diff --git a/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/floats.p8 b/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/floats.p8
index 4967b28ba..747d51e6b 100644
--- a/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/floats.p8
+++ b/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/floats.p8
@@ -140,16 +140,26 @@ asmsub parse_f(str value @AY) -> float @FAC1 {
     ; -- parse a string value of a number to float in FAC1
     ;    warning: on older <R47 kernals it uses an internal BASIC routine that is ROM version dependent,
     ;    ($deb6 is inside the routine for VAL at $deb3)  See basic.sym from x16-rom
-    ;    TODO add a check to see if the VAL_1 kernal jump entry is valid if so, then use that instead
+    ;    TODO once VAL_1 is merged into the kernal properly, remove all the workarounds here
     %asm {{
-        sta  $a9
+        ldx  VAL_1
+        cpx  #$4c       ; is there an implementation in VAL_1? (test for JMP)
+        bne  +          ; no, do it ourselves
+        pha             ; yes, count the length and call rom VAL_1.
+        phy
+        jsr  prog8_lib.strlen
+        tya
+        ply
+        plx
+        jmp  VAL_1
++       sta  $a9    ; 'index' variable
         sty  $aa
         jsr  prog8_lib.strlen
         lda  $deb6
         cmp  #$d0   ; sanity check for kernal routine correct
-        bne  +      ;
+        bne  +
         tya
-        jmp  $deb6   ; kernal version dependent :(
+        jmp  $deb6   ; kernal version dependent...
 +       ; print error message if routine is borked in kernal, and exit program
         ldy  #0
 -       lda  _msg,y
diff --git a/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/verafx.p8 b/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/verafx.p8
index 628f84eb9..c3f710bcf 100644
--- a/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/verafx.p8
+++ b/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/verafx.p8
@@ -39,19 +39,19 @@ verafx {
 
         if (amountof32bits & %1111110000000011) == 0 {
             repeat lsb(amountof32bits >> 2)
-                unroll 4 cx16.VERA_DATA0=0       ; write 4 bytes at a time, unrolled
+                unroll 4 cx16.VERA_DATA0=0       ; write 4*4 bytes at a time, unrolled
         }
         else if (amountof32bits & %1111111000000001) == 0 {
             repeat lsb(amountof32bits >> 1)
-                unroll 2 cx16.VERA_DATA0=0       ; write 4 bytes at a time, unrolled
+                unroll 2 cx16.VERA_DATA0=0       ; write 2*4 bytes at a time, unrolled
         }
         else if (lsb(amountof32bits) & 3) == 0 {
             repeat amountof32bits >> 2
-                unroll 4 cx16.VERA_DATA0=0       ; write 4 bytes at a time, unrolled
+                unroll 4 cx16.VERA_DATA0=0       ; write 4*4 bytes at a time, unrolled
         }
         else if (lsb(amountof32bits) & 1) == 0 {
             repeat amountof32bits >> 1
-                unroll 2 cx16.VERA_DATA0=0       ; write 4 bytes at a time, unrolled
+                unroll 2 cx16.VERA_DATA0=0       ; write 2*4 bytes at a time, unrolled
         }
         else {
             repeat amountof32bits
diff --git a/compiler/res/prog8lib/prog8_lib.asm b/compiler/res/prog8lib/prog8_lib.asm
index a36c4bb93..1ff557cd0 100644
--- a/compiler/res/prog8lib/prog8_lib.asm
+++ b/compiler/res/prog8lib/prog8_lib.asm
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ _return_minusone
 
 
 strlen          .proc
-        ; -- returns the number of bytes in the string in AY, in Y.
+        ; -- returns the number of bytes in the string in AY, in Y. Clobbers A.
 		sta  P8ZP_SCRATCH_W1
 		sty  P8ZP_SCRATCH_W1+1
 		ldy  #0
diff --git a/examples/test.p8 b/examples/test.p8
index 23abac320..dd2be98aa 100644
--- a/examples/test.p8
+++ b/examples/test.p8
@@ -1,24 +1,25 @@
 %import textio
-%import bmx
+%import floats
+%import string
 %zeropage basicsafe
 %option no_sysinit
 
 main {
     sub start() {
-        bmx.palette_buffer_ptr = memory("palette", 512, 0)
-        if bmx.open(8, "desertfish.bmx") {
-            if bmx.continue_load(0,0) {
-                uword offset = 10*320 + 100
-                bmx.width = 100
-                bmx.height = 150
-                if bmx.save(8, "@:stamp.bmx", 0, offset, 320) {
-                    txt.print("save stamp ok\n")
-                    return
-                }
-            }
+        str buffer = "???????????????????????????"
+        repeat {
+            txt.print("enter number: ")
+            void txt.input_chars(buffer)
+            txt.print("\nprog8's parse_f: ")
+            float value = floats.parse_f(buffer)
+            floats.print_f(value)
+
+            ; floats.VAL_1 is defined as:
+            ; romsub $fe09 = VAL_1(uword string @XY, ubyte length @A) clobbers(A,X,Y) -> float @FAC1
+;            txt.print("\nrom val_1: ")
+;            value = floats.VAL_1(buffer, string.length(buffer))
+;            floats.print_f(value)
+            txt.nl()
         }
-        txt.print("error: ")
-        txt.print(bmx.error_message)
-        txt.nl()
     }
 }