A Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, non-endospore-forming, orange-pigmented (coloured) actinobacterium (01-Je-003(T)) was isolated from the wall of an indoor environment primarily colonized with moulds. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity studies, strain 01-Je-003(T) was shown to belong to the genus Brevibacterium and was most similar to the type strains of Brevibacterium picturae (98.8 % similarity), Brevibacterium marinum (97.3 %) and Brevibacterium aurantiacum (97.2 %). Chemotaxonomic data [predominant quinone menaquinone MK-8(H2); polar lipid profile consisting of major compounds diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and an unidentified glycolipid; characteristic cell-wall diamino acid meso-diaminopimelic acid; polyamine pattern showing major compounds putrescine and cadaverine; major fatty acids anteiso-C(15 : 0) and anteiso-C(17 : 0)] supported the affiliation of strain 01-Je-003(T) to the genus Brevibacterium. The results of DNA-DNA hybridizations and physiological and biochemical tests allowed genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of strain 01-Je-003(T) from the two most closely related species, B. picturae and B. marinum. Strain 01-Je-003(T) therefore represents a novel species, for which the name Brevibacterium sandarakinum sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain 01-Je-003(T) (=DSM 22082(T) =CCM 7649(T)).