diff --git a/source/blood/src/screen.cpp b/source/blood/src/screen.cpp
index d393245d7..de3cb35ba 100644
--- a/source/blood/src/screen.cpp
+++ b/source/blood/src/screen.cpp
@@ -137,8 +137,8 @@ void scrLoadPalette(void)
 		x = bloodglblend;
 #endif
 
-    initfastcolorlookup_scale(30, 59, 11);
-    initfastcolorlookup_gridvectors();
+    paletteInitClosestColorScale(30, 59, 11);
+    paletteInitClosestColorGrid();
     paletteloaded = 0;
     initprintf("Loading palettes\n");
     for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++)
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ void scrLoadPalette(void)
     blendtable[0] = (char*)gSysRes.Lock(pTrans);
     paletteloaded |= PALETTE_TRANSLUC;
 
-    initfastcolorlookup_palette(palette);
+    paletteInitClosestColorMap(palette);
     palettePostLoadTables();
 }
 
diff --git a/source/build/include/build.h b/source/build/include/build.h
index 9439f5e21..d745a7c98 100644
--- a/source/build/include/build.h
+++ b/source/build/include/build.h
@@ -618,6 +618,7 @@ EXTERN uint8_t gotpic[(MAXTILES+7)>>3];
 EXTERN char gotsector[(MAXSECTORS+7)>>3];
 
 EXTERN char editorcolors[256];
+EXTERN char editorcolorsdef[256];
 
 EXTERN char editwall[(MAXWALLS+7)>>3];
 
diff --git a/source/build/include/colmatch.h b/source/build/include/colmatch.h
index 751ba1a68..7a9077737 100644
--- a/source/build/include/colmatch.h
+++ b/source/build/include/colmatch.h
@@ -1,15 +1,24 @@
 
 #include "compat.h"
 
-extern void initfastcolorlookup_scale(int32_t rscale, int32_t gscale, int32_t bscale);
-extern void initfastcolorlookup_palette(uint8_t const * pal) ATTRIBUTE((nonnull(1)));
-extern void initfastcolorlookup_gridvectors(void);
+extern void paletteInitClosestColorScale(int32_t rscale, int32_t gscale, int32_t bscale);
+extern void paletteInitClosestColorMap(uint8_t const * pal) ATTRIBUTE((nonnull(1)));
+extern void paletteInitClosestColorGrid(void);
 
-extern int32_t getclosestcol_lim(int32_t r, int32_t g, int32_t b, int32_t lastokcol);
-extern int32_t getclosestcol_nocache_lim(int32_t r, int32_t g, int32_t b, int32_t lastokcol);
-extern void getclosestcol_flush(void);
+extern int32_t paletteGetClosestColorWithBlacklist(int32_t r, int32_t g, int32_t b, int32_t lastokcol, uint8_t const * blacklist);
+extern int32_t paletteGetClosestColorWithBlacklistNoCache(int32_t r, int32_t g, int32_t b, int32_t lastokcol, uint8_t const * blacklist);
+extern void paletteFlushClosestColor(void);
+
+static FORCE_INLINE int32_t paletteGetClosestColorUpToIndex(int32_t r, int32_t g, int32_t b, int32_t lastokcol)
+{
+    return paletteGetClosestColorWithBlacklist(r, g, b, lastokcol, NULL);
+}
+static FORCE_INLINE int32_t paletteGetClosestColorUpToIndexNoCache(int32_t r, int32_t g, int32_t b, int32_t lastokcol)
+{
+    return paletteGetClosestColorWithBlacklistNoCache(r, g, b, lastokcol, NULL);
+}
 
 static FORCE_INLINE int32_t paletteGetClosestColor(int32_t r, int32_t g, int32_t b)
 {
-    return getclosestcol_lim(r, g, b, 255);
+    return paletteGetClosestColorUpToIndex(r, g, b, 255);
 }
diff --git a/source/build/include/palette.h b/source/build/include/palette.h
index d8b6f0c21..b92140a3a 100644
--- a/source/build/include/palette.h
+++ b/source/build/include/palette.h
@@ -28,16 +28,17 @@ extern uint8_t curbasepal;
 
 #define paletteGetBlendTable(blend) (blendtable[blend])
 
