diff --git a/sdl1/pdcscrn.c b/sdl1/pdcscrn.c
index 76d9d4e9..96535c28 100644
--- a/sdl1/pdcscrn.c
+++ b/sdl1/pdcscrn.c
@@ -384,6 +384,8 @@ int PDC_color_content(short color, short *red, short *green, short *blue)
 
 int PDC_init_color(short color, short red, short green, short blue)
 {
+    pdc_dirty = TRUE;
+
     pdc_color[color].r = DIVROUND(red * 255, 1000);
     pdc_color[color].g = DIVROUND(green * 255, 1000);
     pdc_color[color].b = DIVROUND(blue * 255, 1000);
@@ -391,7 +393,5 @@ int PDC_init_color(short color, short red, short green, short blue)
     pdc_mapped[color] = SDL_MapRGB(pdc_screen->format, pdc_color[color].r,
                                    pdc_color[color].g, pdc_color[color].b);
 
-    wrefresh(curscr);
-
     return OK;
 }
diff --git a/sdl1/pdcsdl.h b/sdl1/pdcsdl.h
index 25209275..7371532b 100644
--- a/sdl1/pdcsdl.h
+++ b/sdl1/pdcsdl.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ extern bool pdc_own_screen;          /* if pdc_screen was not set
                                         before initscr(), PDCurses is
                                         responsible for (owns) it */
 extern Uint32 pdc_lastupdate;        /* time of last update, in ticks */
+extern bool pdc_dirty;               /* redraw on napms() after init_color() */
 
 PDCEX  void PDC_update_rects(void);
 PDCEX  void PDC_retile(void);
diff --git a/sdl1/pdcutil.c b/sdl1/pdcutil.c
index 78b06ad4..0f3138dd 100644
--- a/sdl1/pdcutil.c
+++ b/sdl1/pdcutil.c
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 #include "pdcsdl.h"
 
+bool pdc_dirty = FALSE;
+
 void PDC_beep(void)
 {
     PDC_LOG(("PDC_beep() - called\n"));
@@ -11,6 +13,12 @@ void PDC_napms(int ms)
 {
     PDC_LOG(("PDC_napms() - called: ms=%d\n", ms));
 
+    if (pdc_dirty)
+    {
+        pdc_dirty = FALSE;
+        wrefresh(curscr);
+    }
+
     PDC_update_rects();
     SDL_PumpEvents();
     SDL_Delay(ms);
diff --git a/sdl2/pdcscrn.c b/sdl2/pdcscrn.c
index 15c9e808..13ea1f4d 100644
--- a/sdl2/pdcscrn.c
+++ b/sdl2/pdcscrn.c
@@ -418,6 +418,8 @@ int PDC_color_content(short color, short *red, short *green, short *blue)
 
 int PDC_init_color(short color, short red, short green, short blue)
 {
+    pdc_dirty = TRUE;
+
     pdc_color[color].r = DIVROUND(red * 255, 1000);
     pdc_color[color].g = DIVROUND(green * 255, 1000);
     pdc_color[color].b = DIVROUND(blue * 255, 1000);
@@ -425,7 +427,5 @@ int PDC_init_color(short color, short red, short green, short blue)
     pdc_mapped[color] = SDL_MapRGB(pdc_screen->format, pdc_color[color].r,
                                    pdc_color[color].g, pdc_color[color].b);
 
-    wrefresh(curscr);
-
     return OK;
 }
diff --git a/sdl2/pdcsdl.h b/sdl2/pdcsdl.h
index 357b4429..0eac62f7 100644
--- a/sdl2/pdcsdl.h
+++ b/sdl2/pdcsdl.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ extern bool pdc_own_window;          /* if pdc_window was not set
                                         before initscr(), PDCurses is
                                         responsible for (owns) it */
 extern Uint32 pdc_lastupdate;        /* time of last update, in ticks */
+extern bool pdc_dirty;               /* redraw on napms() after init_color() */
 
 PDCEX  void PDC_update_rects(void);
 PDCEX  void PDC_retile(void);
diff --git a/sdl2/pdcutil.c b/sdl2/pdcutil.c
index 3f0e9dc3..0df45fef 100644
--- a/sdl2/pdcutil.c
+++ b/sdl2/pdcutil.c
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 #include "pdcsdl.h"
 
+bool pdc_dirty = FALSE;
+
 void PDC_beep(void)
 {
     PDC_LOG(("PDC_beep() - called\n"));
@@ -11,6 +13,12 @@ void PDC_napms(int ms)
 {
     PDC_LOG(("PDC_napms() - called: ms=%d\n", ms));
 
+    if (pdc_dirty)
+    {
+        pdc_dirty = FALSE;
+        wrefresh(curscr);
+    }
+
     PDC_update_rects();
     SDL_PumpEvents();
     SDL_Delay(ms);