diff --git a/lib/libstuff/x11/colors/parsecolor.c b/lib/libstuff/x11/colors/parsecolor.c
index 7cd87641..69e9addb 100644
--- a/lib/libstuff/x11/colors/parsecolor.c
+++ b/lib/libstuff/x11/colors/parsecolor.c
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ ulong
 pixelvalue(Window *w, Color *c) {
 	XColor xc;
 
-	if(w->visual->class != TrueColor) {
+	if(w->visual == nil || w->visual->class != TrueColor) {
 		if(c->pixel != ~0UL)
 			return c->pixel;
 		xc.red = c->red;
diff --git a/lib/libstuff/x11/initdisplay.c b/lib/libstuff/x11/initdisplay.c
index 9e5d719c..b8a21789 100644
--- a/lib/libstuff/x11/initdisplay.c
+++ b/lib/libstuff/x11/initdisplay.c
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ initdisplay(void) {
 	scr.depth = DefaultDepth(display, scr.screen);
 
 	scr.root.xid = RootWindow(display, scr.screen);
+	scr.root.visual = scr.visual;
 	scr.root.r = Rect(0, 0,
 			  DisplayWidth(display, scr.screen),
 			  DisplayHeight(display, scr.screen));