-extern uint32_t PaletteIndexFullbrights[8];
+extern uint8_t PaletteIndexFullbrights[32];
+
 
 inline bool IsPaletteIndexFullbright(uint8_t col)
 {
-	return (PaletteIndexFullbrights[col >> 5] & (1u << (col & 31)));
+	return (PaletteIndexFullbrights[col >> 3] & (1u << (col & 7)));
 }
 
 inline void SetPaletteIndexFullbright(int col)
 {
-	PaletteIndexFullbrights[col >> 5] |= (1u << (col & 31));
+	PaletteIndexFullbrights[col >> 3] |= (1u << (col & 7));
 }
 
 struct palette_t 
diff --git a/source/build/src/colmatch.cpp b/source/build/src/colmatch.cpp
index d6c40feeb..401c532f5 100644
--- a/source/build/src/colmatch.cpp
+++ b/source/build/src/colmatch.cpp
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ static uint8_t const * colmatch_palette;
 #define pow2char(x) (1u << (x))
 
 //
-// initfastcolorlookup
+// paletteInitClosestColor
 //
-void initfastcolorlookup_scale(int32_t rscale, int32_t gscale, int32_t bscale)
+void paletteInitClosestColorScale(int32_t rscale, int32_t gscale, int32_t bscale)
 {
     int32_t j = 0;
     for (bssize_t i=256; i>=0; i--)
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ void initfastcolorlookup_scale(int32_t rscale, int32_t gscale, int32_t bscale)
         j += FASTPALRGBDIST-(i<<1);
     }
 }
-void initfastcolorlookup_palette(uint8_t const * const pal)
+void paletteInitClosestColorMap(uint8_t const * const pal)
 {
     Bmemset(colhere,0,sizeof(colhere));
     Bmemset(colhead,0,sizeof(colhead));
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ void initfastcolorlookup_palette(uint8_t const * const pal)
         colhere[j>>3] |= pow2char(j&7);
     }
 
-    getclosestcol_flush();
+    paletteFlushClosestColor();
 }
-void initfastcolorlookup_gridvectors(void)
+void paletteInitClosestColorGrid(void)
 {
     int i = 0;
     int32_t x, y, z;
@@ -71,18 +71,20 @@ void initfastcolorlookup_gridvectors(void)
 
 #define COLRESULTSIZ 4096
 
-static uint32_t getclosestcol_results[COLRESULTSIZ];
-static int32_t numclosestcolresults;
+static uint32_t colmatchresults[COLRESULTSIZ];
+static int32_t numcolmatchresults;
 
-void getclosestcol_flush(void)
+void paletteFlushClosestColor(void)
 {
-    Bmemset(getclosestcol_results, 0, COLRESULTSIZ * sizeof(uint32_t));
-    numclosestcolresults = 0;
+    Bmemset(colmatchresults, 0, COLRESULTSIZ * sizeof(uint32_t));
+    numcolmatchresults = 0;
 }
 
+#define checkbitfield(field, idx) ((field)[(idx)>>3] & (1u<<((idx)&7)))
+
 // Finds a color index in [0 .. lastokcol] closest to (r, g, b).
 // <lastokcol> must be in [0 .. 255].
-int32_t getclosestcol_lim(int32_t const r, int32_t const g, int32_t const b, int32_t const lastokcol)
+int32_t paletteGetClosestColorWithBlacklist(int32_t const r, int32_t const g, int32_t const b, int32_t const lastokcol, uint8_t const * const blacklist)
 {
 #ifdef DEBUGGINGAIDS
     Bassert(lastokcol >= 0 && lastokcol <= 255);
@@ -92,37 +94,41 @@ int32_t getclosestcol_lim(int32_t const r, int32_t const g, int32_t const b, int
 
     int mindist = -1;
 
-    int const k = (numclosestcolresults > COLRESULTSIZ) ? COLRESULTSIZ : numclosestcolresults;
+    int const k = (numcolmatchresults > COLRESULTSIZ) ? COLRESULTSIZ : numcolmatchresults;
 
-    if (!numclosestcolresults) goto skip;
+    if (!numcolmatchresults) goto skip;
 
