diff --git a/src/emucore/Console.cxx b/src/emucore/Console.cxx
index 867eee9d9..5cef206b0 100644
--- a/src/emucore/Console.cxx
+++ b/src/emucore/Console.cxx
@@ -996,22 +996,11 @@ unique_ptr<Controller> Console::getControllerPort(const Controller::Type type,
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 void Console::loadUserPalette()
 {
-  const string& palette = myOSystem.paletteFile();
-  ifstream in(palette, std::ios::binary);
-  if(!in)
+  if (!myOSystem.checkUserPalette(true))
     return;
 
-  // Make sure the contains enough data for the NTSC, PAL and SECAM palettes
-  // This means 128 colours each for NTSC and PAL, at 3 bytes per pixel
-  // and 8 colours for SECAM at 3 bytes per pixel
-  in.seekg(0, std::ios::end);
-  std::streampos length = in.tellg();
-  in.seekg(0, std::ios::beg);
-  if(length < 128 * 3 * 2 + 8 * 3)
-  {
-    cerr << "ERROR: invalid palette file " << palette << endl;
-    return;
-  }
+  const string& palette = myOSystem.paletteFile();
+  ifstream in(palette, std::ios::binary);
 
   // Now that we have valid data, create the user-defined palettes
   std::array<uInt8, 3> pixbuf;  // Temporary buffer for one 24-bit pixel
diff --git a/src/emucore/OSystem.cxx b/src/emucore/OSystem.cxx
index 70f738f1f..638265910 100644
--- a/src/emucore/OSystem.cxx
+++ b/src/emucore/OSystem.cxx
@@ -301,6 +301,29 @@ void OSystem::setConfigPaths()
 #endif
 }
 
+// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+bool OSystem::checkUserPalette(bool outputError) const
+{
+  const string& palette = paletteFile();
+  ifstream in(palette, std::ios::binary);
+  if (!in)
+    return false;
+
+  // Make sure the contains enough data for the NTSC, PAL and SECAM palettes
+  // This means 128 colours each for NTSC and PAL, at 3 bytes per pixel
+  // and 8 colours for SECAM at 3 bytes per pixel
+  in.seekg(0, std::ios::end);
+  std::streampos length = in.tellg();
+  in.seekg(0, std::ios::beg);
+  if (length < 128 * 3 * 2 + 8 * 3)
+  {
+    if (outputError)
+      cerr << "ERROR: invalid palette file " << palette << endl;
+    return false;
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 FBInitStatus OSystem::createFrameBuffer()
 {
diff --git a/src/emucore/OSystem.hxx b/src/emucore/OSystem.hxx
index b505a4940..123bc92cb 100644
--- a/src/emucore/OSystem.hxx
+++ b/src/emucore/OSystem.hxx
@@ -287,6 +287,11 @@ class OSystem
     */
     const string& paletteFile() const { return myPaletteFile; }
 
+    /**
+      Checks if a valid a user-defined palette file exists.
+    */
+    bool checkUserPalette(bool outputError = false) const;
+
     /**
       This method should be called to get the full path of the currently
       loaded ROM.
diff --git a/src/gui/VideoDialog.cxx b/src/gui/VideoDialog.cxx
index 7cbb73033..90e126918 100644
--- a/src/gui/VideoDialog.cxx
+++ b/src/gui/VideoDialog.cxx
@@ -116,8 +116,9 @@ VideoDialog::VideoDialog(OSystem& osystem, DialogContainer& parent,
   // TIA Palette
   items.clear();
   VarList::push_back(items, "Standard", "standard");
-  VarList::push_back(items, "Z26", "z26");
-  VarList::push_back(items, "User", "user");
+  VarList::push_back(items, "z26", "z26");
+  if (instance().checkUserPalette())
+    VarList::push_back(items, "User", "user");
   myTIAPalette = new PopUpWidget(myTab, font, xpos, ypos, pwidth,
                                  lineHeight, items, "Palette ", lwidth);
   wid.push_back(myTIAPalette);