diff --git a/src/emu/emupal.c b/src/emu/emupal.c
index decfe694445..584a082ea3a 100644
--- a/src/emu/emupal.c
+++ b/src/emu/emupal.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ palette_device::palette_device(const machine_config &mconfig, const char *tag, d
 		m_enable_shadows(0),
 		m_enable_hilights(0),
 		m_raw_to_rgb(raw_to_rgb_converter()),
+		m_endianness_supplied(false),
 		m_palette(NULL),
 		m_pens(NULL),
 		m_shadow_table(NULL),
@@ -51,6 +52,14 @@ void palette_device::static_set_format(device_t &device, raw_to_rgb_converter ra
 }
 
 
+void palette_device::static_set_endianness(device_t &device, endianness_t endianness)
+{
+	palette_device &palette = downcast<palette_device &>(device);
+	palette.m_endianness = endianness;
+	palette.m_endianness_supplied = true;
+}
+
+
 void palette_device::static_set_entries(device_t &device, int entries)
 {
 	downcast<palette_device &>(device).m_entries = entries;
@@ -364,15 +373,27 @@ void palette_device::device_start()
 
 		// make sure we have specified a format
 		assert(m_raw_to_rgb.bytes_per_entry() > 0);
-		
+
 		// determine bytes per entry
 		int bytes_per_entry = m_raw_to_rgb.bytes_per_entry();
-		if (share_ext == NULL)
-			m_paletteram.set(*share, bytes_per_entry);
+
+		if (m_endianness_supplied)
+		{
+			// forcing endianness only makes sense when the RAM is narrower than the palette format and not split
+			assert(share_ext == NULL && share->width() < bytes_per_entry);
+
+			m_paletteram.set(share->ptr(), share->bytes(), share->width(), m_endianness, bytes_per_entry);
+		}
 		else
 		{
-			m_paletteram.set(*share, bytes_per_entry / 2);
-			m_paletteram_ext.set(*share_ext, bytes_per_entry / 2);
+			m_endianness = share->endianness();
+			if (share_ext == NULL)
+				m_paletteram.set(*share, bytes_per_entry);
+			else
+			{
+				m_paletteram.set(*share, bytes_per_entry / 2);
+				m_paletteram_ext.set(*share_ext, bytes_per_entry / 2);
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/emu/emupal.h b/src/emu/emupal.h
index 9d0a589db86..656f0ea18ce 100644
--- a/src/emu/emupal.h
+++ b/src/emu/emupal.h
@@ -199,6 +199,9 @@
 #define MCFG_PALETTE_FORMAT(_format) \
 	palette_device::static_set_format(*device, PALETTE_FORMAT_##_format);
 
+#define MCFG_PALETTE_ENDIANNESS(_endianness) \
+	palette_device::static_set_endianness(*device, _endianness);
+
 #define MCFG_PALETTE_ENTRIES(_entries) \
 	palette_device::static_set_entries(*device, _entries);
 
@@ -323,6 +326,7 @@ public:
 	// static configuration
 	static void static_set_init(device_t &device, palette_init_delegate init);
 	static void static_set_format(device_t &device, raw_to_rgb_converter raw_to_rgb);
+	static void static_set_endianness(device_t &device, endianness_t endianness);
 	static void static_set_entries(device_t &device, int entries);
 	static void static_enable_shadows(device_t &device);
 	static void static_enable_hilights(device_t &device);
@@ -406,6 +410,8 @@ private:
 
 	// palette RAM
 	raw_to_rgb_converter m_raw_to_rgb;			// format of palette RAM
+	endianness_t		m_endianness;			// endianness of palette RAM
+	bool				m_endianness_supplied;	// endianness supplied in static config
 	memory_array		m_paletteram;			// base memory
 	memory_array		m_paletteram_ext;		// extended memory
 
diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/flkatck.c b/src/mame/drivers/flkatck.c
index 1348a86cdad..3baecfd8f14 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/flkatck.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/flkatck.c
@@ -232,6 +232,7 @@ static MACHINE_CONFIG_START( flkatck, flkatck_state )
 	MCFG_GFXDECODE_ADD("gfxdecode", flkatck)
 	MCFG_PALETTE_ADD("palette", 512)
 	MCFG_PALETTE_FORMAT(xBBBBBGGGGGRRRRR)
+	MCFG_PALETTE_ENDIANNESS(ENDIANNESS_LITTLE)
 
 	MCFG_K007121_ADD("k007121")
 	MCFG_K007121_PALETTE("palette")