diff --git a/compiler/res/prog8lib/atari/syslib.p8 b/compiler/res/prog8lib/atari/syslib.p8
index ead2eb7ce..4b16df4bd 100644
--- a/compiler/res/prog8lib/atari/syslib.p8
+++ b/compiler/res/prog8lib/atari/syslib.p8
@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@ atari {
         &uword  RESET_VEC       = $FFFC     ; 6502 reset vector, determined by the kernal if banked in
         &uword  IRQ_VEC         = $FFFE     ; 6502 interrupt vector, determined by the kernal if banked in
 
+        &uword COLCRS = 85
+        &ubyte ROWCRS = 84
+
+    romsub $F24A = getchar() -> ubyte @A
+    romsub $F2B0 = outchar(ubyte character @ A)
+    romsub $F2FD = waitkey() -> ubyte @A
+
 }
 
 sys {
diff --git a/compiler/res/prog8lib/atari/textio.p8 b/compiler/res/prog8lib/atari/textio.p8
index 393c585fe..6641a7c49 100644
--- a/compiler/res/prog8lib/atari/textio.p8
+++ b/compiler/res/prog8lib/atari/textio.p8
@@ -25,24 +25,22 @@ sub spc() {
     txt.chrout(' ')
 }
 
-const uword COLCRS = 85
-const uword ROWCRS = 84
 sub column(ubyte col) {
     ; ---- set the cursor on the given column (starting with 0) on the current line
-    pokew(COLCRS, col as uword)
+    atari.COLCRS = col
 }
 
 sub get_column() -> ubyte {
-    return peekw(COLCRS) as ubyte
+    return atari.COLCRS as ubyte
 }
 
 sub row(ubyte rownum) {
     ; ---- set the cursor on the given row (starting with 0) on the current line
-    @(ROWCRS) = rownum
+    atari.ROWCRS = rownum
 }
 
 sub get_row() -> ubyte {
-    return @(ROWCRS)
+    return atari.ROWCRS
 }
 
 asmsub  fill_screen (ubyte character @ A, ubyte color @ Y) clobbers(A)  {
@@ -127,9 +125,6 @@ asmsub  scroll_down  (bool alsocolors @ Pc) clobbers(A)  {
 }
 
 
-romsub $F2B0 = outchar(ubyte character @ A)
-romsub $F2Fd = waitkey()
-
 asmsub chrout(ubyte character @ A) {
 	%asm {{
 		sta  _tmp_outchar+1
@@ -139,7 +134,7 @@ asmsub chrout(ubyte character @ A) {
 		pha
 _tmp_outchar
 		lda  #0
-		jsr  outchar
+		jsr  atari.outchar
 		pla
 		tay
 		pla
@@ -386,13 +381,19 @@ sub  setcc  (ubyte col, ubyte row, ubyte char, ubyte charcolor)  {
 }
 
 sub  plot(ubyte col, ubyte rownum) {
-  column(col)
-  row(rownum)
+    column(col)
+    row(rownum)
 }
 
 sub get_cursor(uword colptr, uword rowptr) {
-  @(colptr) = get_column()
-  @(rowptr) = get_row()
+    @(colptr) = get_column()
+    @(rowptr) = get_row()
+}
+
+asmsub waitkey() -> ubyte @A {
+    %asm {{
+        jmp  atari.waitkey
+    }}
 }
 
 asmsub width() clobbers(X,Y) -> ubyte @A {
diff --git a/compiler/res/prog8lib/c128/textio.p8 b/compiler/res/prog8lib/c128/textio.p8
index c0d5473f3..9eee73ca5 100644
--- a/compiler/res/prog8lib/c128/textio.p8
+++ b/compiler/res/prog8lib/c128/textio.p8
@@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ asmsub height() clobbers(X, Y) -> ubyte @A {
     }}
 }
 
-asmsub waitkey() {
+asmsub waitkey() -> ubyte @A {
     %asm {{
 -       jsr cbm.GETIN
         beq -
diff --git a/compiler/res/prog8lib/c64/textio.p8 b/compiler/res/prog8lib/c64/textio.p8
index 8bdf8bded..0a9146da8 100644
--- a/compiler/res/prog8lib/c64/textio.p8
+++ b/compiler/res/prog8lib/c64/textio.p8
@@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ asmsub height() clobbers(X, Y) -> ubyte @A {
     }}
 }
 
-asmsub waitkey() {
+asmsub waitkey() -> ubyte @A {
     %asm {{
 -       jsr cbm.GETIN
         beq -
diff --git a/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/textio.p8 b/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/textio.p8
index bb7747cbb..ee0213cc4 100644
--- a/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/textio.p8
+++ b/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/textio.p8
@@ -796,7 +796,7 @@ asmsub height() clobbers(X, Y) -> ubyte @A {
     }}
 }
 
-asmsub waitkey() {
+asmsub waitkey() -> ubyte @A {
     %asm {{
 -       jsr cbm.GETIN
         beq -
diff --git a/compiler/res/prog8lib/pet32/textio.p8 b/compiler/res/prog8lib/pet32/textio.p8
index fd4fe9ad2..c64cef41e 100644
--- a/compiler/res/prog8lib/pet32/textio.p8
+++ b/compiler/res/prog8lib/pet32/textio.p8
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ asmsub height() clobbers(X, Y) -> ubyte @A {
     }}
 }
 
-asmsub waitkey() {
+asmsub waitkey() -> ubyte @A {
     %asm {{
 -       jsr cbm.GETIN
         beq -
diff --git a/docs/source/todo.rst b/docs/source/todo.rst
index 1c6d8eeae..32b2a45d7 100644
--- a/docs/source/todo.rst
+++ b/docs/source/todo.rst
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 TODO
 ====
 
-- txt.waitkey() should return the pressed key? Also on atari.
-
 - [on branch: shortcircuit] investigate McCarthy evaluation again? this may also reduce code size perhaps for things like if a>4 or a<2 ....
 
 ...
diff --git a/examples/atari/hello.p8 b/examples/atari/hello.p8
index 7bf351f33..e3a35f2ad 100644
--- a/examples/atari/hello.p8
+++ b/examples/atari/hello.p8
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 %import textio
 %zeropage basicsafe
-%address $2000
 
 ; hello world test for Atari 8-bit
 
@@ -8,6 +7,6 @@ main {
     sub start() {
         txt.print("Hello, World!")
         txt.nl()
-        txt.waitkey()
+        void txt.waitkey()
     }
 }