diff --git a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
index f32e31730..39e1b9329 100644
--- a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
+++ b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
@@ -2080,6 +2080,8 @@ 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: allow changing default colors with the 'palette' config option
+	(only if compiled with CHANGE_COLOR)
 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/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index 87c1d3547..85ec516c2 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -327,6 +327,7 @@ extern boolean onlyhexdigits(const char *buf);
 extern uint32 get_nhcolor_from_256_index(int idx);
 #ifdef CHANGE_COLOR
 extern int count_alt_palette(void);
+extern int alternative_palette(char *);
 extern void change_palette(void);
 #endif
 
diff --git a/include/optlist.h b/include/optlist.h
index e7009ae68..1a3235822 100644
--- a/include/optlist.h
+++ b/include/optlist.h
@@ -536,11 +536,11 @@ static int optfn_##a(int, int, boolean, char *, char *);
 #ifdef CHANGE_COLOR
 #ifndef MAC     /* not old Mac OS9 */
     NHOPTC(palette, Advanced, 15, opt_in, set_gameview,
-                No, Yes, No, No, "hicolor",
+                No, Yes, Yes, No, "hicolor",
                 "palette (adjust an RGB color in palette (color/R-G-B)")
 #else
     NHOPTC(palette, Advanced, 15, opt_in, set_in_game,
-                No, Yes, No, No, "hicolor",
+                No, Yes, Yes, No, "hicolor",
                 "palette (00c/880/-fff is blue/yellow/reverse white)")
 #endif
 #endif
diff --git a/src/windows.c b/src/windows.c
index 3af946b96..3bb8004b9 100644
--- a/src/windows.c
+++ b/src/windows.c
@@ -790,7 +790,7 @@ hup_cliparound(int x UNUSED, int y UNUSED)
 #ifdef CHANGE_COLOR
 /*ARGSUSED*/
 staticfn void
-hup_change_color(int color, long rgb, int reverse)
+hup_change_color(int color UNUSED, long rgb UNUSED, int reverse UNUSED)
 {
     return;
 }
@@ -798,7 +798,7 @@ hup_change_color(int color, long rgb, int reverse)
 #ifdef MAC
 /*ARGSUSED*/
 staticfn short
-hup_set_font_name(winid window, char *fontname)
+hup_set_font_name(winid window UNUSED, char *fontname UNUSED)
 {
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/sys/unix/hints/linux.370 b/sys/unix/hints/linux.370
index 06c69b7be..c46f271ef 100755
--- a/sys/unix/hints/linux.370
+++ b/sys/unix/hints/linux.370
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ NHCFLAGS+=-DCOMPRESS=\"/bin/gzip\" -DCOMPRESS_EXTENSION=\".gz\"
 #NHCFLAGS+=-DTTY_SOUND_ESCCODES
 #NHCFLAGS+=-DNO_CHRONICLE
 #NHCFLAGS+=-DLIVELOG
+#NHCFLAGS+=-DCHANGE_COLOR
 NHCFLAGS+=-DSELF_RECOVER
 ifdef WANT_WIN_CURSES
 ifeq "$(HAVE_NCURSESW)" "1"
diff --git a/win/curses/cursmain.c b/win/curses/cursmain.c
index 253bb3e75..b6af48ca5 100644
--- a/win/curses/cursmain.c
+++ b/win/curses/cursmain.c
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ extern glyph_info mesg_gi;
 static void dummy_update_position_bar(char *);
 #endif
 #ifdef CHANGE_COLOR
-static void dummy_change_color(int, long, int);
-static char *dummy_get_color_string(void);
+static void curses_change_color(int, long, int);
+static char *curses_get_color_string(void);
 #endif
 
 /* Public functions for curses NetHack interface */
@@ -119,12 +119,12 @@ struct window_procs curses_procs = {
     curses_number_pad,
     curses_delay_output,
 #ifdef CHANGE_COLOR
-    dummy_change_color,
+    curses_change_color,
 #ifdef MAC /* old OS 9, not OSX */
     (void (*)(int)) 0,
     (short (*)(winid, char *)) 0,
 #endif
-    dummy_get_color_string,
+    curses_get_color_string,
 #endif
     curses_start_screen,
     curses_end_screen,
@@ -1278,13 +1278,21 @@ dummy_update_position_bar(char *arg UNUSED)
 
 #ifdef CHANGE_COLOR
 static void
-dummy_change_color(int a1 UNUSED, long a2 UNUSED, int a3 UNUSED)
+curses_change_color(int color, long rgb, int reverse UNUSED)
 {
-    return;
+    short r, g, b;
+
+    if (!can_change_color())
+        return;
+
+    r = (rgb >> 16) & 0xFF;
+    g = (rgb >> 8) & 0xFF;
+    b = rgb & 0xFF;
+    init_color(color % 16, r * 4, g * 4, b * 4);
 }
 
 static char *
-dummy_get_color_string(void)
+curses_get_color_string(void)
 {
     return (char *) 0;
 }
diff --git a/win/tty/termcap.c b/win/tty/termcap.c
index 1830fffad..b3b141881 100644
--- a/win/tty/termcap.c
+++ b/win/tty/termcap.c
@@ -1495,6 +1495,15 @@ term_curs_set(int visibility)
         xputs(nh_VE);
 }
 
+#ifdef CHANGE_COLOR
+void
+tty_change_color(int color UNUSED, long rgb UNUSED, int reverse UNUSED)
+{
+    return;
+}
+#endif /* CHANGE_COLOR */
+
+
 #ifndef SEP2
 #define tcfmtstr "\033[38;2;%ld;%ld;%ldm"
 #ifdef UNIX
diff --git a/win/tty/wintty.c b/win/tty/wintty.c
index 0ef7eb44d..f738fc46d 100644
--- a/win/tty/wintty.c
+++ b/win/tty/wintty.c
@@ -803,6 +803,14 @@ tty_resume_nhwindows(void)
     docrt();
 }
 
+#ifdef CHANGE_COLOR
+char *
+tty_get_color_string(void)
+{
+    return (char *) 0;
+}
+#endif /* CHANGE_COLOR */
+
 void
 tty_exit_nhwindows(const char *str)
 {
@@ -3941,6 +3949,14 @@ term_curs_set(int visibility UNUSED)
     /* nothing */
 }
 
+#ifdef CHANGE_COLOR
+void
+tty_change_color(int color UNUSED, long rgb UNUSED, int reverse UNUSED)
+{
+    /* nothing */
+}
+#endif /* CHANGE_COLOR */
+
 #endif  /* NO_TERMS */
 
 void