diff --git a/lisp/calendar/calendar.el b/lisp/calendar/calendar.el
index 2bb57106bd6..a457d12e3c6 100644
--- a/lisp/calendar/calendar.el
+++ b/lisp/calendar/calendar.el
@@ -151,9 +151,9 @@ The marking symbol is specified by the variable `diary-entry-marker'.")
       "+"
     (require 'faces)
     (make-face 'diary-face)
-    (if (x-display-color-p)
-        (set-face-foreground 'diary-face "red")
-      (copy-face 'bold 'diary-face))
+    (cond ((face-differs-from-default-p 'diary-face))
+          ((x-display-color-p) (set-face-foreground 'diary-face "red"))
+          (t (copy-face 'bold 'diary-face)))
     'diary-face)
   "*Used to mark dates that have diary entries.
 Can be either a single-character string or a face.")
@@ -163,7 +163,8 @@ Can be either a single-character string or a face.")
       "="
     (require 'faces)
     (make-face 'calendar-today-face)
-    (set-face-underline-p 'calendar-today-face t)
+    (if (not (face-differs-from-default-p 'calendar-today-face))
+        (set-face-underline-p 'calendar-today-face t))
     'calendar-today-face)
   "*Used to mark today's date.
 Can be either a single-character string or a face.")
@@ -173,9 +174,10 @@ Can be either a single-character string or a face.")
       "*"
     (require 'faces)
     (make-face 'holiday-face)
-    (if (x-display-color-p)
-	(set-face-background 'holiday-face "pink")
-      (copy-face 'highlight 'holiday-face))
+    (cond ((face-differs-from-default-p 'holiday-face))
+          ((x-display-color-p) (set-face-background 'holiday-face "pink"))
+          (t (set-face-background 'holiday-face "black")
+             (set-face-foreground 'holiday-face "white")))
     'holiday-face)
   "*Used to mark notable dates in the calendar.
 Can be either a single-character string or a face.")