diff --git a/powerline/colorscheme.py b/powerline/colorscheme.py
index e03d738d..89330603 100644
--- a/powerline/colorscheme.py
+++ b/powerline/colorscheme.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class Colorscheme(object):
 				}
 
 			# Create mode-specific highlighting for this group
-			for mode, translations in colorscheme['mode_translations'].items():
+			for mode, translations in colorscheme.get('mode_translations', {}).items():
 				if not mode in self.modes_groups:
 					self.modes_groups[mode] = {}
 				if group_name in translations.get('groups', {}):
diff --git a/powerline/colorschemes/terminal/default.json b/powerline/colorschemes/terminal/default.json
index f0436ae0..5d4ccc2e 100644
--- a/powerline/colorschemes/terminal/default.json
+++ b/powerline/colorschemes/terminal/default.json
@@ -58,6 +58,5 @@
 		"branch": { "fg": "gray9", "bg": "gray4" },
 		"cwd": { "fg": "gray10", "bg": "gray4" },
 		"hostname": { "fg": "brightyellow", "bg": "mediumorange" }
-	},
-	"mode_translations": { }
+	}
 }
diff --git a/powerline/colorschemes/tmux/default.json b/powerline/colorschemes/tmux/default.json
index 20ea2ce0..42bb6281 100644
--- a/powerline/colorschemes/tmux/default.json
+++ b/powerline/colorschemes/tmux/default.json
@@ -24,6 +24,5 @@
 		"system_load_bad": { "fg": "yellow", "bg": "darkestblue" },
 		"system_load_ugly": { "fg": "red", "bg": "darkestblue" },
 		"uptime": { "fg": "brightblue", "bg": "darkestblue" }
-	},
-	"mode_translations": { }
+	}
 }