diff --git a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
index 45484c528..df639a884 100644
--- a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
+++ b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
@@ -2337,7 +2337,7 @@ curses: if user's terminal was set to 'application keypad mode' (DEC VTxxx
 	"ESC SPC G"), nethack wasn't recognizing number pad keys
 curses: change petattr attributes, dropping support for curses-only ones
 curses: swap the grey and no-color color initialization
-curses+Qt: allow changing default colors with the 'palette' config option
+curses+tty+Qt: allow changing default colors with the 'palette' config option
 	(only if compiled with CHANGE_COLOR)
 curses: if messages have been issued during start-up (for instance, warnings
 	about issues in run-time config file), prompt user to press <return>
diff --git a/win/tty/termcap.c b/win/tty/termcap.c
index 3af6333f9..ad8e25764 100644
--- a/win/tty/termcap.c
+++ b/win/tty/termcap.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ struct tc_lcl_data tc_lcl_data = { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, FALSE };
 static char *nh_VI = (char *) 0; /* cursor_invisible */
 static char *nh_VE = (char *) 0; /* cursor_normal */
 /*static char *nh_VS = (char *) 0;*/ /* cursor_visible (highlighted cursor) */
+static char *nh_Ic = (char *) 0; /* initialize_color */
 
 static char *HO, *CL, *CE, *UP, *XD, *BC, *SO, *SE, *TI, *TE;
 static char *VS, *VE;
@@ -290,6 +291,8 @@ term_startup(int *wid, int *hgt)
     if (!nh_VI || !nh_VE /*|| !nh_VS*/ )
         nh_VI = nh_VE = /*nh_VS =*/ (char *) 0;
 
+    nh_Ic = Tgetstr(nhStr("Ic"));
+
     /* Get rid of padding numbers for nh_HI and nh_HE.  Hope they
      * aren't really needed!!!  nh_HI and nh_HE are outputted to the
      * pager as a string - so how can you send it NULs???
@@ -1508,9 +1511,40 @@ term_curs_set(int visibility)
 
 #ifdef CHANGE_COLOR
 void
-tty_change_color(int color UNUSED, long rgb UNUSED, int reverse UNUSED)
+tty_change_color(int color, long rgb, int reverse UNUSED)
 {
-    return;
+    char buf[BUFSZ];
+    int i;
+    char *c, *fmt;
+
+    /* FIXME: colors are not reset back when exiting NetHack */
+    if (nh_Ic && *nh_Ic) {
+        long clr = color, r, g, b;
+
+        /* color * 3 seems to work correctly? */
+        /* this probably depends on the termcap definition */
+        r = ((rgb >> 16) & 0xFF) * 3;
+        g = ((rgb >> 8) & 0xFF) * 3;
+        b = (rgb & 0xFF) * 3;
+
+
+        fmt = tparm(nh_Ic, clr, r, g, b);
+
+        c = fmt;
+
+        i = 0;
+        while (*c) {
+            if (*c == '\033') {
+                buf[i++] = '\\';
+                buf[i++] = 'E';
+            } else {
+                buf[i++] = *c;
+            }
+            c++;
+        }
+        buf[i++] = '\0';
+        xputs(fmt);
+    }
 }
 #endif /* CHANGE_COLOR */