diff --git a/otk/pseudorendercontrol.cc b/otk/pseudorendercontrol.cc
index f6162cec..b3ee06c3 100644
--- a/otk/pseudorendercontrol.cc
+++ b/otk/pseudorendercontrol.cc
@@ -23,13 +23,34 @@ PseudoRenderControl::PseudoRenderControl(int screen)
   : RenderControl(screen)
 {
   printf("Initializing PseudoColor RenderControl\n");
-
   const ScreenInfo *info = display->screenInfo(_screen);
+  int depth = info->depth();
+
+  _cpc = 4; // XXX THIS SHOULD BE A USER OPTION
+  _ncolors = _cpc * _cpc * _cpc;
+
+  if (_cpc < 2 || ncolors > 1 << depth) {
+    fprintf(stderr,
+            _("PseudoRenderControl: Invalid colormap size. Using maximum size
+available.\n"));
+    _cpc = 1 << (depth/3);
+    _ncolors = 1 << depth; // _cpc * _cpc * _cpc
+  }
+
+  if (!(_colors = new XColor[_ncolors])) {
+    fprintf(stderr,
+            _("PseudoRenderControl: error allocating colormap\n"));
+    ::exit(1);
+  }
+
+  
 }
 
 PseudoRenderControl::~PseudoRenderControl()
 {
   printf("Destroying PseudoColor RenderControl\n");
+
+  delete _colors;
 }
 
 void PseudoRenderControl::reduceDepth(Surface &sf, XImage *im) const