diff --git a/core/src/components/item/item.md.scss b/core/src/components/item/item.md.scss
index bc87126498..13759fa1a2 100644
--- a/core/src/components/item/item.md.scss
+++ b/core/src/components/item/item.md.scss
@@ -99,8 +99,6 @@
 // --------------------------------------------------
 
 ::slotted(ion-icon) {
-  color: $item-md-icon-slot-color;
-
   font-size: $item-md-icon-slot-font-size;
 }
 
diff --git a/core/src/components/item/item.md.vars.scss b/core/src/components/item/item.md.vars.scss
index 21aea057a8..81b457585f 100644
--- a/core/src/components/item/item.md.vars.scss
+++ b/core/src/components/item/item.md.vars.scss
@@ -132,9 +132,6 @@ $item-md-icon-end-slot-margin-start:        16px !default;
 /// @prop - Margin end for an icon in the end slot
 $item-md-icon-end-slot-margin-end:          null !default;
 
-/// @prop - Color for an icon in the start/end slot
-$item-md-icon-slot-color:                   rgba(var(--ion-text-color-rgb, $text-color-rgb), 0.54) !default;
-
 /// @prop - Font size of an icon in the start/end slot
 $item-md-icon-slot-font-size:                  24px !default;
 
diff --git a/core/src/components/item/test/icons/index.html b/core/src/components/item/test/icons/index.html
index 170e85509d..68480f236d 100644
--- a/core/src/components/item/test/icons/index.html
+++ b/core/src/components/item/test/icons/index.html
@@ -21,6 +21,14 @@
     </ion-header>
 
     <ion-content id="content">
+    
+      <ion-item color="primary" lines="none">
+        <ion-label>
+          ion-item w/ color
+        </ion-label>
+        <ion-icon name="trash" slot="start"></ion-icon>
+      </ion-item>
+          
       <ion-item detail>
         <ion-label>
           ion-item [detail] attr