diff --git a/Quake/gl_vidsdl.c b/Quake/gl_vidsdl.c
index ac309a73..c8b208a1 100644
--- a/Quake/gl_vidsdl.c
+++ b/Quake/gl_vidsdl.c
@@ -879,7 +879,6 @@ VID_Init
 */
 void	VID_Init (void)
 {
-	static char vid_center[] = "SDL_VIDEO_CENTERED=center";
 	const SDL_VideoInfo *info;
 	int		width, height, bpp;
 	qboolean	fullscreen;
@@ -907,12 +906,13 @@ void	VID_Init (void)
 	Cmd_AddCommand ("vid_describecurrentmode", VID_DescribeCurrentMode_f);
 	Cmd_AddCommand ("vid_describemodes", VID_DescribeModes_f);
 
+	putenv ("SDL_VIDEO_CENTERED=center");	/* SDL_putenv is problematic in versions <= 1.2.9 */
+
 	if (SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO) == -1)
 		Sys_Error("Could not initialize SDL Video");
 
 	info = SDL_GetVideoInfo();
-
-	putenv (vid_center);	/* SDL_putenv is problematic in versions <= 1.2.9 */
+	Cvar_SetValueQuick (&vid_bpp, (float)info->vfmt->BitsPerPixel);
 
 	if (CFG_OpenConfig("config.cfg") == 0)
 	{