diff --git a/gfx/src/gtk/nsDeviceContextGTK.cpp b/gfx/src/gtk/nsDeviceContextGTK.cpp
index 7c73f76ccdc1..f89cfc906479 100644
--- a/gfx/src/gtk/nsDeviceContextGTK.cpp
+++ b/gfx/src/gtk/nsDeviceContextGTK.cpp
@@ -75,8 +75,6 @@ NS_IMPL_RELEASE(nsDeviceContextGTK)
 
 NS_IMETHODIMP nsDeviceContextGTK::Init(nsNativeWidget aNativeWidget)
 {
-  NS_ASSERTION(!(aNativeWidget == nsnull), "attempt to init devicecontext with null widget");
-  
   for (PRInt32 cnt = 0; cnt < 256; cnt++)
     mGammaTable[cnt] = cnt;
   
diff --git a/gfx/src/gtk/nsRenderingContextGTK.cpp b/gfx/src/gtk/nsRenderingContextGTK.cpp
index f4ef8166de91..26dbb76ebf27 100644
--- a/gfx/src/gtk/nsRenderingContextGTK.cpp
+++ b/gfx/src/gtk/nsRenderingContextGTK.cpp
@@ -132,6 +132,8 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsRenderingContextGTK::Init(nsIDeviceContext* aContext,
   mContext = aContext;
   NS_IF_ADDREF(mContext);
 
+  ::gdk_rgb_init();
+  
   mRenderingSurface = new nsDrawingSurfaceGTK();
 
   mRenderingSurface->drawable = (GdkDrawable *)aWindow->GetNativeData(NS_NATIVE_WINDOW);