diff --git a/application.c b/application.c
index a12324d..1326ac5 100644
--- a/application.c
+++ b/application.c
@@ -148,12 +148,12 @@ static void rgbmatrix_clear(void)
  *  @param[in] g if the green LED should be on
  *  @param[in] b if the blue LED should be on
  */
-static void rgbmatrix_set(uint8_t x, uint8_t y, bool r, bool g, bool b)
+static void rgbmatrix_set(int16_t x, int16_t y, bool r, bool g, bool b)
 {
-	if (x >= RGBMATRIX_WIDTH) {
+	if (x < 0 || x >= RGBMATRIX_WIDTH) {
 		return;
 	}
-	if (y >= RGBMATRIX_HEIGHT) {
+	if (y < 0 || y >= RGBMATRIX_HEIGHT) {
 		return;
 	}
 	const uint8_t row = y % (RGBMATRIX_HEIGHT / 2); // get the actual line/row
@@ -199,21 +199,21 @@ static void rgbmatrix_set(uint8_t x, uint8_t y, bool r, bool g, bool b)
  *  @param[in] g if the character should be drawn in green
  *  @param[in] b if the character should be drawn in blue
  */
-static void rgbmatrix_putc(uint8_t x, uint8_t y, char c, enum font_name font, bool red, bool green, bool blue)
+static void rgbmatrix_putc(int16_t x, int16_t y, char c, enum font_name font, bool red, bool green, bool blue)
 {
 	// sanity checks
-	if (x >= RGBMATRIX_WIDTH) {
-		return;
-	}
-	if (y >= RGBMATRIX_HEIGHT) {
-		return;
-	}
 	if (font >= FONT_MAX) {
 		return;
 	}
 	if (c < ' ' || c > '~') {
 		return;
 	}
+	if (x + fonts[font].width < 0 || x >= RGBMATRIX_WIDTH) {
+		return;
+	}
+	if (y + fonts[font].height < 0 || y >= RGBMATRIX_HEIGHT) {
+		return;
+	}
 
 	// draw character on buffer
 	for (uint8_t col = 0; col < fonts[font].width; col++) {
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ static void rgbmatrix_putc(uint8_t x, uint8_t y, char c, enum font_name font, bo
  *  @param[in] g if the character should be drawn in green
  *  @param[in] b if the character should be drawn in blue
  */
-static void rgbmatrix_puts(uint8_t x, uint8_t y, char* str, enum font_name font, bool red, bool green, bool blue)
+static void rgbmatrix_puts(int16_t x, int16_t y, const char* str, enum font_name font, bool red, bool green, bool blue)
 {
 	// sanity checks
 	if (NULL == str) {
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ static void rgbmatrix_puts(uint8_t x, uint8_t y, char* str, enum font_name font,
 	if (font >= FONT_MAX) {
 		return;
 	}
-	if (y >= RGBMATRIX_HEIGHT) {
+	if (y + fonts[font].height < 0 || y >= RGBMATRIX_HEIGHT) {
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -256,7 +256,9 @@ static void rgbmatrix_puts(uint8_t x, uint8_t y, char* str, enum font_name font,
 		if (x >= RGBMATRIX_WIDTH) {
 			return;
 		}
-		rgbmatrix_putc(x, y, str[i], font, red, green, blue);
+		if (x + fonts[font].width >= 0) {
+			rgbmatrix_putc(x, y, str[i], font, red, green, blue);
+		}
 		x += fonts[font].width + 1;
 	}
 }