diff --git a/src/field_specials.c b/src/field_specials.c
index 5b950a4fa8..87674d8ce7 100644
--- a/src/field_specials.c
+++ b/src/field_specials.c
@@ -3260,7 +3260,6 @@ void ScrollableMultichoice_ClosePersistentMenu(void)
 #undef tTaskId
 
 #define DEOXYS_ROCK_LEVELS 11
-#define ROCK_PAL_ID 10
 
 void DoDeoxysRockInteraction(void)
 {
@@ -3337,11 +3336,13 @@ static void Task_DeoxysRockInteraction(u8 taskId)
     }
 }
 
+// duplicate of event_object_movement
+#define OBJ_EVENT_PAL_TAG_BIRTH_ISLAND_STONE      0x111F
+
 static void ChangeDeoxysRockLevel(u8 rockLevel)
 {
-    u8 objectEventId;
-    LoadPalette(&sDeoxysRockPalettes[rockLevel], OBJ_PLTT_ID(ROCK_PAL_ID), PLTT_SIZEOF(4));
-    TryGetObjectEventIdByLocalIdAndMap(LOCALID_BIRTH_ISLAND_EXTERIOR_ROCK, gSaveBlock1Ptr->location.mapNum, gSaveBlock1Ptr->location.mapGroup, &objectEventId);
+    u8 paletteNum = IndexOfSpritePaletteTag(OBJ_EVENT_PAL_TAG_BIRTH_ISLAND_STONE);
+    LoadPalette(&sDeoxysRockPalettes[rockLevel], OBJ_PLTT_ID(paletteNum), PLTT_SIZEOF(4));
 
     if (rockLevel == 0)
         PlaySE(SE_M_CONFUSE_RAY); // Failure sound
@@ -3387,10 +3388,13 @@ void IncrementBirthIslandRockStepCount(void)
     }
 }
 
+// called before fade-in
 void SetDeoxysRockPalette(void)
 {
-    LoadPalette(&sDeoxysRockPalettes[(u8)VarGet(VAR_DEOXYS_ROCK_LEVEL)], OBJ_PLTT_ID(ROCK_PAL_ID), PLTT_SIZEOF(4));
-    BlendPalettes(1 << (ROCK_PAL_ID + 16), 16, 0);
+    u32 paletteNum = IndexOfSpritePaletteTag(OBJ_EVENT_PAL_TAG_BIRTH_ISLAND_STONE);
+    LoadPalette(&sDeoxysRockPalettes[(u8)VarGet(VAR_DEOXYS_ROCK_LEVEL)], OBJ_PLTT_ID(paletteNum), PLTT_SIZEOF(4));
+    // Set faded to all black, weather blending handled during fade-in
+    CpuFill16(0, &gPlttBufferFaded[OBJ_PLTT_ID(paletteNum)], 32);
 }
 
 void SetPCBoxToSendMon(u8 boxId)