-    if (col == (getclosestcol_results[(numclosestcolresults-1) & (COLRESULTSIZ-1)] & 0x00ffffff))
-        return getclosestcol_results[(numclosestcolresults-1) & (COLRESULTSIZ-1)]>>24;
+    if (col == (colmatchresults[(numcolmatchresults-1) & (COLRESULTSIZ-1)] & 0x00ffffff))
+        return colmatchresults[(numcolmatchresults-1) & (COLRESULTSIZ-1)]>>24;
 
     int i;
 
     for (i = 0; i <= k-4; i+=4)
     {
-        if (col == (getclosestcol_results[i]   & 0x00ffffff)) { mindist = i; break; }
-        if (col == (getclosestcol_results[i+1] & 0x00ffffff)) { mindist = i+1; break; }
-        if (col == (getclosestcol_results[i+2] & 0x00ffffff)) { mindist = i+2; break; }
-        if (col == (getclosestcol_results[i+3] & 0x00ffffff)) { mindist = i+3; break; }
+        if (col == (colmatchresults[i]   & 0x00ffffff)) { mindist = i; break; }
+        if (col == (colmatchresults[i+1] & 0x00ffffff)) { mindist = i+1; break; }
+        if (col == (colmatchresults[i+2] & 0x00ffffff)) { mindist = i+2; break; }
+        if (col == (colmatchresults[i+3] & 0x00ffffff)) { mindist = i+3; break; }
     }
 
     if (mindist == -1)
     for (; i < k; i++)
-        if (col == (getclosestcol_results[i] & 0x00ffffff)) { mindist = i; break; }
+        if (col == (colmatchresults[i] & 0x00ffffff)) { mindist = i; break; }
 
-    if (mindist != -1 && getclosestcol_results[mindist]>>24 < (unsigned)lastokcol)
-        return getclosestcol_results[mindist]>>24;
+    if (mindist != -1)
+    {
+        uint32_t const idx = colmatchresults[mindist]>>24;
+        if (idx <= (unsigned)lastokcol && (blacklist == nullptr || !checkbitfield(blacklist, idx)))
+            return idx;
+    }
 
 skip:
-    i = getclosestcol_nocache_lim(r, g, b, lastokcol);
-    getclosestcol_results[numclosestcolresults++ & (COLRESULTSIZ-1)] = col | (i << 24);
+    i = paletteGetClosestColorWithBlacklistNoCache(r, g, b, lastokcol, blacklist);
+    colmatchresults[numcolmatchresults++ & (COLRESULTSIZ-1)] = col | (i << 24);
     return i;
 }
 
-int32_t getclosestcol_nocache_lim(int32_t r, int32_t g, int32_t b, int32_t const lastokcol)
+int32_t paletteGetClosestColorWithBlacklistNoCache(int32_t r, int32_t g, int32_t b, int32_t const lastokcol, uint8_t const * const blacklist)
 {
 #ifdef DEBUGGINGAIDS
     Bassert(lastokcol >= 0 && lastokcol <= 255);
@@ -158,7 +164,7 @@ int32_t getclosestcol_nocache_lim(int32_t r, int32_t g, int32_t b, int32_t const
             char const * const pal1 = (char const *)&colmatch_palette[i*3];
             int dist = gdist[pal1[1]+g];
 
-            if (dist >= mindist || i > lastokcol) continue;
+            if (dist >= mindist || i > lastokcol || (blacklist != nullptr && checkbitfield(blacklist, i))) continue;
             if ((dist += rdist[pal1[0]+r]) >= mindist) continue;
             if ((dist += bdist[pal1[2]+b]) >= mindist) continue;
 
@@ -173,8 +179,11 @@ int32_t getclosestcol_nocache_lim(int32_t r, int32_t g, int32_t b, int32_t const
 
     mindist = INT32_MAX;
 
