diff --git a/code/sdl/sdl_glimp.c b/code/sdl/sdl_glimp.c
index e707bbed..eeaf6f52 100644
--- a/code/sdl/sdl_glimp.c
+++ b/code/sdl/sdl_glimp.c
@@ -451,6 +451,7 @@ static int GLimp_SetMode(int mode, qboolean fullscreen, qboolean noborder, qbool
 	for (i = 0; i < 16; i++)
 	{
 		int testColorBits, testDepthBits, testStencilBits;
+		int realColorBits[3];
 
 		// 0 - default
 		// 1 - minus colorBits
@@ -664,9 +665,13 @@ static int GLimp_SetMode(int mode, qboolean fullscreen, qboolean noborder, qbool
 			ri.Printf( PRINT_DEVELOPER, "SDL_GL_SetSwapInterval failed: %s\n", SDL_GetError( ) );
 		}
 
-		glConfig.colorBits = testColorBits;
-		glConfig.depthBits = testDepthBits;
-		glConfig.stencilBits = testStencilBits;
+		SDL_GL_GetAttribute( SDL_GL_RED_SIZE, &realColorBits[0] );
+		SDL_GL_GetAttribute( SDL_GL_GREEN_SIZE, &realColorBits[1] );
+		SDL_GL_GetAttribute( SDL_GL_BLUE_SIZE, &realColorBits[2] );
+		SDL_GL_GetAttribute( SDL_GL_DEPTH_SIZE, &glConfig.depthBits );
+		SDL_GL_GetAttribute( SDL_GL_STENCIL_SIZE, &glConfig.stencilBits );
+
+		glConfig.colorBits = realColorBits[0] + realColorBits[1] + realColorBits[2];
 
 		ri.Printf( PRINT_ALL, "Using %d color bits, %d depth, %d stencil display.\n",
 				glConfig.colorBits, glConfig.depthBits, glConfig.stencilBits );