diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/segas18.c b/src/mame/drivers/segas18.c
index 426a833431b..40cc672c72b 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/segas18.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/segas18.c
@@ -1239,6 +1239,7 @@ static MACHINE_CONFIG_START( system18, segas18_state )
 	sega_genesis_vdp_device::set_genesis_vdp_lv4irqline_callback(*device, DEVCB2_WRITELINE(segas18_state, genesis_vdp_lv4irqline_callback_segas18));
 	sega_genesis_vdp_device::set_genesis_vdp_alt_timing(*device, 1);
 	sega_genesis_vdp_device::set_genesis_vdp_palwrite_base(*device, 0x2000);
+	sega_genesis_vdp_device::static_set_palette_tag(*device,":palette");
 
 	MCFG_TIMER_ADD_SCANLINE("scantimer", megadriv_scanline_timer_callback_alt_timing, "screen", 0, 1)
 
diff --git a/src/mame/machine/megavdp.c b/src/mame/machine/megavdp.c
index daa4761ba78..164981d5d4b 100644
--- a/src/mame/machine/megavdp.c
+++ b/src/mame/machine/megavdp.c
@@ -32,6 +32,17 @@ sega_genesis_vdp_device::sega_genesis_vdp_device(const machine_config &mconfig,
 	m_palwrite_base = -1;
 }	
 
+//-------------------------------------------------
+//  static_set_palette_tag: Set the tag of the
+//  palette device
+//-------------------------------------------------
+
+void sega_genesis_vdp_device::static_set_palette_tag(device_t &device, const char *tag)
+{
+	downcast<sega_genesis_vdp_device &>(device).m_palette.set_tag(tag);
+}
+
+
 static MACHINE_CONFIG_FRAGMENT( sega_genesis_vdp )
 	MCFG_PALETTE_ADD("palette", 0x200)
 MACHINE_CONFIG_END
diff --git a/src/mame/machine/megavdp.h b/src/mame/machine/megavdp.h
index cbcfa0bd18a..375ee4e9d06 100644
--- a/src/mame/machine/megavdp.h
+++ b/src/mame/machine/megavdp.h
@@ -161,7 +161,8 @@ public:
 	template<class _Object> static devcb2_base &set_genesis_vdp_lv4irqline_callback(device_t &device, _Object object) { return downcast<sega_genesis_vdp_device &>(device).m_genesis_vdp_lv4irqline_callback.set_callback(object); }
 	static void set_genesis_vdp_alt_timing(device_t &device, int use_alt_timing);
 	static void set_genesis_vdp_palwrite_base(device_t &device, int palwrite_base);
-
+	static void static_set_palette_tag(device_t &device, const char *tag);
+	
 	int m_use_alt_timing; // use MAME scanline timer instead, render only one scanline to a single line buffer, to be rendered by a partial update call.. experimental
 
 	int m_palwrite_base; // if we want to write to the actual MAME palette..