diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Game.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Game.cs
index 9ef4ea6c8a..e675ed267d 100755
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Game.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Game.cs
@@ -253,15 +253,17 @@ namespace OpenRA
 			JoinLocal();
 			viewport = new Viewport(new int2(Renderer.Resolution), Rectangle.Empty, Renderer);
 
-			//StartGame(ChooseShellmap());
-
-			// TODO: unhardcode this
 			modData.WidgetLoader.LoadWidget( new Dictionary<string,object>(), Widget.RootWidget, "PERF_BG" );
-			Widget.OpenWindow("MAINMENU_BG");
+			Widget.OpenWindow("MAINMENU_INIT");
 
 			Game.orderManager.LastTickTime = Environment.TickCount;
 		}
-
+		
+		public static void LoadShellMap()
+		{
+			StartGame(ChooseShellmap());
+		}
+		
         static string ChooseShellmap()
         {
             var shellmaps =  modData.AvailableMaps
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/HardwarePalette.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/HardwarePalette.cs
index 17f9368ed5..16322ef51b 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/HardwarePalette.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/HardwarePalette.cs
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ namespace OpenRA.Graphics
 		
 		public void AddPalette(string name, Palette p)
 		{
+			if (palettes.ContainsKey(name))
+				throw new InvalidOperationException("Palette {0} has already been defined".F(name));
+			
 			palettes.Add(name, p);
 			indices.Add(name, allocated++);
 		}
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/ModData.cs b/OpenRA.Game/ModData.cs
index 6bacc85464..a8404d4570 100755
--- a/OpenRA.Game/ModData.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/ModData.cs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ namespace OpenRA
 		public SheetBuilder SheetBuilder;
 		public CursorSheetBuilder CursorSheetBuilder;
 		public SpriteLoader SpriteLoader;
-		public readonly HardwarePalette Palette;
+		public HardwarePalette Palette { get; private set; }
 		
 		public ModData( params string[] mods )
 		{		
@@ -38,7 +38,12 @@ namespace OpenRA
 			
 			AvailableMaps = FindMaps( Manifest.Mods );
 			WidgetLoader = new WidgetLoader( this );
+		}
+		
+		void LoadHackyPalettes()
+		{
 			Palette = new HardwarePalette();
+			Palette.AddPalette("cursor", new Palette( FileSystem.Open( "cursor.pal" ), false ));
 		}
 		
 		public void Sucks()
@@ -48,15 +53,19 @@ namespace OpenRA
 
 			FileSystem.UnmountAll();
 			foreach (var dir in Manifest.Folders) FileSystem.Mount(dir);
-			//foreach (var pkg in Manifest.Packages) FileSystem.Mount(pkg);
-						
-			Palette.AddPalette("cursor", new Palette( FileSystem.Open( "cursor.pal" ), false ));
+			
 			ChromeProvider.Initialize( Manifest.Chrome );
 			SheetBuilder = new SheetBuilder( TextureChannel.Red );
 			CursorSheetBuilder = new CursorSheetBuilder( this );
 			
 			SpriteLoader = new SpriteLoader(new[]{".shp"}, SheetBuilder);
 			CursorProvider.Initialize(Manifest.Cursors);
+			LoadHackyPalettes();
+		}
+		
+		public void LoadPackages()
+		{
+			foreach (var pkg in Manifest.Packages) FileSystem.Mount(pkg);
 		}
 		
         public static IEnumerable<string> FindMapsIn(string dir)
@@ -124,6 +133,7 @@ namespace OpenRA
 			}
 
 			previousMapHadSequences = map.Sequences.Count > 0;
+							LoadHackyPalettes();
 
