diff --git a/libmpdemux/demux_mkv.c b/libmpdemux/demux_mkv.c
index f3350789c5..70c9bd9250 100644
--- a/libmpdemux/demux_mkv.c
+++ b/libmpdemux/demux_mkv.c
@@ -373,6 +373,7 @@ vobsub_parse_palette (mkv_track_t *t, const char *start)
              t->sh_sub.palette[11], t->sh_sub.palette[12],
              t->sh_sub.palette[13], t->sh_sub.palette[14],
              t->sh_sub.palette[15]);
+      t->sh_sub.has_palette = 1;
       return 2;
     }
   return 0;
@@ -480,6 +481,7 @@ demux_mkv_parse_idx (mkv_track_t *t)
   memcpy(buf, t->private_data, t->private_size);
   buf[t->private_size] = 0;
   t->sh_sub.type = 'v';
+  t->sh_sub.has_palette = 0;
 
   pos = buf;
   start = buf;
diff --git a/libmpdemux/matroska.h b/libmpdemux/matroska.h
index b2abdb5411..7b89857b11 100644
--- a/libmpdemux/matroska.h
+++ b/libmpdemux/matroska.h
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
 
 typedef struct {
   char type;                    // t = text, v = VobSub
+  int has_palette;              // If we have a valid palette
   unsigned int palette[16];     // for VobSubs
   int width, height;            // for VobSubs
   int custom_colors;
diff --git a/mplayer.c b/mplayer.c
index 8ae9b90899..ae644c97cc 100644
--- a/mplayer.c
+++ b/mplayer.c
@@ -3417,7 +3417,7 @@ if (stream->type==STREAMTYPE_DVDNAV && dvd_nav_still)
         if (vo_spudec != NULL)
           spudec_free(vo_spudec);
         vo_spudec =
-          spudec_new_scaled_vobsub(mkv_sh_sub->palette, mkv_sh_sub->colors,
+          spudec_new_scaled_vobsub(mkv_sh_sub->has_palette ? mkv_sh_sub->palette : NULL, mkv_sh_sub->colors,
                                    mkv_sh_sub->custom_colors,
                                    mkv_sh_sub->width,
                                    mkv_sh_sub->height);