diff --git a/extensions/fablabchemnitz_checkerboard.inx b/extensions/fablabchemnitz_checkerboard.inx
index 2a03bf9e..e860a445 100644
--- a/extensions/fablabchemnitz_checkerboard.inx
+++ b/extensions/fablabchemnitz_checkerboard.inx
@@ -1,47 +1,37 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <inkscape-extension xmlns="http://www.inkscape.org/namespace/inkscape/extension">
-  <name>Checkerboard</name>
-  <id>fablabchemnitz.de.checkerboard</id>
-  <param name="tab" type="notebook">
-    <page name="params" gui-text="Params">
-      <param name="size" type="string" gui-text="Cell size">50</param>
-      <param name="rows" type="int" min="0" max="1000" gui-text="Rows">10</param>
-      <param name="cols" type="int" min="0" max="1000" gui-text="Columns">10</param>
-      <param name="layer"  type="bool" gui-text="Create in current layer">true</param>
-    </page>
-    <page name="color1" gui-text="1st color">
-      <param name="color1" type="color" gui-text="Color 1">#000000ff</param>
-    </page>
-    <page name="color2" gui-text="2nd color">
-      <param name="color2" type="color" gui-text="Color 2">#ffffffff</param>
-    </page>
-    <page name="help" gui-text="Help">
-        <param name="help_text" type="description">Create a checkerboard
-
-1. On the Params tab, choose the cell size
-    (size of the constituent squares), number
-    of rows and columns, and whether to add
-    the checkerboard to the current layer
-    (if unchecked, the checkerboard will be
-    added to the root layer)
-2. On the 1st color and 2nd color tabs,
-    select the colors for the two sets of
-    squares
-3. Click Apply
-
-More information and source code:
-https://github.com/jeffkayser/inkscape-checkerboard</param>
-    </page>
-  </param>
-  <effect>
-    <object-type>all</object-type>
-      <effects-menu>
+    <name>Checkerboard</name>
+    <id>fablabchemnitz.de.checkerboard</id>
+    <param name="tab" type="notebook">
+        <page name="params" gui-text="Params">
+            <param name="size" type="string" gui-text="Cell size">50</param>
+            <param name="rows" type="int" min="0" max="1000" gui-text="Rows">10</param>
+            <param name="cols" type="int" min="0" max="1000" gui-text="Columns">10</param>
+            <param name="layer"  type="bool" gui-text="Create in current layer">true</param>
+        </page>
+        <page name="color1" gui-text="1st color">
+            <param name="color1" type="color" gui-text="Color 1">4286282751</param>
+        </page>
+        <page name="color2" gui-text="2nd color">
+            <param name="color2" type="color" gui-text="Color 2">8092671</param>
+        </page>
+        <page name="help" gui-text="Help">
+            <label>1. On the Params tab, choose the cell size (size of the constituent squares), number of rows and columns, and whether to add the checkerboard to the current layer (if unchecked, the checkerboard will be added to the root layer)</label>
+            <label>2. On the 1st color and 2nd color tabs, select the colors for the two sets of squares</label>
+            <label>3. Click Apply</label>
+            <label>More information and source code:</label>
+            <label appearance="url">https://github.com/jeffkayser/inkscape-checkerboard</label>
+        </page>
+    </param>
+    <effect>
+        <object-type>all</object-type>
+        <effects-menu>
             <submenu name="FabLab Chemnitz">
                 <submenu name="Grids/Guides"/>
             </submenu>
-      </effects-menu>
-  </effect>
-  <script>
-    <command location="inx" interpreter="python">fablabchemnitz_checkerboard.py</command>
-  </script>
-</inkscape-extension>
\ No newline at end of file
+        </effects-menu>
+    </effect>
+    <script>
+        <command location="inx" interpreter="python">fablabchemnitz_checkerboard.py</command>
+    </script>
+</inkscape-extension>
diff --git a/extensions/fablabchemnitz_checkerboard.py b/extensions/fablabchemnitz_checkerboard.py
index 719bde37..1e9fcbba 100644
--- a/extensions/fablabchemnitz_checkerboard.py
+++ b/extensions/fablabchemnitz_checkerboard.py
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
 """
 
-from gettext import gettext as _
 import inkex
 from lxml import etree
 import re
@@ -66,8 +65,8 @@ class Checkerboard(inkex.Effect):
     def __init__(self):
         inkex.Effect.__init__(self)
         self.arg_parser.add_argument("--tab")
-        self.arg_parser.add_argument("--color1", type=Color)
-        self.arg_parser.add_argument("--color2", type=Color)
+        self.arg_parser.add_argument("--color1", type=Color, default=4286282751)
+        self.arg_parser.add_argument("--color2", type=Color, default=8092671)
         self.arg_parser.add_argument("--size")
         self.arg_parser.add_argument("--rows", type=int)
         self.arg_parser.add_argument("--cols", type=int)
@@ -90,5 +89,4 @@ class Checkerboard(inkex.Effect):
         x, y = self.svg.namedview.center[0] - cols * size / 2, self.svg.namedview.center[1] - rows * size / 2
         draw_grid(x, y, rows, cols, size, color1, color2, group)
 
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    Checkerboard().run()
\ No newline at end of file
+Checkerboard().run()