diff --git a/scripts/LVGLImage.py b/scripts/LVGLImage.py
index eb76f69d0..ef9606da2 100755
--- a/scripts/LVGLImage.py
+++ b/scripts/LVGLImage.py
@@ -872,9 +872,19 @@ class LVGLImage:
     def _png_to_indexed(self, cf: ColorFormat, filename: str):
         # convert to palette mode
         auto_cf = cf is None
-        reader = png.Reader(
-            bytes=PngQuant(256 if auto_cf else cf.ncolors).convert(filename))
-        w, h, rows, _ = reader.read()
+
+        # read the image data to get the metadata
+        reader = png.Reader(filename=filename)
+        w, h, rows, metadata = reader.read()
+
+        # to preserve original palette data only convert the image if needed. For this
+        # check if image has a palette and the requested palette size equals the existing one 
+        if not 'palette' in metadata or not auto_cf and len(metadata['palette']) !=  2 ** cf.bpp:
+            # reread and convert file
+            reader = png.Reader(
+                bytes=PngQuant(256 if auto_cf else cf.ncolors).convert(filename))
+            w, h, rows, _ = reader.read()
+
         palette = reader.palette(alpha="force")  # always return alpha
 
         palette_len = len(palette)