diff --git a/OpenRA.Editor/Form1.cs b/OpenRA.Editor/Form1.cs
index d3353199df..9029e94af2 100755
--- a/OpenRA.Editor/Form1.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Editor/Form1.cs
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Editor
 				tilePalette.ResumeLayout();
 				actorPalette.ResumeLayout();
 				resourcePalette.ResumeLayout();
-				surface1.Bind(null, null, null);
+				surface1.Bind(null, null, null, null);
 				pmMiniMap.Image = null;
 				currentMod = toolStripComboBox1.SelectedItem as string;
 
@@ -140,8 +140,14 @@ namespace OpenRA.Editor
 			tileset.LoadTiles();
 			int[] ShadowIndex = { 3, 4 };
 			var palette = new Palette(FileSystem.Open(tileset.Palette), ShadowIndex);
+			/* PlayerPalette is only used in RA desert terrain
+			 * TODO: use the palette as defined in YAML
+			 * defaults are wrong for DESERT rocks, trees, walls and ore mine
+			 */
+			var playerPalette = tileset.PlayerPalette ?? tileset.Palette;
+			var PlayerPalette = new Palette(FileSystem.Open(playerPalette), ShadowIndex);
 
-			surface1.Bind(map, tileset, palette);
+			surface1.Bind(map, tileset, palette, PlayerPalette);
 			// construct the palette of tiles
 			var palettes = new[] { tilePalette, actorPalette, resourcePalette };
 			foreach (var p in palettes) { p.Visible = false; p.SuspendLayout(); }
@@ -211,7 +217,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Editor
 					if (etf != null && etf.RequireTilesets != null
 						&& !etf.RequireTilesets.Contains(tileset.Id)) continue;
 
-					var template = RenderUtils.RenderActor(info, tileset, palette);
+					var template = RenderUtils.RenderActor(info, tileset, PlayerPalette);
 					var ibox = new PictureBox
 					{
 						Image = template.Bitmap,
@@ -242,7 +248,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Editor
 			{
 				try
 				{
-					var template = RenderUtils.RenderResourceType(a, tileset.Extensions, palette);
+					var template = RenderUtils.RenderResourceType(a, tileset.Extensions, PlayerPalette);
 					var ibox = new PictureBox
 					{
 						Image = template.Bitmap,
@@ -317,7 +323,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Editor
 				if ((int)rd.width.Value != surface1.Map.MapSize.X || (int)rd.height.Value != surface1.Map.MapSize.Y)
 				{
 					surface1.Map.Resize((int)rd.width.Value, (int)rd.height.Value);
-					surface1.Bind(surface1.Map, surface1.TileSet, surface1.Palette);	// rebind it to invalidate all caches
+					surface1.Bind(surface1.Map, surface1.TileSet, surface1.Palette, surface1.PlayerPalette);	// rebind it to invalidate all caches
 				}
 
 				surface1.Invalidate();
diff --git a/OpenRA.Editor/Surface.cs b/OpenRA.Editor/Surface.cs
index c6e353d508..63a5113c39 100755
--- a/OpenRA.Editor/Surface.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Editor/Surface.cs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Editor
 		public Map Map { get; private set; }
 		public TileSet TileSet { get; private set; }
 		public Palette Palette { get; private set; }
+		public Palette PlayerPalette { get; private set; }
 		public int2 Offset;
 
 		public int2 GetOffset() { return Offset; }
@@ -55,11 +56,12 @@ namespace OpenRA.Editor
 
 		public Keys GetModifiers() { return ModifierKeys; }
 
-		public void Bind(Map m, TileSet ts, Palette p)
+		public void Bind(Map m, TileSet ts, Palette p, Palette pp)
 		{
 			Map = m;
 			TileSet = ts;
 			Palette = p;
+			PlayerPalette = pp;
 			PlayerPalettes = null;
 			Chunks.Clear();
 			Tool = null;
@@ -348,7 +350,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Editor
 			var pr = Map.Players[name];
 			var pcpi = Rules.Info["player"].Traits.Get<PlayerColorPaletteInfo>();
 			var remap = new PlayerColorRemap(pcpi.RemapIndex, pr.ColorRamp);
-			return new Palette(Palette, remap).AsSystemPalette();
+			return new Palette(PlayerPalette, remap).AsSystemPalette();
 		}
 
 		Cache<string, ColorPalette> PlayerPalettes;