diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/defs.c b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/defs.c
index d63668c50..0bb1301ad 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/defs.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/defs.c
@@ -342,8 +342,7 @@ static int32_t defsparser(scriptfile *script)
         break;
         case T_FOGPAL:
         {
-            int32_t p,r,g,b,j;
-            char tempbuf[256];
+            int32_t p,r,g,b;
 
             if (scriptfile_getnumber(script,&p)) break;
             if (scriptfile_getnumber(script,&r)) break;
@@ -354,9 +353,7 @@ static int32_t defsparser(scriptfile *script)
             g = clamp(g, 0, 63);
             b = clamp(b, 0, 63);
 
-            for (j = 0; j < 256; j++)
-                tempbuf[j] = j;
-            makepalookup(p, tempbuf, r, g, b, 1);
+            makepalookup(p, NULL, r, g, b, 1);
         }
         break;
         case T_LOADGRP:
@@ -1655,9 +1652,9 @@ static int32_t defsparser(scriptfile *script)
                     initprintf("Error: missing 'palette number' %s\n", msgend);
                     break;
                 }
-                else if ((unsigned)pal >= MAXPALOOKUPS-RESERVEDPALS)
+                else if (pal==0 || (unsigned)pal >= MAXPALOOKUPS-RESERVEDPALS)
                 {
-                    initprintf("Error: 'palette number' out of range (max=%d) %s\n",
+                    initprintf("Error: 'palette number' out of range (1 .. %d) %s\n",
                                MAXPALOOKUPS-RESERVEDPALS-1, msgend);
                     break;
                 }
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c
index a76d29a9c..95025d59e 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c
@@ -13414,11 +13414,23 @@ void makepalookup(int32_t palnum, const char *remapbuf, int8_t r, int8_t g, int8
     const char *ptr;
     char *ptr2;
 
-    if (paletteloaded == 0) return;
+    static char idmap[256] = {1};
 
-    if ((unsigned)palnum >= MAXPALOOKUPS)
+    if (paletteloaded == 0)
         return;
 
+    if (palnum==0 || (unsigned)palnum >= MAXPALOOKUPS)
+        return;
+
+    if (remapbuf==NULL)
+    {
+        if (idmap[0]==1)  // init identity map
+            for (i=0; i<256; i++)
+                idmap[i] = i;
+
+        remapbuf = idmap;
+    }
+
     if (palookup[palnum] == NULL)
     {
         //Allocate palookup buffer
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/astub.c b/polymer/eduke32/source/astub.c
index 0b2028d63..89e3bf9a0 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/astub.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/astub.c
@@ -2975,11 +2975,8 @@ static void ReadPaletteTable(void)
     int32_t i,j,fp;
     char lookup_num;
 
-    for (j = 0; j < 256; j++)
-        tempbuf[j] = j;
-
     for (i=1; i<MAXPALOOKUPS; i++)
-        makepalookup(i,tempbuf,0,0,0,1);
+        makepalookup(i,NULL,0,0,0,1);
 
     if ((fp=kopen4load("lookup.dat",0)) == -1)
     {
@@ -3001,10 +2998,10 @@ static void ReadPaletteTable(void)
         tempbuf[j] = j;
 
     num_tables++;
-    makepalookup(num_tables, tempbuf, 15, 15, 15, 1);
-    makepalookup(num_tables + 1, tempbuf, 15, 0, 0, 1);
-    makepalookup(num_tables + 2, tempbuf, 0, 15, 0, 1);
-    makepalookup(num_tables + 3, tempbuf, 0, 0, 15, 1);
+    makepalookup(num_tables, NULL, 15, 15, 15, 1);
+    makepalookup(num_tables + 1, NULL, 15, 0, 0, 1);
+    makepalookup(num_tables + 2, NULL, 0, 15, 0, 1);
+    makepalookup(num_tables + 3, NULL, 0, 0, 15, 1);
 
     kread(fp,WATERpalette,768);
     kread(fp,SLIMEpalette,768);
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/game.c b/polymer/eduke32/source/game.c
index 3de3610c4..c3ca99a66 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/game.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/game.c
@@ -2579,10 +2579,7 @@ void G_SetCrosshairColor(int32_t r, int32_t g, int32_t b)
     }
     while (--ii);
 
-    for (i = 255; i >= 0; i--)
-        tempbuf[i] = i;
-
-    makepalookup(CROSSHAIR_PAL,tempbuf,CrosshairColors.r>>2, CrosshairColors.g>>2, CrosshairColors.b>>2,1);
+    makepalookup(CROSSHAIR_PAL, NULL, CrosshairColors.r>>2, CrosshairColors.g>>2, CrosshairColors.b>>2,1);
 
 #ifdef USE_OPENGL
     // XXX: this makes us also load all hightile textures tinted with the crosshair color!
@@ -9457,11 +9454,8 @@ static void G_LoadExtraPalettes(void)
 //    g_numRealPalettes = ((g_numRealPalettes * 0x80200802ULL) & 0x0884422110ULL) * 0x0101010101ULL >> 32;
 #endif
 
-    for (j = 0; j < 256; j++)
-        tempbuf[j] = j;
-
     for (j=g_numRealPalettes+1; j<MAXPALOOKUPS; j++)
-        makepalookup(j,tempbuf,0,0,0,1);
+        makepalookup(j, NULL ,0,0,0, 1);
 
     for (j=g_numRealPalettes-1; j>=0; j--)
     {
@@ -9472,13 +9466,11 @@ static void G_LoadExtraPalettes(void)
         makepalookup(look_pos, tempbuf, 0,0,0, 1);
     }
 
-    for (j = 255; j>=0; j--)
-        tempbuf[j] = j;
     g_numRealPalettes++;
-    makepalookup(g_numRealPalettes, tempbuf, 15, 15, 15, 1);
-    makepalookup(g_numRealPalettes + 1, tempbuf, 15, 0, 0, 1);
-    makepalookup(g_numRealPalettes + 2, tempbuf, 0, 15, 0, 1);
-    makepalookup(g_numRealPalettes + 3, tempbuf, 0, 0, 15, 1);
+    makepalookup(g_numRealPalettes, NULL, 15, 15, 15, 1);
+    makepalookup(g_numRealPalettes + 1, NULL, 15, 0, 0, 1);
+    makepalookup(g_numRealPalettes + 2, NULL, 0, 15, 0, 1);
+    makepalookup(g_numRealPalettes + 3, NULL, 0, 0, 15, 1);
 
     kread(fp,&water_pal[0],768);
     kread(fp,&slime_pal[0],768);