-    for (bssize_t i = 0; i < lastokcol; ++i)
+    for (bssize_t i = 0; i <= lastokcol; ++i)
     {
+        if (blacklist != nullptr && checkbitfield(blacklist, i))
+            continue;
+
         char const * const pal1 = (char const *)&colmatch_palette[i*3];
         int dist = gdist[pal1[1]+g];
 
diff --git a/source/build/src/defs.cpp b/source/build/src/defs.cpp
index 4642b214d..3eff02ce5 100644
--- a/source/build/src/defs.cpp
+++ b/source/build/src/defs.cpp
@@ -467,7 +467,10 @@ static int32_t defsparser(scriptfile *script)
             if (scriptfile_getnumber(script,&idxend)) break;
 
             while ((unsigned)col < 256 && idx <= idxend)
+            {
+                editorcolorsdef[col] = 1;
                 editorcolors[col++] = idx++;
+            }
         }
         break;
         case T_FOGPAL:
@@ -2713,7 +2716,7 @@ static int32_t defsparser(scriptfile *script)
 
             if (didLoadPal && id == 0)
             {
-                initfastcolorlookup_palette(palette);
+                paletteInitClosestColorMap(palette);
 
                 paletteloaded |= PALETTE_MAIN;
             }
diff --git a/source/build/src/palette.cpp b/source/build/src/palette.cpp
index 569ffef40..cc9fa9bf3 100644
--- a/source/build/src/palette.cpp
+++ b/source/build/src/palette.cpp
@@ -164,8 +164,8 @@ inline bool read_and_test(FileReader& handle, void* buffer, int32_t leng)
 //
 void paletteLoadFromDisk(void)
 {
-    initfastcolorlookup_scale(30, 59, 11);
-    initfastcolorlookup_gridvectors();
+    paletteInitClosestColorScale(30, 59, 11);
+    paletteInitClosestColorGrid();
 
 #ifdef USE_OPENGL
     for (auto & x : glblend)
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ void paletteLoadFromDisk(void)
     for (unsigned char & k : palette)
         k <<= 2;
 
-    initfastcolorlookup_palette(palette);
+    paletteInitClosestColorMap(palette);
 
     paletteloaded |= PALETTE_MAIN;
 
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ void paletteLoadFromDisk(void)
     }
 }
 
-uint32_t PaletteIndexFullbrights[8];
+uint8_t PaletteIndexFullbrights[32];
 
 void palettePostLoadTables(void)
 {
@@ -358,12 +358,6 @@ void palettePostLoadTables(void)
     whitecol = paletteGetClosestColor(255, 255, 255);
     redcol = paletteGetClosestColor(255, 0, 0);
 
-    for (size_t i = 0; i<16; i++)
-    {
-        palette_t *edcol = (palette_t *) &vgapal16[4*i];
-        editorcolors[i] = getclosestcol_lim(edcol->b, edcol->g, edcol->r, playing_blood ? 254 : 239);
-    }
-
     // Bmemset(PaletteIndexFullbrights, 0, sizeof(PaletteIndexFullbrights));
     for (bssize_t c = 0; c < 255; ++c) // skipping transparent color
     {
@@ -400,6 +394,15 @@ void palettePostLoadTables(void)
         PostLoad_FoundShade: ;
         frealmaxshade = (float)(realmaxshade = s+1);
     }
+
+    for (size_t i = 0; i<256; i++)
+    {
+        if (editorcolorsdef[i])
+            continue;
+
+        palette_t *edcol = (palette_t *) &vgapal16[4*i];
+        editorcolors[i] = paletteGetClosestColorWithBlacklist(edcol->b, edcol->g, edcol->r, 254, PaletteIndexFullbrights);
+    }
 }
 
 void paletteFixTranslucencyMask(void)
diff --git a/source/duke3d/src/gameexec.cpp b/source/duke3d/src/gameexec.cpp
index ac814d405..a6a570d84 100644
--- a/source/duke3d/src/gameexec.cpp
+++ b/source/duke3d/src/gameexec.cpp
@@ -5829,7 +5829,7 @@ badindex:
                 {
                     tw = *insptr++;
                     int32_t const rgb = Gv_GetVar(*insptr++);
-                    Gv_SetVar(tw, getclosestcol_lim(rgb & 0xFF, (rgb >> 8) & 0xFF, (rgb >> 16) & 0xFF, Gv_GetVar(*insptr++)));
+                    Gv_SetVar(tw, paletteGetClosestColorUpToIndex(rgb & 0xFF, (rgb >> 8) & 0xFF, (rgb >> 16) & 0xFF, Gv_GetVar(*insptr++)));
                 }
                 dispatch();