diff --git a/src/devices/video/pc_vga.cpp b/src/devices/video/pc_vga.cpp
index 430ce1004ae..e7cfe9d90e7 100644
--- a/src/devices/video/pc_vga.cpp
+++ b/src/devices/video/pc_vga.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@
       manufacturers put together and which eventually became the VESA consortium.
       It has incidentally a couple points in common across families but it's otherwise mostly a
       commercial naming rather than a real physical change over the bus slot.
+      In the end we may not even need this extra device but rather move "SVGA mode"
+      responsibility to RAMDACs.
 
     References:
     - http://www.osdever.net/FreeVGA/vga/vga.htm
@@ -1459,19 +1461,27 @@ void vga_device::vga_vh_mono(bitmap_rgb32 &bitmap, const rectangle &cliprect)
 	}
 }
 
+void vga_device::palette_update()
+{
+	for (int i = 0; i < 256; i++)
+	{
+		set_pen_color(
+			i,
+			pal6bit(vga.dac.color[3*(i & vga.dac.mask) + 0] & 0x3f),
+			pal6bit(vga.dac.color[3*(i & vga.dac.mask) + 1] & 0x3f),
+			pal6bit(vga.dac.color[3*(i & vga.dac.mask) + 2] & 0x3f)
+		);
+	}
+}
+
+
 uint8_t vga_device::pc_vga_choosevideomode()
 {
 	if (vga.crtc.sync_en)
 	{
 		if (vga.dac.dirty)
 		{
-			for (int i=0; i<256;i++)
-			{
-				/* TODO: color shifters? */
-				set_pen_color(i, (vga.dac.color[3*(i & vga.dac.mask)] & 0x3f) << 2,
-										(vga.dac.color[3*(i & vga.dac.mask) + 1] & 0x3f) << 2,
-										(vga.dac.color[3*(i & vga.dac.mask) + 2] & 0x3f) << 2);
-			}
+			palette_update();
 			vga.dac.dirty = 0;
 		}
 
@@ -1991,13 +2001,7 @@ uint8_t svga_device::pc_vga_choosevideomode()
 	{
 		if (vga.dac.dirty)
 		{
-			for (int i=0; i<256;i++)
-			{
-				/* TODO: color shifters? */
-				set_pen_color(i, (vga.dac.color[3*(i & vga.dac.mask)] & 0x3f) << 2,
-										(vga.dac.color[3*(i & vga.dac.mask) + 1] & 0x3f) << 2,
-										(vga.dac.color[3*(i & vga.dac.mask) + 2] & 0x3f) << 2);
-			}
+			palette_update();
 			vga.dac.dirty = 0;
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/devices/video/pc_vga.h b/src/devices/video/pc_vga.h
index f314032d193..c5a709d7d13 100644
--- a/src/devices/video/pc_vga.h
+++ b/src/devices/video/pc_vga.h
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ protected:
 		return res;
 	}
 	virtual bool get_interlace_mode() { return false; }
+	virtual void palette_update();
 
 	struct vga_t
 	{
diff --git a/src/devices/video/pc_vga_matrox.cpp b/src/devices/video/pc_vga_matrox.cpp
index 8633b55b27b..b72a6b99d95 100644
--- a/src/devices/video/pc_vga_matrox.cpp
+++ b/src/devices/video/pc_vga_matrox.cpp
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ void matrox_vga_device::device_start()
 	save_item(NAME(m_cursor_dcc));
 	save_pointer(NAME(m_cursor_color), 12);
 	save_pointer(NAME(m_cursor_ram), 0x400);
+
+	save_item(NAME(m_msc));
+	save_item(NAME(m_truecolor_ctrl));
+	save_item(NAME(m_multiplex_ctrl));
 }
 
 void matrox_vga_device::device_reset()
@@ -57,6 +61,7 @@ void matrox_vga_device::device_reset()
 	m_cursor_x = 0;
 	m_cursor_y = 0;
 
+	m_msc = 0;
 	m_truecolor_ctrl = 0x80;
 	m_multiplex_ctrl = 0x98;
 }
@@ -377,8 +382,19 @@ void matrox_vga_device::ramdac_indexed_map(address_map &map)
 //  map(0x1a, 0x1a) CSR clock selection
 //  map(0x1c, 0x1c) palette page
 //  map(0x1d, 0x1d) GCR general control
-//  map(0x1e, 0x1e) MSC misc control
-
+	// MSC misc control
+	map(0x1e, 0x1e).lrw8(
+		NAME([this] (offs_t offset) {
+			logerror("$1e MSC R\n");
+			return m_msc;
+		}),
+		NAME([this] (offs_t offset, u8 data) {
+			logerror("$1e MSC W %02x\n", data);
+			if ((m_msc & 0xc) != (data & 0xc))
+				vga.dac.dirty = 1;
+			m_msc = data;
+		})
+	);
 //  map(0x2a, 0x2a) IOC GPIO control (bits 4-0, 1 = data bit as output, 0 = data bit as input)
 //  map(0x2b, 0x2b) GPIO data (bits 4-0)
 //  map(0x2d, 0x2d) pixel clock PLL
@@ -515,6 +531,26 @@ void matrox_vga_device::flush_true_color_mode()
 	recompute_params();
 }
 
+void matrox_vga_device::palette_update()
+{
+	// TODO: terminal pin handling
+	if ((m_msc & 0xc) != 0xc)
+		vga_device::palette_update();
+	else
+	{
+		for (int i = 0; i < 256; i++)
+		{
+			set_pen_color(
+				i,
+				vga.dac.color[3*(i & vga.dac.mask) + 0],
+				vga.dac.color[3*(i & vga.dac.mask) + 1],
+				vga.dac.color[3*(i & vga.dac.mask) + 2]
+			);
+		}
+	}
+
+}
+
 uint8_t matrox_vga_device::mem_r(offs_t offset)
 {
 	if (m_mgamode)
diff --git a/src/devices/video/pc_vga_matrox.h b/src/devices/video/pc_vga_matrox.h
index 523f65b5e8f..838e16da8f6 100644
--- a/src/devices/video/pc_vga_matrox.h
+++ b/src/devices/video/pc_vga_matrox.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ protected:
 	virtual uint16_t offset() override;
 	virtual uint32_t start_addr() override;
 	virtual void recompute_params() override;
+	virtual void palette_update() override;
 
 	void crtcext_map(address_map &map);
 	void ramdac_indexed_map(address_map &map);
@@ -100,6 +101,8 @@ private:
 
 	u8 m_multiplex_ctrl = 0;
 	u8 m_truecolor_ctrl = 0;
+
+	u8 m_msc = 0;
 };
 
 DECLARE_DEVICE_TYPE(MATROX_VGA, matrox_vga_device)