diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/build/include/m32script.h b/polymer/eduke32/build/include/m32script.h
index f1b9d59f4..2a094fae6 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/build/include/m32script.h
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/build/include/m32script.h
@@ -173,7 +173,6 @@ extern int32_t g_iReturnVar;
 extern int32_t g_doScreenShot;
 extern int32_t m32_sortvar1, m32_sortvar2;
 
-//extern int32_t g_numRealPalettes;
 //extern int32_t g_scriptDebug;
 
 extern int32_t g_numQuoteRedefinitions;
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c
index a535bccea..e707eefdf 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c
@@ -8150,37 +8150,36 @@ static int32_t loadpalette(void)
 //
 // Returns:
 //  - if generated fog shade tables, their first palnum P (fog pals are [P .. P+3])
+//  - if didn't (no room), 0
 //  - on error, -1
 int32_t loadlookups(int32_t fp, uint8_t **basepaltabptr)
 {
     uint8_t numlookups;
     char remapbuf[256];
-    int32_t j;
+    int32_t j, firstfogpal=0;
 
     if (kread(fp, &numlookups, 1) != 1)
         return -1;
 
-    for (j=numlookups+1; j<MAXPALOOKUPS; j++)
-        makepalookup(j, NULL, 0,0,0, 1);
-
     for (j=0; j<numlookups; j++)
     {
         uint8_t palnum;
 
         if (kread(fp, &palnum, 1) != 1)
             return -1;
+
+        if (palnum == 0)
+        {
+            initprintf("ERROR: attempt to load lookup at pal 0\n");
+            return -1;
+        }
+
         if (kread(fp, remapbuf, 256) != 256)
             return -1;
 
         makepalookup(palnum, remapbuf, 0,0,0, 1);
     }
 
-    numlookups++;
-    makepalookup(numlookups, NULL, 15, 15, 15, 1);
-    makepalookup(numlookups + 1, NULL, 15, 0, 0, 1);
-    makepalookup(numlookups + 2, NULL, 0, 15, 0, 1);
-    makepalookup(numlookups + 3, NULL, 0, 0, 15, 1);
-
     for (j=1; j<=5; j++)
     {
         // Account for TITLE and REALMS swap between basepal number and on-disk order.
@@ -8191,7 +8190,25 @@ int32_t loadlookups(int32_t fp, uint8_t **basepaltabptr)
             return -1;
     }
 
-    return numlookups;
+    // Find a gap of four consecutive unused pal numbers to generate fog shade tables.
+    for (j=1; j<=255-3; j++)
+        if (!palookup[j] && !palookup[j+1] && !palookup[j+2] && !palookup[j+3])
+        {
+            makepalookup(j, NULL, 15, 15, 15, 1);
+            makepalookup(j+1, NULL, 15, 0, 0, 1);
+            makepalookup(j+2, NULL, 0, 15, 0, 1);
+            makepalookup(j+3, NULL, 0, 0, 15, 1);
+
+            firstfogpal = j;
+            break;
+        }
+
+    // Alias remaining unused pal numbers to the base shade table.
+    for (j=1; j<MAXPALOOKUPS; j++)
+        if (!palookup[j])
+            makepalookup(j, NULL, 0,0,0, 1);
+
+    return firstfogpal;
 }
 
 // Finds a color index in [0 .. lastokcol] closest to (r, g, b).
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/astub.c b/polymer/eduke32/source/astub.c
index d545751d5..56444c0e1 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/astub.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/astub.c
@@ -2856,10 +2856,10 @@ static int32_t ReadPaletteTable(void)
         }
     }
 
-    num_tables = loadlookups(fp, basepaltable);
+    g_firstFogPal = loadlookups(fp, basepaltable);
     kclose(fp);
 
-    if (num_tables < 0)
+    if (g_firstFogPal < 0)
     {
         initprintf("ERROR loading PALOOKUP.DAT: failed reading enough data\n");
         return 1;
@@ -10938,13 +10938,17 @@ void ExtAnalyzeSprites(int32_t ourx, int32_t oury, int32_t oura, int32_t smoothr
         if (shadepreview)
         {
             int32_t wallaligned = (tspr->cstat & 16);
+            int32_t fpal;
 
             if (tspr->sectnum<0)
                 continue;
 
