diff --git a/sys/dev/fb/vesa.c b/sys/dev/fb/vesa.c
index d1439ece8316..0698220de78b 100644
--- a/sys/dev/fb/vesa.c
+++ b/sys/dev/fb/vesa.c
@@ -1322,6 +1322,16 @@ vesa_set_mode(video_adapter_t *adp, int mode)
 #if VESA_DEBUG > 0
 	printf("VESA: about to set a VESA mode...\n");
 #endif
+	/*
+	 * The mode change should reset the palette format to 6 bits, so
+	 * we must reset V_ADP_DAC8.  Some BIOSes do an incomplete reset
+	 * if we call them with an 8-bit palette, so reset directly.
+	 */
+	if (adp->va_flags & V_ADP_DAC8) {
+	    vesa_bios_set_dac(6);
+	    adp->va_flags &= ~V_ADP_DAC8;
+	}
+
 	/* don't use the linear frame buffer for text modes. XXX */
 	if (!(info.vi_flags & V_INFO_GRAPHICS))
 		info.vi_flags &= ~V_INFO_LINEAR;
@@ -1331,9 +1341,6 @@ vesa_set_mode(video_adapter_t *adp, int mode)
 	if (vesa_bios_set_mode(mode | 0x8000))
 		return (1);
 
-	/* Palette format is reset by the above VBE function call. */
-	adp->va_flags &= ~V_ADP_DAC8;
-
 	if ((vesa_adp_info->v_flags & V_DAC8) != 0 &&
 	    (info.vi_flags & V_INFO_GRAPHICS) != 0 &&
 	    vesa_bios_set_dac(8) > 6)
@@ -1928,7 +1935,6 @@ vesa_load(void)
 static int
 vesa_unload(void)
 {
-	u_char palette[256*3];
 	int error;
 
 	/* if the adapter is currently in a VESA mode, don't unload */
@@ -1942,10 +1948,8 @@ vesa_unload(void)
 	if ((error = vesa_unload_ioctl()) == 0) {
 		if (vesa_adp != NULL) {
 			if ((vesa_adp->va_flags & V_ADP_DAC8) != 0) {
-				vesa_bios_save_palette(0, 256, palette, 8);
 				vesa_bios_set_dac(6);
 				vesa_adp->va_flags &= ~V_ADP_DAC8;
-				vesa_bios_load_palette(0, 256, palette, 6);
 			}
 			vesa_adp->va_flags &= ~V_ADP_VESA;
 			vidsw[vesa_adp->va_index] = prevvidsw;