diff --git a/source/build/src/sdlayer.cpp b/source/build/src/sdlayer.cpp
index 536ad992d..12b6b1491 100644
--- a/source/build/src/sdlayer.cpp
+++ b/source/build/src/sdlayer.cpp
@@ -474,7 +474,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 #elif defined(HAVE_GTK2)
     // Pre-initialize SDL video system in order to make sure XInitThreads() is called
     // before GTK starts talking to X11.
-    SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
+    uint32_t inited = SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
+    if (inited == 0)
+        SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
+    else if (!(inited & SDL_INIT_VIDEO))
+        SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
     gtkbuild_init(&argc, &argv);
 #endif
 
@@ -597,7 +601,14 @@ int32_t initsystem(void)
     if (sdlayer_checkversion())
         return -1;
 
-    if (SDL_Init(sdlinitflags))
+    int32_t err = 0;
+    uint32_t inited = SDL_WasInit(sdlinitflags);
+    if (inited == 0)
+        err = SDL_Init(sdlinitflags);
+    else if ((inited & sdlinitflags) != sdlinitflags)
+        err = SDL_InitSubSystem(sdlinitflags & ~inited);
+
+    if (err)
     {
         initprintf("Initialization failed! (%s)\nNon-interactive mode enabled\n", SDL_GetError());
         novideo = 1;
diff --git a/source/duke3d/src/config.cpp b/source/duke3d/src/config.cpp
index edf0ad6ec..638670d04 100644
--- a/source/duke3d/src/config.cpp
+++ b/source/duke3d/src/config.cpp
@@ -133,6 +133,10 @@ void CONFIG_SetDefaultKeys(const char (*keyptr)[MAXGAMEFUNCLEN])
     }
 }
 
+#if defined SDL_TARGET && SDL_TARGET > 1
+# include "sdl_inc.h"
+#endif
+
 void CONFIG_SetDefaults(void)
 {
     // JBF 20031211
@@ -152,11 +156,28 @@ void CONFIG_SetDefaults(void)
     ud.config.ScreenWidth = droidinfo.screen_width;
     ud.config.ScreenHeight = droidinfo.screen_height;
 #else
-    ud.config.ScreenWidth = 1024;
-    ud.config.ScreenHeight = 768;
+# if defined SDL_MAJOR_VERSION && SDL_MAJOR_VERSION > 1
+    uint32_t inited = SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
+    if (inited == 0)
+        SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
+    else if (!(inited & SDL_INIT_VIDEO))
+        SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
+
+    SDL_DisplayMode dm;
+    if (SDL_GetDesktopDisplayMode(0, &dm) == 0)
+    {
+        ud.config.ScreenWidth = dm.w;
+        ud.config.ScreenHeight = dm.h;
+    }
+    else
+# endif
+    {
+        ud.config.ScreenWidth = 1024;
+        ud.config.ScreenHeight = 768;
+    }
 #endif
 
-    ud.config.ScreenMode = 0;
+    ud.config.ScreenMode = 1;
 
 #ifdef USE_OPENGL
     ud.config.ScreenBPP = 32;