diff --git a/lib/text/vtt_text_parser.js b/lib/text/vtt_text_parser.js
index fc6b586856..4cb5387b1a 100644
--- a/lib/text/vtt_text_parser.js
+++ b/lib/text/vtt_text_parser.js
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ shaka.text.VttTextParser = class {
     if (styles.size === 0) {
       VttTextParser.addDefaultTextColor_(styles);
     }
-    payload = VttTextParser.replaceColorPayload_(payload);
+
     payload = VttTextParser.replaceKaraokeStylePayload_(payload);
     payload = VttTextParser.replaceVoiceStylePayload_(payload);
     const xmlPayload = '<span>' + payload + '</span>';
@@ -601,66 +601,6 @@ shaka.text.VttTextParser = class {
     return newPayload;
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Converts color end tag to be valid for xml parsing
-   * For example,
-   * input: <c.yellow.bg_blue>Yellow text on blue bg</c>
-   * output: <c.yellow.bg_blue>Yellow text on blue bg</c.yellow.bg_blue>
-   *
-   * Returns original payload if invalid tag is found.
-   * Invalid tag example: <c.yellow><b>Example</c></b>
-   *
-   * @param {string} payload
-   * @return {string} processed payload
-   * @private
-   */
-  static replaceColorPayload_(payload) {
-    const names = [];
-    let nameStart = -1;
-    let newPayload = '';
-    for (let i = 0; i < payload.length; i++) {
-      if (payload[i] === '/' && i > 0 && payload[i - 1] === '<') {
-        const end = payload.indexOf('>', i);
-        if (end <= i) {
-          return payload;
-        }
-        const tagEnd = payload.substring(i + 1, end);
-        if (!tagEnd || tagEnd !== 'c') {
-          newPayload += payload[i];
-          continue;
-        }
-        const tagStart = names.pop();
-        if (!tagStart) {
-          newPayload += payload[i];
-        } else if (tagStart === tagEnd) {
-          newPayload += '/' + tagEnd + '>';
-          i += tagEnd.length + 1;
-        } else {
-          if (!tagStart.startsWith('c.')) {
-            newPayload += payload[i];
-            continue;
-          }
-          i += tagEnd.length + 1;
-          newPayload += '/' + tagStart + '>';
-        }
-      } else {
-        if (payload[i] === '<') {
-          nameStart = i + 1;
-          if (payload[nameStart] != 'c') {
-            nameStart = -1;
-          }
-        } else if (payload[i] === '>') {
-          if (nameStart > 0) {
-            names.push(payload.substr(nameStart, i - nameStart));
-            nameStart = -1;
-          }
-        }
-        newPayload += payload[i];
-      }
-    }
-    return newPayload;
-  }
-
   /**
    * @param {string} value
    * @param {string} defaultValue
diff --git a/test/text/vtt_text_parser_unit.js b/test/text/vtt_text_parser_unit.js
index a6df477263..bc05369c6a 100644
--- a/test/text/vtt_text_parser_unit.js
+++ b/test/text/vtt_text_parser_unit.js
@@ -1075,13 +1075,13 @@ describe('VttTextParser', () => {
           {
             startTime: 80,
             endTime: 90,
-            payload: '<b><c.lime>Parse fail 1</b></c.lime>',
+            payload: '<b><c.lime>Parse fail 1</b></c>',
             nestedCues: [],
           },
           {
             startTime: 90,
             endTime: 100,
-            payload: '<c.lime><b>Parse fail 2</c.lime></b>',
+            payload: '<c.lime><b>Parse fail 2</c></b>',
             nestedCues: [],
           },
           {
@@ -1100,7 +1100,7 @@ describe('VttTextParser', () => {
           {
             startTime: 110,
             endTime: 120,
-            payload: '<c.lime>less or more < > in text</c.lime>',
+            payload: '<c.lime>less or more < > in text</c>',
             nestedCues: [],
           },
         ],