diff --git a/lib/features/modeling/cmd/UpdatePropertiesHandler.js b/lib/features/modeling/cmd/UpdatePropertiesHandler.js
index d7a7761c..6749e022 100644
--- a/lib/features/modeling/cmd/UpdatePropertiesHandler.js
+++ b/lib/features/modeling/cmd/UpdatePropertiesHandler.js
@@ -98,10 +98,6 @@ UpdatePropertiesHandler.prototype.execute = function(context) {
     element.label.hidden = !properties[NAME];
   }
 
-  if (DI in properties && businessObject.di) {
-    setDiProperties(businessObject.di, properties.di);
-  }
-
   // update properties
   setProperties(businessObject, properties);
 
@@ -147,10 +143,6 @@ UpdatePropertiesHandler.prototype.revert = function(context) {
       elementRegistry = this._elementRegistry,
       ids = this._moddle.ids;
 
-  if (DI in oldProperties && businessObject.di) {
-    setDiProperties(businessObject.di, oldProperties.di);
-  }
-
   // update properties
   setProperties(businessObject, oldProperties);
 
@@ -199,7 +191,15 @@ function getDiProperties(di, propertyNames) {
 
 function setProperties(businessObject, properties) {
   forEach(properties, function(value, key) {
-    businessObject.set(key, value);
+
+    if (key !== DI) {
+      businessObject.set(key, value);
+    } else {
+      // only update, if businessObject.id exists
+      if (businessObject.di) {
+        setDiProperties(businessObject.di, value);
+      }
+    }
   });
 }
 
diff --git a/test/spec/features/modeling/UpdatePropertiesSpec.js b/test/spec/features/modeling/UpdatePropertiesSpec.js
index 267ef65b..20b1a49f 100644
--- a/test/spec/features/modeling/UpdatePropertiesSpec.js
+++ b/test/spec/features/modeling/UpdatePropertiesSpec.js
@@ -270,6 +270,8 @@ describe('features/modeling - update properties', function() {
 
       // then
       expect(flowBo.di.fill).to.equal('FUCHSIA');
+
+      expect(flowBo.get('di')).not.to.exist;
     }));
 
 
@@ -578,6 +580,25 @@ describe('features/modeling - update properties', function() {
       }
     ));
 
+
+    it('should ignore setting color on root', inject(
+      function(canvas, modeling) {
+
+        // given
+        var rootElement = canvas.getRootElement();
+
+        // when
+        modeling.updateProperties(rootElement, {
+          di: {
+            fill: 'fuchsia'
+          }
+        });
+
+        // then
+        expect(rootElement.di).not.to.exist;
+      }
+    ));
+
   });
 
 });