diff --git a/src/emacs.c b/src/emacs.c
index 6929886424f..23e0c6f5318 100644
--- a/src/emacs.c
+++ b/src/emacs.c
@@ -2050,6 +2050,10 @@ Using an Emacs configured with --with-x-toolkit=lucid does not have this problem
 #endif
 
 #ifdef HAVE_NS
+  /* For early calls to ns_lisp_to_color or Fns_list_colors.  */
+  if (!dump_mode)
+    ns_init_colors ();
+
   if (!noninteractive)
     {
 #ifdef NS_IMPL_COCOA
diff --git a/src/nsfns.m b/src/nsfns.m
index 646bc26f956..ae8e6e30e66 100644
--- a/src/nsfns.m
+++ b/src/nsfns.m
@@ -2231,7 +2231,9 @@ font descriptor.  If string contains `fontset' and not
   return build_string (ns_xlfd_to_fontname (SSDATA (name)));
 }
 
-static void
+/* Called in emacs.c to support early calls to ns_lisp_to_color or
+   Fns_list_colors.  */
+void
 ns_init_colors (void)
 {
   NSTRACE ("ns_init_colors");
@@ -2286,8 +2288,6 @@ ns_init_colors (void)
     }
 }
 
-static BOOL ns_init_colors_done = NO;
-
 DEFUN ("ns-list-colors", Fns_list_colors, Sns_list_colors, 0, 1, 0,
        doc: /* Return a list of all available colors.
 The optional argument FRAME is currently ignored.  */)
@@ -2298,12 +2298,6 @@ The optional argument FRAME is currently ignored.  */)
   NSColorList *clist;
   NSAutoreleasePool *pool;
 
-  if (ns_init_colors_done == NO)
-    {
-      ns_init_colors ();
-      ns_init_colors_done = YES;
-    }
-
   if (!NILP (frame))
     {
       CHECK_FRAME (frame);
diff --git a/src/nsterm.h b/src/nsterm.h
index 7c1ee4cf535..610ca4c4acc 100644
--- a/src/nsterm.h
+++ b/src/nsterm.h
@@ -1150,6 +1150,7 @@ extern const char *ns_get_pending_menu_title (void);
 #endif
 
 /* Implemented in nsfns.m, published in nsterm.m.  */
+extern void ns_init_colors (void);
 #ifdef __OBJC__
 extern void ns_move_tooltip_to_mouse_location (NSPoint);
 #endif
@@ -1161,7 +1162,6 @@ extern void ns_change_tab_bar_height (struct frame *f, int height);
 extern const char *ns_get_string_resource (void *_rdb,
                                            const char *name,
                                            const char *class);
-
 /* C access to ObjC functionality.  */
 extern void  ns_release_object (void *obj);
 extern void  ns_retain_object (void *obj);