diff --git a/include/osg/Vec4ub b/include/osg/Vec4ub
index 20b511b36..418a80b24 100644
--- a/include/osg/Vec4ub
+++ b/include/osg/Vec4ub
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 #ifndef OSG_VEC4UB
 #define OSG_VEC4UB 1
 
-#include <osg/Vec3>
+#include <osg/Vec4f>
 
 namespace osg {
 
@@ -166,6 +166,24 @@ class Vec4ub
 
 };    // end of class Vec4ub
 
+inline Vec4ub convertToRGBA8(const Vec4f& color)
+{
+    return Vec4ub(static_cast<unsigned char>(color.r()*255.0f),
+                  static_cast<unsigned char>(color.g()*255.0f),
+                  static_cast<unsigned char>(color.b()*255.0f),
+                  static_cast<unsigned char>(color.a()*255.0f));
+
+}
+
+inline Vec4ub convertToRGBA8(float r, float g, float b, float a)
+{
+    return Vec4ub(static_cast<unsigned char>(r*255.0f),
+                  static_cast<unsigned char>(g*255.0f),
+                  static_cast<unsigned char>(b*255.0f),
+                  static_cast<unsigned char>(a*255.0f));
+
+}
+
 }    // end of namespace osg
 
 #endif