diff --git a/doc/fixes37.0 b/doc/fixes37.0
index d8545d64f..1cad98681 100644
--- a/doc/fixes37.0
+++ b/doc/fixes37.0
@@ -748,6 +748,7 @@ curses: for vertical status, line up conditions in columns; usually two but
 	used to align entries in their columns--that's a feature...]
 curses: indent items in perm_invent window by one space
 curses: don't change the terminal's default colors
+curses: remove unnecessary special handling for dark gray
 macOS: Xcode project was failing to build if the path to the NetHack source
 	tree contained a space; the issue was within some shell script code
 	contained within the project
diff --git a/win/curses/cursinit.c b/win/curses/cursinit.c
index fa8ebd638..43324b724 100644
--- a/win/curses/cursinit.c
+++ b/win/curses/cursinit.c
@@ -358,6 +358,11 @@ curses_init_nhcolors(void)
 
 
         if (COLORS >= 16) {
+# ifdef USE_DARKGRAY
+            if (iflags.wc2_darkgray) {
+                init_pair(1, COLOR_BLACK + 8, -1);
+            }
+# endif
             init_pair(9, COLOR_WHITE, -1);
             init_pair(10, COLOR_RED + 8, -1);
             init_pair(11, COLOR_GREEN + 8, -1);
@@ -367,18 +372,6 @@ curses_init_nhcolors(void)
             init_pair(15, COLOR_CYAN + 8, -1);
             init_pair(16, COLOR_WHITE + 8, -1);
         }
-
-        if (can_change_color()) {
-# ifdef USE_DARKGRAY
-            if (COLORS > 16) {
-                color_content(CURSES_DARK_GRAY, &orig_darkgray.r,
-                              &orig_darkgray.g, &orig_darkgray.b);
-                init_color(CURSES_DARK_GRAY, 300, 300, 300);
-                /* just override black colorpair entry here */
-                init_pair(1, CURSES_DARK_GRAY, -1);
-            }
-# endif
-        }
     }
 #endif
 }
@@ -857,14 +850,4 @@ curses_display_splash_window(void)
 void
 curses_cleanup(void)
 {
-#ifdef TEXTCOLOR
-    if (has_colors() && can_change_color()) {
-# ifdef USE_DARKGRAY
-        if (COLORS > 16) {
-            init_color(CURSES_DARK_GRAY, orig_darkgray.r,
-                        orig_darkgray.g, orig_darkgray.b);
-        }
-# endif
-    }
-#endif
 }
diff --git a/win/curses/cursmisc.c b/win/curses/cursmisc.c
index 50703c0b9..b65364a58 100644
--- a/win/curses/cursmisc.c
+++ b/win/curses/cursmisc.c
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ curses_toggle_color_attr(WINDOW *win, int color, int attr, int onoff)
     if (color == 0) {           /* make black fg visible */
 # ifdef USE_DARKGRAY
         if (iflags.wc2_darkgray) {
-            if (can_change_color() && (COLORS > 16)) {
+            if (COLORS > 16) {
                 /* colorpair for black is already darkgray */
             } else {            /* Use bold for a bright black */
                 wattron(win, A_BOLD);
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ curses_toggle_color_attr(WINDOW *win, int color, int attr, int onoff)
                 wattroff(win, A_BOLD);
             }
 # ifdef USE_DARKGRAY
-            if ((color == 0) && (!can_change_color() || (COLORS <= 16))) {
+            if ((color == 0) && (COLORS <= 16)) {
                 wattroff(win, A_BOLD);
             }
 # else
diff --git a/win/curses/cursstat.c b/win/curses/cursstat.c
index b526da112..c754d75ee 100644
--- a/win/curses/cursstat.c
+++ b/win/curses/cursstat.c
@@ -1553,7 +1553,7 @@ curses_color_attr(int nh_color, int bg_color)
     if (!nh_color) {
 #ifdef USE_DARKGRAY
         if (iflags.wc2_darkgray) {
-            if (!can_change_color() || COLORS <= 16)
+            if (COLORS <= 16)
                 cattr |= A_BOLD;
         } else
 #endif