diff --git a/src/client/cl_particles.c b/src/client/cl_particles.c
index c2d4ecca..f2966ac6 100644
--- a/src/client/cl_particles.c
+++ b/src/client/cl_particles.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ CL_ClearParticles(void)
 {
 	if (cl_numparticles == 0)
 		return;
-		
+
 	int i;
 
 	free_particles = &particles[0];
@@ -175,7 +175,6 @@ CL_AddParticles(void)
 	float alpha;
 	float time, time2;
 	vec3_t org;
-	int color;
 	cparticle_t *active, *tail;
 
 	active = NULL;
@@ -183,6 +182,8 @@ CL_AddParticles(void)
 
 	for (p = active_particles; p; p = next)
 	{
+		unsigned color;
+
 		next = p->next;
 
 		if (p->alphavel != INSTANT_PARTICLE)
@@ -222,7 +223,7 @@ CL_AddParticles(void)
 			alpha = 1;
 		}
 
-		color = p->color;
+		color = VID_PaletteColor(p->color);
 		time2 = time * time;
 
 		org[0] = p->org[0] + p->vel[0] * time + p->accel[0] * time2;
diff --git a/src/client/cl_view.c b/src/client/cl_view.c
index 2d3b7857..94c2dbc2 100644
--- a/src/client/cl_view.c
+++ b/src/client/cl_view.c
@@ -159,7 +159,8 @@ V_TestParticles(void)
 						   cl.v_right[j] * r + cl.v_up[j] * u;
 		}
 
-		p->color = 8;
+		/* grey */
+		p->color = 0xFF7B7B7B;
 		p->alpha = cl_testparticles->value;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/client/header/client.h b/src/client/header/client.h
index adfbf219..2773cef0 100644
--- a/src/client/header/client.h
+++ b/src/client/header/client.h
@@ -513,6 +513,7 @@ void VID_ImageDecode(const char *filename, byte **pic, byte **palette,
 	int *width, int *height, int *bytesPerPixel);
 void VID_GetPalette(byte **colormap, unsigned *d_8to24table);
 void VID_GetPalette24to8(const byte *d_8to24table, byte** d_16to8table);
+unsigned VID_PaletteColor(byte color);
 
 void CL_RegisterTEntSounds (void);
 void CL_RegisterTEntModels (void);
diff --git a/src/client/refresh/files/models.c b/src/client/refresh/files/models.c
index e5fe9243..00388de6 100644
--- a/src/client/refresh/files/models.c
+++ b/src/client/refresh/files/models.c
@@ -2670,7 +2670,7 @@ Mod_LoadModel_SDEF_Text(const char *mod_name, char *curr_buff, readfile_t read_f
 		}
 	}
 
-	base_size = read_file(base_model, &base);
+	base_size = read_file(base_model, (void **)&base);
 	if (base_size <= 0)
 	{
 		R_Printf(PRINT_DEVELOPER, "%s: %s No base model for %s\n",
@@ -2709,7 +2709,7 @@ Mod_LoadModel_SDEF_Text(const char *mod_name, char *curr_buff, readfile_t read_f
 	{
 		int anim_size, j;
 
-		anim_size = read_file(animations[i], &anim[animation_num]);
+		anim_size = read_file(animations[i], (void **)&anim[animation_num]);
 		if (anim_size <= 0)
 		{
 			R_Printf(PRINT_DEVELOPER, "%s: %s empty animation %s\n",
diff --git a/src/client/refresh/gl1/gl1_main.c b/src/client/refresh/gl1/gl1_main.c
index f9576d45..9d84f31d 100644
--- a/src/client/refresh/gl1/gl1_main.c
+++ b/src/client/refresh/gl1/gl1_main.c
@@ -418,8 +418,7 @@ R_DrawEntitiesOnList(void)
 }
 
 static void
-R_DrawParticles2(int num_particles, const particle_t particles[],
-		const unsigned *colortable)
+R_DrawParticles2(int num_particles, const particle_t particles[])
 {
 	const particle_t *p;
 	int i;
@@ -461,7 +460,7 @@ R_DrawParticles2(int num_particles, const particle_t particles[],
 			scale = 1 + scale * 0.004;
 		}
 