 			return map;
 		}
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.RA/OpenRA.Mods.RA.csproj b/OpenRA.Mods.RA/OpenRA.Mods.RA.csproj
index 8cc58517d2..cab84f9bc1 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.RA/OpenRA.Mods.RA.csproj
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.RA/OpenRA.Mods.RA.csproj
@@ -328,6 +328,7 @@
     <Compile Include="Buildings\ShakeOnDeath.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Buildings\SoundOnDamageTransition.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Activities\RAHarvesterDockSequence.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Widgets\Delegates\RAInitDelegate.cs" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <ProjectReference Include="..\OpenRA.FileFormats\OpenRA.FileFormats.csproj">
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.RA/Widgets/Delegates/MainMenuButtonsDelegate.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.RA/Widgets/Delegates/MainMenuButtonsDelegate.cs
index 360e1237d9..469c37b9cb 100755
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.RA/Widgets/Delegates/MainMenuButtonsDelegate.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.RA/Widgets/Delegates/MainMenuButtonsDelegate.cs
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.RA.Widgets.Delegates
 {
 	public class MainMenuButtonsDelegate : IWidgetDelegate
 	{
-		static bool FirstInit = true;
-
 		[ObjectCreator.UseCtor]
 		public MainMenuButtonsDelegate([ObjectCreator.Param] Widget widget)
 		{
@@ -30,37 +28,6 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.RA.Widgets.Delegates
 			widget.GetWidget("MAINMENU_BUTTON_MUSIC").OnMouseUp = mi => { Widget.OpenWindow("MUSIC_MENU"); return true; };
 			widget.GetWidget("MAINMENU_BUTTON_REPLAY_VIEWER").OnMouseUp = mi => { Widget.OpenWindow("REPLAYBROWSER_BG"); return true; };
 			widget.GetWidget("MAINMENU_BUTTON_QUIT").OnMouseUp = mi => { Game.Exit(); return true; };
-
-			if (FirstInit)
-			{
-				FirstInit = false;
-				Game.ConnectionStateChanged += orderManager =>
-				{
-					Widget.CloseWindow();
-					switch( orderManager.Connection.ConnectionState )
-					{
-						case ConnectionState.PreConnecting:
-							Widget.OpenWindow("MAINMENU_BG");
-							break;
-						case ConnectionState.Connecting:
-							Widget.OpenWindow( "CONNECTING_BG",
-								new Dictionary<string, object> { { "host", orderManager.Host }, { "port", orderManager.Port } } );
-							break;
-						case ConnectionState.NotConnected:
-							Widget.OpenWindow( "CONNECTION_FAILED_BG",
-								new Dictionary<string, object> { { "orderManager", orderManager } } );
-							break;
-						case ConnectionState.Connected:
-							var lobby = Game.OpenWindow(orderManager.world, "SERVER_LOBBY");
-							lobby.GetWidget<ChatDisplayWidget>("CHAT_DISPLAY").ClearChat();
-							lobby.GetWidget("CHANGEMAP_BUTTON").Visible = true;
-							lobby.GetWidget("LOCKTEAMS_CHECKBOX").Visible = true;
-							lobby.GetWidget("DISCONNECT_BUTTON").Visible = true;
-							//r.GetWidget("INGAME_ROOT").GetWidget<ChatDisplayWidget>("CHAT_DISPLAY").ClearChat();	
-							break;
-					}
-				};
-			}
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/mods/ra/chrome/mainmenu.yaml b/mods/ra/chrome/mainmenu.yaml
index b009b53c45..dce60ada04 100644
--- a/mods/ra/chrome/mainmenu.yaml
+++ b/mods/ra/chrome/mainmenu.yaml
@@ -1,9 +1,28 @@
+Background@MAINMENU_INIT:
+	Id:MAINMENU_INIT
+	X:(WINDOW_RIGHT - WIDTH)/2
+	Y:(WINDOW_BOTTOM - HEIGHT)/2
+	Width:250
+	Height:330
+	Visible:true
+	Delegate:RAInitDelegate
+	Children:
+		Button@FINISH_INIT:
+			Id:FINISH_INIT
+			X:45
+			Y:70
+			Width:160
+			Height:25
+			Text:START
+			Bold:True
+				
 Background@MAINMENU_BG:
 	Id:MAINMENU_BG
 	X:(WINDOW_RIGHT - WIDTH)/2
 	Y:(WINDOW_BOTTOM - HEIGHT)/2
 	Width:250
 	Height:330
+	Visible:true
 	Delegate:MainMenuButtonsDelegate
 	Children:
 		Label@MAINMENU_LABEL_TITLE:
diff --git a/mods/ra/rules/system.yaml b/mods/ra/rules/system.yaml
index a2ce9f1c9e..012105bcc0 100644
--- a/mods/ra/rules/system.yaml
+++ b/mods/ra/rules/system.yaml
@@ -116,9 +116,6 @@ World:
 	PaletteFromFile@effect:
 		Name: effect
 		Filename: temperat.pal
-	PaletteFromFile@cursor:
-		Name: cursor
-		Filename: temperat.pal
 	PaletteFromRGBA@shadow:
 		Name: shadow
 		R: 0