diff --git a/compiler/res/prog8lib/conv.p8 b/compiler/res/prog8lib/conv.p8
index 8318e7f86..081851ec3 100644
--- a/compiler/res/prog8lib/conv.p8
+++ b/compiler/res/prog8lib/conv.p8
@@ -249,6 +249,28 @@ output	.text  "0000", $00      ; 0-terminated output buffer (to make printing ea
 	}}
 }
 
+
+asmsub str2ubyte(str string @ AY) clobbers(Y) -> ubyte @A {
+	; -- returns the unsigned byte value of the string number argument in AY
+	;    the number may NOT be preceded by a + sign and may NOT contain spaces
+	;    (any non-digit character will terminate the number string that is parsed)
+	; TODO implement optimized custom version of this instead of simply reusing str2uword
+	%asm {{
+    	jmp  str2uword
+	}}
+}
+
+
+asmsub str2byte(str string @ AY) clobbers(Y) -> ubyte @A {
+	; -- returns the signed byte value of the string number argument in AY
+	;    the number may be preceded by a + or - sign but may NOT contain spaces
+	;    (any non-digit character will terminate the number string that is parsed)
+	; TODO implement optimized custom version of this instead of simply reusing str2word
+	%asm {{
+    	jmp  str2word
+	}}
+}
+
 asmsub str2uword(str string @ AY) -> uword @ AY {
 	; -- returns the unsigned word value of the string number argument in AY
 	;    the number may NOT be preceded by a + sign and may NOT contain spaces
diff --git a/examples/numbergame.p8 b/examples/numbergame.p8
index 2d223071c..eee717b11 100644
--- a/examples/numbergame.p8
+++ b/examples/numbergame.p8
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ main {
                 txt.print("es")
             txt.print(" left.\nWhat is your next guess? ")
             void txt.input_chars(input)
-            ubyte guess = lsb(conv.str2uword(input))
+            ubyte guess = conv.str2ubyte(input)
 
             if guess==secretnumber {
                 ending(true)
diff --git a/examples/test.p8 b/examples/test.p8
index 5f4956a75..02277c253 100644
--- a/examples/test.p8
+++ b/examples/test.p8
@@ -11,18 +11,15 @@ main {
         str name = "irmen de jong"
         uword strptr = &name
 
+        txt.print("ubyte? ")
+        void txt.input_chars(name)
+        ubyte ub = conv.str2ubyte(name)
+        txt.print_ub(ub)
 
-        txt.print_ub(strlen("1234"))
-        txt.chrout('\n')
-        txt.print_ub(strlen(name))
-        txt.chrout('\n')
-        txt.print_uwhex(strptr, 1)
-        txt.chrout('\n')
-        txt.print(strptr)
-        txt.chrout('\n')
-        txt.print_ub(strlen(strptr))
-        txt.chrout('\n')
-
+        txt.print("\nbyte? ")
+        void txt.input_chars(name)
+        byte bb = conv.str2byte(name)
+        txt.print_b(bb)
 
     }
 
diff --git a/examples/textelite.p8 b/examples/textelite.p8
index 4316812c2..183ef9862 100644
--- a/examples/textelite.p8
+++ b/examples/textelite.p8
@@ -78,6 +78,13 @@ trader {
     }
 
     sub do_buy() {
+        txt.print("\nBuy what commodity? ")
+        str commodity = "???????????????"
+        void txt.input_chars(commodity)
+        txt.print("\nHow much?")
+        void txt.input_chars(input)
+        ubyte buy_fuel = 10*conv.str2ubyte(input)
+        ubyte amount = lsb()
         txt.print("\nTODO BUY\n")   ; TODO
     }
 
@@ -88,7 +95,7 @@ trader {
     sub do_fuel() {
         txt.print("\nBuy fuel. Amount? ")
         void txt.input_chars(input)
-        ubyte buy_fuel = 10*lsb(conv.str2uword(input))
+        ubyte buy_fuel = 10*conv.str2ubyte(input)
         ubyte max_fuel = ship.Max_fuel - ship.fuel
         if buy_fuel > max_fuel
             buy_fuel = max_fuel
@@ -110,7 +117,7 @@ trader {
     sub do_hold() {
         txt.print("\nCheat! Set cargohold size: ")
         void txt.input_chars(input)
-        ship.Max_cargo = lsb(conv.str2uword(input))
+        ship.Max_cargo = conv.str2ubyte(input)
     }
 
     sub do_next_galaxy() {