-		*(unsigned *) color = colortable [ p->color ];
+		*(unsigned *) color = p->color;
 
 		for (j=0; j<3; j++) // Copy the color for each point
 		{
@@ -551,7 +550,7 @@ R_DrawParticles(void)
 
 		for ( i = 0, p = r_newrefdef.particles; i < r_newrefdef.num_particles; i++, p++ )
 		{
-			*(int *) color = d_8to24table [ p->color & 0xFF ];
+			*(int *) color = p->color;
 			clr[index_clr++] = color[0]/255.0f;
 			clr[index_clr++] = color[1]/255.0f;
 			clr[index_clr++] = color[2]/255.0f;
@@ -583,7 +582,7 @@ R_DrawParticles(void)
 	else
 	{
 		R_DrawParticles2(r_newrefdef.num_particles,
-				r_newrefdef.particles, d_8to24table);
+				r_newrefdef.particles);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/client/refresh/gl3/gl3_main.c b/src/client/refresh/gl3/gl3_main.c
index 4acc34ee..867492cf 100644
--- a/src/client/refresh/gl3/gl3_main.c
+++ b/src/client/refresh/gl3/gl3_main.c
@@ -1034,7 +1034,7 @@ GL3_DrawParticles(void)
 
 		for ( i = 0, p = gl3_newrefdef.particles; i < numParticles; i++, p++ )
 		{
-			*(int *) color = d_8to24table [ p->color & 0xFF ];
+			*(int *) color = p->color;
 			part_vtx* cur = &buf[i];
 			vec3_t offset; // between viewOrg and particle position
 			VectorSubtract(viewOrg, p->origin, offset);
diff --git a/src/client/refresh/gl4/gl4_main.c b/src/client/refresh/gl4/gl4_main.c
index 931ad990..cc8801bd 100644
--- a/src/client/refresh/gl4/gl4_main.c
+++ b/src/client/refresh/gl4/gl4_main.c
@@ -1009,7 +1009,7 @@ GL4_DrawParticles(void)
 
 		for ( i = 0, p = gl4_newrefdef.particles; i < numParticles; i++, p++ )
 		{
-			*(int *) color = d_8to24table [ p->color & 0xFF ];
+			*(int *) color = p->color;
 			part_vtx* cur = &buf[i];
 			vec3_t offset; // between viewOrg and particle position
 			VectorSubtract(viewOrg, p->origin, offset);
@@ -1018,7 +1018,10 @@ GL4_DrawParticles(void)
 			cur->size = pointSize;
 			cur->dist = VectorLength(offset);
 
-			for(int j=0; j<3; ++j)  cur->color[j] = color[j]*(1.0f/255.0f);
+			for(int j=0; j<3; ++j)
+			{
+				cur->color[j] = color[j]*(1.0f / 255.0f);
+			}
 
 			cur->color[3] = p->alpha;
 		}
diff --git a/src/client/refresh/soft/header/local.h b/src/client/refresh/soft/header/local.h
index 38764fac..bf004f5d 100644
--- a/src/client/refresh/soft/header/local.h
+++ b/src/client/refresh/soft/header/local.h
@@ -567,9 +567,10 @@ image_t	*R_LoadPic(const char *name, const byte *pic, int width, int realwidth,
 	size_t data_size, imagetype_t type, int bits);
 byte	*Get_BestImageSize(const image_t *image, int *req_width, int *req_height);
 void	R_FreeUnusedImages(void);
-qboolean R_ImageHasFreeSpace(void);
+qboolean	R_ImageHasFreeSpace(void);
 pixel_t	R_ApplyLight(pixel_t pix, const light3_t light);
 void	R_Convert32To8bit(const unsigned char* pic_in, pixel_t* pic_out, size_t size, qboolean transparent);
+int	R_ConvertRGBColor(unsigned color);
 
 void R_InitSkyBox(model_t *loadmodel);
 void R_IMFlatShadedQuad( const vec3_t a, const vec3_t b, const vec3_t c, const vec3_t d, int color, float alpha );
diff --git a/src/client/refresh/soft/sw_image.c b/src/client/refresh/soft/sw_image.c
index 796ca1f3..db28c63d 100644
--- a/src/client/refresh/soft/sw_image.c
+++ b/src/client/refresh/soft/sw_image.c
@@ -217,6 +217,22 @@ Get_BestImageSize(const image_t *image, int *req_width, int *req_height)
 
