diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c
index 281d37802..dc2e6744b 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c
@@ -8537,16 +8537,15 @@ int32_t loadlookups(int32_t fp)
 {
     uint8_t numlookups;
     char remapbuf[256];
-    int32_t j;
 
-    if (kread(fp, &numlookups, 1) != 1)
+    if (kread_and_test(fp, &numlookups, 1))
         return -1;
 
-    for (j=0; j<numlookups; j++)
+    for (int j=0; j<numlookups; j++)
     {
         uint8_t palnum;
 
-        if (kread(fp, &palnum, 1) != 1)
+        if (kread_and_test(fp, &palnum, 1))
             return -1;
 
         if (palnum >= 256-RESERVEDPALS)
@@ -8555,7 +8554,7 @@ int32_t loadlookups(int32_t fp)
             return -2;
         }
 
-        if (kread(fp, remapbuf, 256) != 256)
+        if (kread_and_test(fp, remapbuf, 256))
             return -1;
 
         makepalookup(palnum, remapbuf, 0,0,0, 0);
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/astub.c b/polymer/eduke32/source/astub.c
index b082cb48d..4e13da346 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/astub.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/astub.c
@@ -2341,17 +2341,6 @@ static inline void SpriteName(int16_t spritenum, char *lo2)
     Bstrcpy(lo2, names[sprite[spritenum].picnum]);
 }// end SpriteName
 
-// Returns: did error?
-static int32_t ReadPaletteTable(void)
-{
-    // Make base shade table at shade 0 into the identity map.
-    // (In the shade table of Duke3D's PALETTE.DAT, palookup[0][239]==143.)
-    // This makes it possible to sensibly use Lunatic's engine.saveLookupDat().
-    palookup[0][239] = 239;
-
-    return G_LoadLookups();
-}
-
 
 static void m32_showmouse(void)
 {
@@ -9915,8 +9904,7 @@ int32_t ExtPostStartupWindow(void)
         return -1;
     }
 
-    if (ReadPaletteTable())
-        return 0;
+    G_LoadLookups();
 
     loadtilegroups(default_tiles_cfg);
 
@@ -9946,6 +9934,15 @@ int32_t ExtPostStartupWindow(void)
 void ExtPostInit(void)
 {
     InitCustomColors();
+
+    // Make base shade table at shade 0 into the identity map.
+    // (In the shade table of Duke3D's PALETTE.DAT, palookup[0][239]==143.)
+    // This makes it possible to sensibly use Lunatic's engine.saveLookupDat().
+    palookup[0][239] = 239;
+
+    generatefogpals();
+
+    fillemptylookups();
 }
 
 void ExtUnInit(void)
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/common.c b/polymer/eduke32/source/common.c
index 7c091ed75..93343b2aa 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/common.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/common.c
@@ -1009,18 +1009,13 @@ uint8_t *basepaltable[BASEPALCOUNT] = {
     NULL /*anim_pal*/
 };
 
-int32_t G_LoadLookups(void)
+void G_LoadLookups(void)
 {
     int32_t fp, j;
 
     if ((fp=kopen4loadfrommod("lookup.dat",0)) == -1)
-    {
         if ((fp=kopen4loadfrommod("lookup.dat",1)) == -1)
-        {
-            initprintf("ERROR: File \"lookup.dat\" not found.\n");
-            return 1;
-        }
-    }
+            return;
 
     j = loadlookups(fp);
 
@@ -1028,26 +1023,20 @@ int32_t G_LoadLookups(void)
     {
         if (j == -1)
             initprintf("ERROR loading \"lookup.dat\": failed reading enough data.\n");
-        return 1;
+
+        return kclose(fp);
     }
 
     for (j=1; j<=5; j++)
     {
         // Account for TITLE and REALMS swap between basepal number and on-disk order.
-        // XXX: this reordering is better off as an argument to us.
         int32_t basepalnum = (j == 3 || j == 4) ? 4+3-j : j;
 
-        if (kread(fp, basepaltable[basepalnum], 768) != 768)
-            return -1;
+        if (kread_and_test(fp, basepaltable[basepalnum], 768))
+            return kclose(fp);
     }
 
     kclose(fp);
-
-    generatefogpals();
-
-    fillemptylookups();
-
-    return 0;
 }
 
 #if defined HAVE_FLAC || defined HAVE_VORBIS
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/common_game.h b/polymer/eduke32/source/common_game.h
index 4e9077528..2fdb9f32e 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/common_game.h
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/common_game.h
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ void G_DoAutoload(const char *dirname);
 
 extern uint8_t *basepaltable[BASEPALCOUNT];
 
-extern int32_t G_LoadLookups(void);
+extern void G_LoadLookups(void);
 
 //////////
 
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/game.c b/polymer/eduke32/source/game.c
index 36dfd9d5c..5951996e0 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/game.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/game.c
@@ -10979,16 +10979,18 @@ static inline void G_CheckGametype(void)
         ud.m_respawn_items = ud.m_respawn_inventory = 1;
 }
 
-static void G_LoadExtraPalettes(void)
+static void G_PostLoadPalette(void)
 {
-    G_LoadLookups();
-
     // Make color index 255 of default/water/slime palette black.
     Bmemset(&basepaltable[BASEPAL][255*3], 0, 3);
     Bmemset(&basepaltable[WATERPAL][255*3], 0, 3);
     Bmemset(&basepaltable[SLIMEPAL][255*3], 0, 3);
 
+    generatefogpals();
+
     E_ReplaceTransparentColorWithBlack();
+
+    fillemptylookups();
 }
 
 #define SETFLAG(Tilenum, Flag) g_tile[Tilenum].flags |= Flag
@@ -11260,7 +11262,7 @@ static void G_Startup(void)
     picanm[LOADSCREEN].sf |= PICANM_NOFULLBRIGHT_BIT;
 
 //    initprintf("Loading palette/lookups...\n");
-    G_LoadExtraPalettes();
+    G_LoadLookups();
 
     ReadSaveGameHeaders();
 
@@ -11709,6 +11711,8 @@ int32_t app_main(int32_t argc, const char **argv)
     if (E_PostInit())
         G_FatalEngineError();
 
+    G_PostLoadPalette();
+
     Gv_ResetSystemDefaults(); // called here to populate our fake tilesizx and tilesizy arrays presented to CON with sizes generated by dummytiles
 
     if (numplayers == 1 && boardfilename[0] != 0)