diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index fd9ec7a..9e0cc37 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* firmware to control LCD using HD44780 driver over I²C
- * Copyright (C) 2019-2020 King Kévin <kingkevin@cuvoodoo.info>
+ * Copyright (C) 2019-2022 King Kévin <kingkevin@cuvoodoo.info>
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
  */
 #include <stdint.h>
@@ -7,12 +7,9 @@
 #include "stm8s.h"
 #include "main.h"
 
-// on-board LED pin in on PB5 (use as sink), same as SDA
-#define LED_PORT GPIO_PA
-#define LED_PIN PA3
-#define led_on() {LED_PORT->ODR.reg &= ~LED_PIN;}
-#define led_off() {LED_PORT->ODR.reg |= LED_PIN;}
-#define led_toggle() {LED_PORT->ODR.reg ^= LED_PIN;}
+// nMOS gate to drive backlight LED
+#define BL_PORT GPIO_PA
+#define BL_PIN PA3
 
 /* usual HD44780 pinout: 
  * -  1 GND: ground
@@ -201,14 +198,9 @@ void main(void)
 	while (!(CLK_ICKR & CLK_ICKR_HSIRDY)); // wait for internal oscillator to be ready
 
 	// save power by disabling unused peripheral
-	CLK_PCKENR1 = CLK_PCKENR1_I2C; // only keep I²C
+	CLK_PCKENR1 = CLK_PCKENR1_I2C | CLK_PCKENR1_TIM25; // only keep I²C and timer 2
 	CLK_PCKENR2 = CLK_PCKENR2_AWU; // only keep AWU
 
-	// configure LED
-	LED_PORT->DDR.reg |= LED_PIN; // switch pin to output
-	LED_PORT->CR1.reg &= ~LED_PIN; // use in open-drain mode
-	led_off(); // start with LED off
-
 	// configure independent watchdog (very loose, just it case the firmware hangs)
 	IWDG_KR = IWDG_KR_KEY_REFRESH; // reset watchdog
 	IWDG_KR = IWDG_KR_KEY_ENABLE; // start watchdog
@@ -270,6 +262,21 @@ void main(void)
 	AWU->APR.fields.APR = 0x3e; // set time to 256 ms
 	AWU_CSR |= AWU_CSR_AWUEN; // enable AWU (start only when entering wait or active halt mode)
 
+	// configure PWM output for backlight
+	BL_PORT->DDR.reg |= BL_PIN; // switch pin to output
+	BL_PORT->CR1.reg |= BL_PIN; // use in push-pull mode
+	TIM2->CCMR3.output_fields.OC3M = 6; // PWM mode 1
+	TIM2->CCMR3.output_fields.CC3S = 0; // configure channel as output
+	TIM2->CCER2.fields.CC3P = 0; // active high
+	TIM2->CCER2.fields.CC3E = 1; // output enable
+	TIM2->ARRH.fields.ARR15_8 = 0; // set reload to 0xff
+	TIM2->ARRL.fields.ARR7_0 = 0xfe; // set reload to 0xff
+	TIM2->PSCR.fields.PSC = 6; // set frequency to 1 kHz
+	TIM2->CCR3H.fields.CCR3 = 0; // start with PWM off
+	TIM2->CCR3L.fields.CCR3 = 0; // start with PWM off
+	TIM2->EGR.fields.UG = 1; // force reload of values
+	TIM2->CR1.fields.CEN = 1; // enable timer
+
 	// configure display (as per datasheet)
 	IWDG_KR = IWDG_KR_KEY_REFRESH; // reset watchdog
 	HD44780_RS_PORT->ODR.reg &= ~HD44780_RS_PIN; // set low for instruction
@@ -292,10 +299,8 @@ void main(void)
 
 	rim(); // re-enable interrupts
 
-	led_on();
 	while (true) {
 		IWDG_KR = IWDG_KR_KEY_REFRESH; // reset watchdog
-		//led_toggle(); // indicate we re running
 		while (i2c_input_used) { // I²C data is available
 			sim(); // disable interrupt while reading buffer to not corrupt indexes
 			uint8_t input_data = i2c_input_buffer[i2c_input_i]; // get start buffered data
@@ -356,11 +361,7 @@ void main(void)
 					hd44780_write_instruction(0x80 | (input_data & 0x3f));
 					break;
 				case MODE_BRIGHTNESS:
-					if (input_data) {
-						led_on();
-					} else {
-						led_off();
-					}
+					TIM2->CCR3L.fields.CCR3 = input_data; // set duty cycle
 					break;
 				default: // read values do not make sense
 					break;