diff --git a/src/mess/video/gb_lcd.c b/src/mess/video/gb_lcd.c
index 990cd3c2023..e26434d08fe 100644
--- a/src/mess/video/gb_lcd.c
+++ b/src/mess/video/gb_lcd.c
@@ -1058,12 +1058,12 @@ void sgb_lcd_device::update_scanline()
 				data = tiles[tile_index] | (tiles[tile_index + 1] << 8);
 				data <<= m_layer[l].xshift;
 
-				/* Figure out which palette we're using */
-				assert(((m_end_x - i) >> 3) >= 0 && ((m_end_x - i) >> 3) < ARRAY_LENGTH(m_sgb_pal_map));
-				sgb_palette = m_sgb_pal_map[(m_end_x - i) >> 3][m_current_line >> 3] << 2;
-
 				while (i > 0)
 				{
+					/* Figure out which palette we're using */
+					assert(((m_end_x - i) >> 3) >= 0 && ((m_end_x - i) >> 3) < ARRAY_LENGTH(m_sgb_pal_map));
+					sgb_palette = m_sgb_pal_map[(m_end_x - i) >> 3][m_current_line >> 3] << 2;
+
 					while ((m_layer[l].xshift < 8) && i)
 					{
 						register int colour = ((data & 0x8000) ? 2 : 0) | ((data & 0x0080) ? 1 : 0);
@@ -1088,8 +1088,6 @@ void sgb_lcd_device::update_scanline()
 						m_layer[l].xshift = 0;
 						tile_index = (map[m_layer[l].xindex] ^ m_gb_tile_no_mod) * 16;
 						data = tiles[tile_index] | (tiles[tile_index + 1] << 8);
-						assert(((m_end_x - i) >> 3) >= 0 && ((m_end_x - i) >> 3) < ARRAY_LENGTH(m_sgb_pal_map));
-						sgb_palette = m_sgb_pal_map[(m_end_x - i) >> 3][m_current_line >> 3] << 2;
 					}
 				}
 				l++;