diff --git a/R/colour-ramp.R b/R/colour-ramp.R
index fa10a985..7eb79f7a 100644
--- a/R/colour-ramp.R
+++ b/R/colour-ramp.R
@@ -67,12 +67,17 @@ colour_ramp <- function(colors, na.color = NA, alpha = TRUE) {
   }
 
   structure(
-    function(x) {
-      lab_out <- cbind(l_interp(x), u_interp(x), v_interp(x))
-      out <- farver::encode_colour(lab_out, alpha = alpha_interp(x), from = "lab")
-      out[is.na(out)] <- na.color
+    function(x, color_fmt = "character") {
+      lab_out <- list(l_interp(x), u_interp(x), v_interp(x))
+      if (color_fmt == "character") {
+        out <- farver::encode_colour(lab_out, alpha = alpha_interp(x), from = "lab", na_value = na.color)
+      } else {
+        out <- farver::encode_native(lab_out, alpha = alpha_interp(x), from = "lab", na_value = na.color)
+      }
       out
     },
-    safe_palette_func = TRUE
+    safe_palette_func = TRUE,
+    accepts_native_output = TRUE,
+    may_return_NA = is.na(na.color)
   )
 }
diff --git a/R/pal-gradient.r b/R/pal-gradient.r
index aff3ce1a..901aff06 100644
--- a/R/pal-gradient.r
+++ b/R/pal-gradient.r
@@ -7,28 +7,36 @@
 #'   to map an arbitrary range to between 0 and 1.
 #' @param space colour space in which to calculate gradient. Must be "Lab" -
 #'   other values are deprecated.
+#' @param na.color The color to use for missing values. By default missing
+#'   values are left missing.
 #' @export
 
-gradient_n_pal <- function(colours, values = NULL, space = "Lab") {
+gradient_n_pal <- function(colours, values = NULL, space = "Lab", na.color = NA) {
   if (!identical(space, "Lab")) {
     lifecycle::deprecate_warn("0.3.0", "gradient_n_pal(space = 'only supports be \"Lab\"')")
   }
-  ramp <- colour_ramp(colours)
+  ramp <- colour_ramp(colours, na.color = na.color)
   force(values)
 
-  function(x) {
-    if (length(x) == 0) {
-      return(character())
-    }
-
-    if (!is.null(values)) {
-      xs <- seq(0, 1, length.out = length(values))
-      f <- stats::approxfun(values, xs)
-      x <- f(x)
-    }
-
-    ramp(x)
-  }
+  structure(
+    function(x, color_fmt = "character") {
+      if (length(x) == 0) {
+        if (color_fmt == "character") {
+          return(character())
+        } else {
+          return(integer())
+        }
+      }
+      if (!is.null(values)) {
+        xs <- seq(0, 1, length.out = length(values))
+        f <- stats::approxfun(values, xs)
+        x <- f(x)
+      }
+      ramp(x, color_fmt = color_fmt)
+    },
+    accepts_native_output = TRUE,
+    may_return_NA = is.na(na.color)
+  )
 }
 
 #' Diverging colour gradient (continuous).
@@ -49,8 +57,8 @@ gradient_n_pal <- function(colours, values = NULL, space = "Lab") {
 #' pal <- div_gradient_pal(low = mnsl(complement("10R 4/6"), fix = TRUE))
 #' image(r, col = pal(seq(0, 1, length.out = 100)))
 #' @importFrom munsell mnsl
-div_gradient_pal <- function(low = mnsl("10B 4/6"), mid = mnsl("N 8/0"), high = mnsl("10R 4/6"), space = "Lab") {
-  gradient_n_pal(c(low, mid, high), space = space)
+div_gradient_pal <- function(low = mnsl("10B 4/6"), mid = mnsl("N 8/0"), high = mnsl("10R 4/6"), space = "Lab", na.color = NA) {
+  gradient_n_pal(c(low, mid, high), space = space, na.color = na.color)
 }
 
 #' Sequential colour gradient palette (continuous)
@@ -66,6 +74,6 @@ div_gradient_pal <- function(low = mnsl("10B 4/6"), mid = mnsl("N 8/0"), high =
 #'
 #' library(munsell)
 #' show_col(seq_gradient_pal("white", mnsl("10R 4/6"))(x))
-seq_gradient_pal <- function(low = mnsl("10B 4/6"), high = mnsl("10R 4/6"), space = "Lab") {
-  gradient_n_pal(c(low, high), space = space)
+seq_gradient_pal <- function(low = mnsl("10B 4/6"), high = mnsl("10R 4/6"), space = "Lab", na.color = NA) {
+  gradient_n_pal(c(low, high), space = space, na.color = na.color)
 }
diff --git a/man/div_gradient_pal.Rd b/man/div_gradient_pal.Rd
index da3910c1..a7da4bed 100644
--- a/man/div_gradient_pal.Rd
+++ b/man/div_gradient_pal.Rd
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ div_gradient_pal(
   low = mnsl("10B 4/6"),
   mid = mnsl("N 8/0"),
   high = mnsl("10R 4/6"),
-  space = "Lab"
+  space = "Lab",
+  na.color = NA
 )
 }
 \arguments{
@@ -20,6 +21,9 @@ div_gradient_pal(
 
 \item{space}{colour space in which to calculate gradient. Must be "Lab" -
 other values are deprecated.}
+
+\item{na.color}{The color to use for missing values. By default missing
+values are left missing.}
 }
 \description{
 Diverging colour gradient (continuous).
diff --git a/man/gradient_n_pal.Rd b/man/gradient_n_pal.Rd
index b560dd3e..1ebdfba4 100644
--- a/man/gradient_n_pal.Rd
+++ b/man/gradient_n_pal.Rd
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 \alias{gradient_n_pal}
 \title{Arbitrary colour gradient palette (continuous)}
 \usage{
-gradient_n_pal(colours, values = NULL, space = "Lab")
+gradient_n_pal(colours, values = NULL, space = "Lab", na.color = NA)
 }
 \arguments{
 \item{colours}{vector of colours}
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ to map an arbitrary range to between 0 and 1.}
 
 \item{space}{colour space in which to calculate gradient. Must be "Lab" -
 other values are deprecated.}
+
+\item{na.color}{The color to use for missing values. By default missing
+values are left missing.}
 }
 \description{
 Arbitrary colour gradient palette (continuous)
diff --git a/man/seq_gradient_pal.Rd b/man/seq_gradient_pal.Rd
index 15976d74..6d499b09 100644
--- a/man/seq_gradient_pal.Rd
+++ b/man/seq_gradient_pal.Rd
@@ -4,7 +4,12 @@
 \alias{seq_gradient_pal}
 \title{Sequential colour gradient palette (continuous)}
 \usage{
-seq_gradient_pal(low = mnsl("10B 4/6"), high = mnsl("10R 4/6"), space = "Lab")
+seq_gradient_pal(
+  low = mnsl("10B 4/6"),
+  high = mnsl("10R 4/6"),
+  space = "Lab",
+  na.color = NA
+)
 }
 \arguments{
 \item{low}{colour for low end of gradient.}
@@ -13,6 +18,9 @@ seq_gradient_pal(low = mnsl("10B 4/6"), high = mnsl("10R 4/6"), space = "Lab")
 
 \item{space}{colour space in which to calculate gradient. Must be "Lab" -
 other values are deprecated.}
+
+\item{na.color}{The color to use for missing values. By default missing
+values are left missing.}
 }
 \description{
 Sequential colour gradient palette (continuous)