diff --git a/libraries/pico_graphics/pico_graphics.cpp b/libraries/pico_graphics/pico_graphics.cpp
index d5e62871..3c948002 100644
--- a/libraries/pico_graphics/pico_graphics.cpp
+++ b/libraries/pico_graphics/pico_graphics.cpp
@@ -145,8 +145,8 @@ namespace pimoroni {
     }, t, p.x, p.y, wrap, scale);
   }
 
-  void PicoGraphics::measure_text(const std::string &t, uint8_t scale) {
-    bitmap::measure_text(font, t, scale);
+  int32_t PicoGraphics::measure_text(const std::string &t, uint8_t scale) {
+    return bitmap::measure_text(font, t, scale);
   }
 
   int32_t orient2d(Point p1, Point p2, Point p3) {
diff --git a/libraries/pico_graphics/pico_graphics.hpp b/libraries/pico_graphics/pico_graphics.hpp
index c7af8f1b..d8ef0ef8 100644
--- a/libraries/pico_graphics/pico_graphics.hpp
+++ b/libraries/pico_graphics/pico_graphics.hpp
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ namespace pimoroni {
 
     void default_palette() {
       for (auto i = 0u; i < 255; i++) {
-        palette[i] = i;
+        palette[i] = ((i & 0b11100000) << 8) | ((i & 0b00011100) << 6) | ((i & 0b00000011) << 3);
+        palette[i] = __builtin_bswap16(palette[i]);
       }
       palette_entries = 255;
     }
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@ namespace pimoroni {
     void circle(const Point &p, int32_t r);
     void character(const char c, const Point &p, uint8_t scale = 2);
     void text(const std::string &t, const Point &p, int32_t wrap, uint8_t scale = 2);
-    void measure_text(const std::string &t, uint8_t scale = 2);
+    int32_t measure_text(const std::string &t, uint8_t scale = 2);
     void polygon(const std::vector<Point> &points);
     void triangle(Point p1, Point p2, Point p3);
     void line(Point p1, Point p2);
diff --git a/micropython/modules/st7789/st7789.c b/micropython/modules/st7789/st7789.c
index dd6a80ab..882d0fdd 100644
--- a/micropython/modules/st7789/st7789.c
+++ b/micropython/modules/st7789/st7789.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_KW(GenericST7789_rectangle_obj, 1, GenericST7789_rectang
 MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_KW(GenericST7789_circle_obj, 1, GenericST7789_circle);
 MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_KW(GenericST7789_character_obj, 1, GenericST7789_character);
 MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_KW(GenericST7789_text_obj, 1, GenericST7789_text);
+MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_KW(GenericST7789_measure_text_obj, 1, GenericST7789_measure_text);
 MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_KW(GenericST7789_polygon_obj, 2, GenericST7789_polygon);
 MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_KW(GenericST7789_triangle_obj, 1, GenericST7789_triangle);
 MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_KW(GenericST7789_line_obj, 1, GenericST7789_line);
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ STATIC const mp_rom_map_elem_t GenericST7789_locals_dict_table[] = {
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_circle), MP_ROM_PTR(&GenericST7789_circle_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_character), MP_ROM_PTR(&GenericST7789_character_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_text), MP_ROM_PTR(&GenericST7789_text_obj) },
+    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_measure_text), MP_ROM_PTR(&GenericST7789_measure_text_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_polygon), MP_ROM_PTR(&GenericST7789_polygon_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_triangle), MP_ROM_PTR(&GenericST7789_triangle_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_line), MP_ROM_PTR(&GenericST7789_line_obj) },
diff --git a/micropython/modules/st7789/st7789.cpp b/micropython/modules/st7789/st7789.cpp
index cfd1df07..5692439a 100644
--- a/micropython/modules/st7789/st7789.cpp
+++ b/micropython/modules/st7789/st7789.cpp
@@ -511,17 +511,40 @@ mp_obj_t GenericST7789_text(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *pos_args, mp_map_t *k
 
         self->st7789->text(t, Point(x, y), wrap, scale);
     }
-    else if(mp_obj_is_float(text_obj)) {
-        mp_raise_TypeError("can't convert 'float' object to str implicitly");
+    else {
+        mp_raise_TypeError("text: string required");
     }
-    else if(mp_obj_is_int(text_obj)) {
-        mp_raise_TypeError("can't convert 'int' object to str implicitly");
-    }
-    else if(mp_obj_is_bool(text_obj)) {
-        mp_raise_TypeError("can't convert 'bool' object to str implicitly");
+
+    return mp_const_none;
+}
+
+mp_obj_t GenericST7789_measure_text(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *pos_args, mp_map_t *kw_args) {
+    enum { ARG_self, ARG_text, ARG_scale };
+    static const mp_arg_t allowed_args[] = {
+        { MP_QSTR_, MP_ARG_REQUIRED | MP_ARG_OBJ },
+        { MP_QSTR_text, MP_ARG_REQUIRED | MP_ARG_OBJ },
+        { MP_QSTR_scale, MP_ARG_INT, {.u_int = 2} },
+    };
+
+    mp_arg_val_t args[MP_ARRAY_SIZE(allowed_args)];
+    mp_arg_parse_all(n_args, pos_args, kw_args, MP_ARRAY_SIZE(allowed_args), allowed_args, args);
+
+    GenericST7789_obj_t *self = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR2(args[ARG_self].u_obj, GenericST7789_obj_t);
+
+    mp_obj_t text_obj = args[ARG_text].u_obj;
+    if(mp_obj_is_str_or_bytes(text_obj)) {
+        GET_STR_DATA_LEN(text_obj, str, str_len);
+
+        std::string t((const char*)str);
+
+        int scale = args[ARG_scale].u_int;
+
+        int width = self->st7789->measure_text(t, scale);
+
+        return mp_obj_new_int(width);
     }
     else {
-        mp_raise_TypeError("can't convert object to str implicitly");
+        mp_raise_TypeError("text: string required");
     }
 
     return mp_const_none;
diff --git a/micropython/modules/st7789/st7789.h b/micropython/modules/st7789/st7789.h
index 1d822556..39a467ef 100644
--- a/micropython/modules/st7789/st7789.h
+++ b/micropython/modules/st7789/st7789.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ extern mp_obj_t GenericST7789_rectangle(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *pos_args,
 extern mp_obj_t GenericST7789_circle(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *pos_args, mp_map_t *kw_args);
 extern mp_obj_t GenericST7789_character(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *pos_args, mp_map_t *kw_args);
 extern mp_obj_t GenericST7789_text(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *pos_args, mp_map_t *kw_args);
+extern mp_obj_t GenericST7789_measure_text(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *pos_args, mp_map_t *kw_args);
 extern mp_obj_t GenericST7789_polygon(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *pos_args, mp_map_t *kw_args);
 extern mp_obj_t GenericST7789_triangle(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *pos_args, mp_map_t *kw_args);
 extern mp_obj_t GenericST7789_line(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *pos_args, mp_map_t *kw_args);
\ No newline at end of file