 static byte *d_16to8table = NULL; // 16 to 8 bit conversion table
 
+int
+R_ConvertRGBColor(unsigned color)
+{
+	YQ2_ALIGNAS_TYPE(unsigned) byte rgbcolor[4];
+	unsigned int r, g, b, c;
+
+	*(int *)rgbcolor = color;
+	r = ( rgbcolor[0] >> 3 ) & 31;
+	g = ( rgbcolor[1] >> 2 ) & 63;
+	b = ( rgbcolor[2] >> 3 ) & 31;
+
+	c = r | ( g << 5 ) | ( b << 11 );
+
+	return d_16to8table[c & 0xFFFF];
+}
+
 void
 R_Convert32To8bit(const unsigned char* pic_in, pixel_t* pic_out, size_t size,
 	qboolean transparent)
diff --git a/src/client/refresh/soft/sw_part.c b/src/client/refresh/soft/sw_part.c
index 3f21ee92..5481f334 100644
--- a/src/client/refresh/soft/sw_part.c
+++ b/src/client/refresh/soft/sw_part.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ R_DrawParticle(particle_t *pparticle, int level)
 	float		zi;
 	byte		*pdest;
 	zvalue_t	*pz;
-	int		color = pparticle->color;
+	int		color = R_ConvertRGBColor(pparticle->color);
 	int		i, pix, count, u, v;
 	zvalue_t	izi;
 	int 		custom_particle = (int)sw_custom_particles->value;
diff --git a/src/client/refresh/vk/vk_main.c b/src/client/refresh/vk/vk_main.c
index 930e8609..ce35c45d 100644
--- a/src/client/refresh/vk/vk_main.c
+++ b/src/client/refresh/vk/vk_main.c
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ R_DrawEntitiesOnList(void)
 }
 
 static void
-Vk_DrawParticles(int num_particles, const particle_t particles[], const unsigned *colortable)
+Vk_DrawParticles(int num_particles, const particle_t particles[])
 {
 	typedef struct {
 		float x,y,z,r,g,b,a,u,v;
@@ -418,11 +418,12 @@ Vk_DrawParticles(int num_particles, const particle_t particles[], const unsigned
 	const particle_t *p;
 	int				i;
 	vec3_t			up, right;
-	YQ2_ALIGNAS_TYPE(unsigned) byte	color[4];
 	pvertex*	currentvertex;
 
 	if (!num_particles)
+	{
 		return;
+	}
 
 	VectorScale(vup, 1.5, up);
 	VectorScale(vright, 1.5, right);
@@ -437,6 +438,7 @@ Vk_DrawParticles(int num_particles, const particle_t particles[], const unsigned
 	currentvertex = visibleParticles;
 	for (p = particles, i = 0; i < num_particles; i++, p++)
 	{
+		YQ2_ALIGNAS_TYPE(unsigned) byte	color[4];
 		float	scale;
 
 		// hack a scale up to keep particles from disapearing
@@ -453,7 +455,7 @@ Vk_DrawParticles(int num_particles, const particle_t particles[], const unsigned
 			scale = 1 + scale * 0.004;
 		}
 
-		*(int *)color = colortable[p->color];
+		*(int *)color = p->color;
 
 		float r = color[0] / 255.f;
 		float g = color[1] / 255.f;
@@ -562,7 +564,7 @@ R_DrawParticles(void)
 
 		for (i = 0, p = r_newrefdef.particles; i < r_newrefdef.num_particles; i++, p++)
 		{
-			*(int *)color = d_8to24table[p->color];
+			*(int *)color = p->color;
 
 			float r = color[0] / 255.f;
 			float g = color[1] / 255.f;
@@ -593,7 +595,7 @@ R_DrawParticles(void)
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		Vk_DrawParticles(r_newrefdef.num_particles, r_newrefdef.particles, d_8to24table);
+		Vk_DrawParticles(r_newrefdef.num_particles, r_newrefdef.particles);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/client/vid/header/ref.h b/src/client/vid/header/ref.h
index e6a0ae97..94b0aa99 100644
--- a/src/client/vid/header/ref.h
+++ b/src/client/vid/header/ref.h
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ typedef struct {
 
 typedef struct {
 	vec3_t	origin;
-	int		color;
+	unsigned	color;
 	float	alpha;
 } particle_t;
 
diff --git a/src/client/vid/image.c b/src/client/vid/image.c
index e0712a80..c3447110 100644
--- a/src/client/vid/image.c
+++ b/src/client/vid/image.c
@@ -492,10 +492,32 @@ VID_GetPalette(byte **colormap, unsigned *d_8to24table)
 	memcpy(d_8to24table, d_8to24table_cache, sizeof(d_8to24table_cache));
 }
 
+/*
+ * Get rgb color from palette
+ */
+unsigned
+VID_PaletteColor(byte color)
+{
+	if (!colormap_cache)
+	{
+		LoadPalette(&colormap_cache, d_8to24table_cache);
+	}
+
+	return d_8to24table_cache[color & 0xFF];
+}
+
 void
 VID_ImageInit(void)
 {
+	int i;
+
 	colormap_cache = NULL;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < 256; i++)
+	{
+		/* fake grey colors */
+		d_8to24table_cache[i] = (255U<<24) + (i << 16) + (i << 8) + (i << 0);
+	}
 }
 
 void