TH_AXIS_Y, c2);
-
-            /* - perform blending in HSV space (to keep brightness similar) */
-            rgb_to_hsv_v(c1, h1);
-            rgb_to_hsv_v(c2, h2);
-
-            interp_v3_v3v3(hresult, h1, h2, 0.5f);
-
-            /* - convert back to RGB for display */
-            hsv_to_rgb_v(hresult, col);
+            UI_GetThemeColor3fv(TH_AXIS_W, col);
             break;
           }
 
diff --git a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_theme_types.h b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_theme_types.h
index 9a74a322e07..db14894f885 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_theme_types.h
+++ b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_theme_types.h
@@ -172,14 +172,14 @@ typedef struct ThemeUI {
   /* Transparent Grid */
   unsigned char transparent_checker_primary[4], transparent_checker_secondary[4];
   unsigned char transparent_checker_size;
-  char _pad1[1];
+  char _pad1[5];
 
   float icon_alpha;
   float icon_saturation;
   unsigned char widget_text_cursor[4];
 
   /* Axis Colors */
-  unsigned char xaxis[4], yaxis[4], zaxis[4];
+  unsigned char xaxis[4], yaxis[4], zaxis[4], waxis[4];
 
   /* Gizmo Colors. */
   unsigned char gizmo_hi[4];
diff --git a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_fcurve.cc b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_fcurve.cc
index 2f03bdb60f7..2d952cf8196 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_fcurve.cc
+++ b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_fcurve.cc
@@ -2555,7 +2555,8 @@ static void rna_def_fcurve(BlenderRNA *brna)
        "AUTO_YRGB",
        0,
        "Auto WXYZ to YRGB",
-       "Use axis colors for XYZ parts of transform, and yellow for the 'W' channel"},
+       "Use WXYZ axis colors for quaternion/axis-angle rotations, XYZ axis colors for other "
+       "transform and color properties, and auto-rainbow for the rest"},
       {FCURVE_COLOR_CUSTOM,
        "CUSTOM",
        0,
diff --git a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_userdef.cc b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_userdef.cc
index 1360bd544bd..37315635d1a 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_userdef.cc
+++ b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_userdef.cc
@@ -2045,6 +2045,12 @@ static void rna_def_userdef_theme_ui(BlenderRNA *brna)
   RNA_def_property_ui_text(prop, "Z Axis", "");
   RNA_def_property_update(prop, 0, "rna_userdef_theme_update");
 
+  prop = RNA_def_property(srna, "axis_w", PROP_FLOAT, PROP_COLOR_GAMMA);
+  RNA_def_property_float_sdna(prop, nullptr, "waxis");
+  RNA_def_property_array(prop, 3);
+  RNA_def_property_ui_text(prop, "W Axis", "W-axis for quaternion and axis-angle rotations");
+  RNA_def_property_update(prop, 0, "rna_userdef_theme_update");
+
   /* Generic gizmo colors. */
   prop = RNA_def_property(srna, "gizmo_hi", PROP_FLOAT, PROP_COLOR_GAMMA);
   RNA_def_property_float_sdna(prop, nullptr, "gizmo_hi");