diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/oxalis/api/api_latest.js b/app/assets/javascripts/oxalis/api/api_latest.js
index b2d50bf6217..538d259fb12 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/oxalis/api/api_latest.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/oxalis/api/api_latest.js
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ import {
   deleteTreeAction,
   setNodeRadiusAction,
   setTreeNameAction,
+  setActiveTreeAction,
+  setTreeColorIndexAction,
 } from "oxalis/model/actions/skeletontracing_actions";
 import {
   findTreeByNodeId,
@@ -243,6 +245,31 @@ class TracingApi {
     });
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Makes the specified tree active. Within the tree, the node with the highest ID will be activated.
+   *
+   * @example
+   * api.tracing.setActiveTree(3);
+   */
+  setActiveTree(treeId: number) {
+    const tracing = Store.getState().tracing;
+    assertSkeleton(tracing);
+    Store.dispatch(setActiveTreeAction(treeId));
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Changes the color of the referenced tree. Internally, a pre-defined array of colors is used which is
+   * why this function uses a colorIndex (between 0 and 500) instead of a proper color.
+   *
+   * @example
+   * api.tracing.setTreeColorIndex(3, 10);
+   */
+  setTreeColorIndex(treeId?: number, colorIndex: number) {
+    const tracing = Store.getState().tracing;
+    assertSkeleton(tracing);
+    Store.dispatch(setTreeColorIndexAction(treeId, colorIndex));
+  }
+
   /**
    * Returns the name for a given tree id. If none is given, the name of the active tree is returned.
    *
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/oxalis/model/actions/skeletontracing_actions.js b/app/assets/javascripts/oxalis/model/actions/skeletontracing_actions.js
index d2db78403d2..a3c6befa270 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/oxalis/model/actions/skeletontracing_actions.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/oxalis/model/actions/skeletontracing_actions.js
@@ -72,6 +72,11 @@ type SetActiveTreeActionType = { type: "SET_ACTIVE_TREE", treeId: number };
 type MergeTreesActionType = { type: "MERGE_TREES", sourceNodeId: number, targetNodeId: number };
 type SetTreeNameActionType = { type: "SET_TREE_NAME", name: ?string, treeId: ?number };
 type SelectNextTreeActionType = { type: "SELECT_NEXT_TREE", forward: ?boolean };
+type SetTreeColorIndexActionType = {
+  type: "SET_TREE_COLOR_INDEX",
+  treeId?: number,
+  colorIndex: number,
+};
 type ShuffleTreeColorActionType = { type: "SHUFFLE_TREE_COLOR", treeId?: number };
 type ShuffleAllTreeColorsActionType = { type: "SHUFFLE_ALL_TREE_COLORS", treeId?: number };
 type CreateCommentActionType = {
@@ -106,6 +111,7 @@ export type SkeletonTracingActionType =
   | SelectNextTreeActionType
   | ShuffleTreeColorActionType
   | ShuffleAllTreeColorsActionType
+  | SetTreeColorIndexActionType
   | CreateCommentActionType
   | DeleteCommentActionType
   | ToggleTreeActionType
@@ -310,6 +316,15 @@ export const selectNextTreeAction = (forward: ?boolean = true): SelectNextTreeAc
   forward,
 });
 
+export const setTreeColorIndexAction = (
+  treeId?: number,
+  colorIndex: number,
+): SetTreeColorIndexActionType => ({
+  type: "SET_TREE_COLOR_INDEX",
+  treeId,
+  colorIndex,
+});
+
 export const shuffleTreeColorAction = (treeId: number): ShuffleTreeColorActionType => ({
   type: "SHUFFLE_TREE_COLOR",
   treeId,
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/oxalis/model/reducers/skeletontracing_reducer.js b/app/assets/javascripts/oxalis/model/reducers/skeletontracing_reducer.js
index 2d0405fe5b2..b07e6ef9b87 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/oxalis/model/reducers/skeletontracing_reducer.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/oxalis/model/reducers/skeletontracing_reducer.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import {
   deleteNode,
   deleteEdge,
   shuffleTreeColor,
+  setTreeColorIndex,
   createComment,
   deleteComment,
   mergeTrees,
@@ -376,6 +377,16 @@ function SkeletonTracingReducer(state: OxalisState, action: ActionType): OxalisS
           });
         }
 
+        case "SET_TREE_COLOR_INDEX": {
+          const { colorIndex } = action;
+          return getTree(skeletonTracing, action.treeId)
+            .chain(tree => setTreeColorIndex(skeletonTracing, tree, colorIndex))
+            .map(([tree, treeId]) =>
+              update(state, { tracing: { trees: { [treeId]: { $set: tree } } } }),
+            )
+            .getOrElse(state);
+        }
+
         case "SHUFFLE_TREE_COLOR": {
           return getTree(skeletonTracing, action.treeId)
             .chain(tree => shuffleTreeColor(skeletonTracing, tree))
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/oxalis/model/reducers/skeletontracing_reducer_helpers.js b/app/assets/javascripts/oxalis/model/reducers/skeletontracing_reducer_helpers.js
index 147315cd572..253e5b6abaa 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/oxalis/model/reducers/skeletontracing_reducer_helpers.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/oxalis/model/reducers/skeletontracing_reducer_helpers.js
@@ -605,8 +605,15 @@ export function shuffleTreeColor(
   tree: TreeType,
 ): Maybe<[TreeType, number]> {
   const randomId = _.random(0, 10000, false);
-  // ColorGenerator fails to produce distinct color for huge ids (Infinity)
-  const newTree = update(tree, { color: { $set: ColorGenerator.distinctColorForId(randomId) } });
+  return setTreeColorIndex(skeletonTracing, tree, randomId);
+}
+
+export function setTreeColorIndex(
+  skeletonTracing: SkeletonTracingType,
+  tree: TreeType,
+  colorIndex: number,
+): Maybe<[TreeType, number]> {
+  const newTree = update(tree, { color: { $set: ColorGenerator.distinctColorForId(colorIndex) } });
   return Maybe.Just([newTree, tree.treeId]);
 }