+            fpal = sector[tspr->sectnum].floorpal;
+
             // 1st rule
-            if (sector[tspr->sectnum].floorpal > 0 && sector[tspr->sectnum].floorpal < num_tables)
-                tspr->pal = sector[tspr->sectnum].floorpal;
+            // Compare with game.c:G_MaybeTakeOnFloorPal()
+            if (fpal > 0 && g_firstFogPal > 0 && !(fpal >= g_firstFogPal && fpal <= g_firstFogPal+3))
+                tspr->pal = fpal;
 
             // 2nd and 3rd rule minus "actor condition"
             if (!wallaligned && (tspr->cstat&2048)==0)
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/game.c b/polymer/eduke32/source/game.c
index 546673e38..81d7e6479 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/game.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/game.c
@@ -6979,11 +6979,14 @@ SPAWN_END:
     return i;
 }
 
+static int32_t g_firstFogPal;
+
 static int32_t G_MaybeTakeOnFloorPal(spritetype *datspr, int32_t sect)
 {
     int32_t dapal = sector[sect].floorpal;
 
-    if (dapal && !g_noFloorPal[dapal] && dapal < g_numRealPalettes
+    if (dapal && g_firstFogPal && !(dapal >= g_firstFogPal && dapal <= g_firstFogPal+3)
+            && !g_noFloorPal[dapal]
             && !A_CheckSpriteFlags(datspr->owner,SPRITE_NOPAL))
     {
         datspr->pal = dapal;
@@ -10637,10 +10640,10 @@ static void G_LoadExtraPalettes(void)
     if (fp == -1)
         G_GameExit("\nERROR: File 'lookup.dat' not found.");
 
-    g_numRealPalettes = loadlookups(fp, basepaltable);
+    g_firstFogPal = loadlookups(fp, basepaltable);
     kclose(fp);
 
-    if (g_numRealPalettes < 0)
+    if (g_firstFogPal < 0)
         G_GameExit("\nERROR loading 'lookup.dat': failed reading enough data.");
 
     // Make color index 255 of default/water/slime palette black.
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/global.h b/polymer/eduke32/source/global.h
index 29a41b774..7f29f6036 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/global.h
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/global.h
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ G_EXTERN int32_t g_groupFileHandle;
 G_EXTERN int32_t g_impactDamage,g_maxPlayerHealth;
 G_EXTERN int32_t g_musicSize;
 G_EXTERN int32_t g_numLabels,g_numDefaultLabels;
-G_EXTERN int32_t g_numRealPalettes;
 G_EXTERN int32_t g_scriptDebug;
 G_EXTERN int32_t g_showShareware;
 G_EXTERN int8_t g_numPlayerSprites;
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/mapster32.h b/polymer/eduke32/source/mapster32.h
index e6491894f..24503ceb2 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/mapster32.h
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/mapster32.h
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ static uint8_t *basepaltable[BASEPALCOUNT] = {
 };
 
 
-static int32_t num_tables;
+static int32_t g_firstFogPal;
 
 static int32_t updownunits=1024;
 
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/osdcmds.c b/polymer/eduke32/source/osdcmds.c
index 6bb27ec0b..c7482f1dd 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/osdcmds.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/osdcmds.c
@@ -1467,7 +1467,7 @@ int32_t registerosdcommands(void)
         { "cl_weaponsway", "enable/disable player weapon swaying", (void *)&ud.weaponsway, CVAR_BOOL, 0, 1 },
         { "cl_weaponswitch", "enable/disable auto weapon switching", (void *)&ud.weaponswitch, CVAR_INT|CVAR_MULTI, 0, 7 },
 
-        { "color", "changes player palette", (void *)&ud.color, CVAR_INT|CVAR_MULTI, 0, g_numRealPalettes },
+        { "color", "changes player palette", (void *)&ud.color, CVAR_INT|CVAR_MULTI, 0, MAXPALOOKUPS-1 },
 
         { "crosshairscale","changes the size of the crosshair", (void *)&ud.crosshairscale, CVAR_INT, 10, 100 },
 
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/premap.h b/polymer/eduke32/source/premap.h
index cc5569dfc..8256205e2 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/premap.h
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/premap.h
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ extern halfdimen_t g_halfScreen;
 extern int32_t g_halveScreenArea;
 
 extern int32_t g_levelTextTime;
-extern int32_t g_numRealPalettes;
 extern int32_t voting,vote_map,vote_episode;
 extern palette_t CrosshairColors;
 void G_SetupFilenameBasedMusic(char *levnamebuf, const char *boardfilename, int32_t level_number);