diff --git a/colors.cpp b/colors.cpp
index 2c0c9006..8c5ecda5 100644
--- a/colors.cpp
+++ b/colors.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ struct colortable: vector<color_t> {
   const color_t& operator [] (int i) const { i %= size(); if(i<0) i += size(); return ((vector<color_t>&)(*this)) [i]; }
   colortable(std::initializer_list<color_t> v) : vector(v) {}
   colortable() : vector({0}) {}
+  void allocate(int num) {
+    int q = size();
+    for(int i=q; i<num; i++) push_back((*this)[i % q]);
+    }
   };
 #endif
 
diff --git a/pattern2.cpp b/pattern2.cpp
index 48991b09..3927f84f 100644
--- a/pattern2.cpp
+++ b/pattern2.cpp
@@ -3110,10 +3110,11 @@ int read_pattern_args() {
           ((color_t*)(&vid.cs.skincolor)) [d] = h;
         return 0;
         }
-      else ct = &(colortables[patterns::whichCanvas]);
+      else ct = &(colortables[args()[0]]);
       shift();
       }
     int d = argi();
+    ct->allocate(d+1);
     shift(); (*ct)[d] = arghex();
     }
   else if(argis("-canvas")) {