diff --git a/lisp/faces.el b/lisp/faces.el
index 8e93b9a4f3a..dd5de86f8ea 100644
--- a/lisp/faces.el
+++ b/lisp/faces.el
@@ -1791,7 +1791,11 @@ Initialize colors of certain faces from frame parameters."
 	    (face-spec-set face (face-user-default-spec face) frame)
 	    (internal-merge-in-global-face face frame)
 	    (if (memq window-system '(x w32 mac))
-		(make-face-x-resource-internal face frame)))
+		(make-face-x-resource-internal face frame))
+	    ;; If the user has customized the face, don't let X
+	    ;; resources override the customizations.
+	    (if (get face 'theme-face)
+		(custom-theme-recalc-face face)))
 	(error nil)))
     ;; Apply the attributes specified by frame parameters.  This
     ;; rewrites parameters changed by make-face-x-resource-internal