diff --git a/src/windows.c b/src/windows.c
index f3d28505..a528d327 100644
--- a/src/windows.c
+++ b/src/windows.c
@@ -2629,14 +2629,22 @@ void Display_all_screen(void)
 
 byte Best_color(byte r,byte g,byte b)
 {
-  short col;
+  // This "static" allows the loop to start on the last successful match.
+  // If the same color is requested again (and it happens often) and the match
+  // was perfect, it allows an early exit that avoids
+  // 255 computations of color distance.
+  // This system still works with no bad effects when the palette changes.
+  static byte col=0;
+  
+  byte  end_color;
   int   delta_r,delta_g,delta_b;
   int   dist;
   int   best_dist=0x7FFFFFFF;
   int   rmean;
   byte  best_color=0;
 
-  for (col=0; col<256; col++)
+  end_color=col;
+  do
   {
     if (!Exclude_color[col])
     {
@@ -2656,21 +2664,31 @@ byte Best_color(byte r,byte g,byte b)
         best_color=col;
       }
     }
-  }
+    // Loop  
+    col++;
+  } while(col!=end_color);
 
   return best_color;
 }
 
 byte Best_color_nonexcluded(byte red,byte green,byte blue)
 {
-  short col;
+  // This "static" allows the loop to start on the last successful match.
+  // If the same color is requested again (and it happens often) and the match
+  // was perfect, it allows an early exit that avoids
+  // 255 computations of color distance.
+  // This system still works with no bad effects when the palette changes.
+  static byte col=0;
+  
+  byte  end_color;
   int   delta_r,delta_g,delta_b;
   int   dist;
   int   best_dist=0x7FFFFFFF;
   int   rmean;
   byte  best_color=0;
 
-  for (col=0; col<256; col++)
+  end_color=col;
+  do
   {
     delta_r=(int)Main_palette[col].R-red;
     delta_g=(int)Main_palette[col].G-green;
@@ -2688,7 +2706,11 @@ byte Best_color_nonexcluded(byte red,byte green,byte blue)
       best_dist=dist;
       best_color=col;
     }
-  }
+  
+    // Loop  
+    col++;
+  } while(col!=end_color);
+  
   return best_color;
 }