diff --git a/sys/include/memdraw.h b/sys/include/memdraw.h
index f1bb41e3f..62cc8cae5 100644
--- a/sys/include/memdraw.h
+++ b/sys/include/memdraw.h
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ struct	Memsubfont
 	short	n;		/* number of chars in font */
 	uchar	height;		/* height of bitmap */
 	char	ascent;		/* top of bitmap to baseline */
+	Rune	min;		/* rune offset for first glyph in subfont */
 	Fontchar *info;		/* n+1 character descriptors */
 	Memimage	*bits;		/* of font */
 };
@@ -156,7 +157,7 @@ extern int	memimageinit(void);
  * Subfont management
  */
 extern Memsubfont*	allocmemsubfont(char*, int, int, int, Fontchar*, Memimage*);
-extern Memsubfont*	openmemsubfont(char*);
+extern Memsubfont*	openmemsubfont(char*, Rune);
 extern void	freememsubfont(Memsubfont*);
 extern Point	memsubfontwidth(Memsubfont*, char*);
 extern Memsubfont*	getmemdefont(void);
diff --git a/sys/man/2/memdraw b/sys/man/2/memdraw
index 0500a561b..865dbdd09 100644
--- a/sys/man/2/memdraw
+++ b/sys/man/2/memdraw
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ int	memlineendsize(int end)
 .nf
 Memsubfont*	allocmemsubfont(char *name, int n, int height,
 	   int ascent, Fontchar *info, Memimage *i)
-Memsubfont*	openmemsubfont(char *name)
+Memsubfont*	openmemsubfont(char *name, Rune min)
 void	freememsubfont(Memsubfont *f)
 Point	memsubfontwidth(Memsubfont *f, char *s)
 Memsubfont*	getmemdefont(void)
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/graph.c b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/graph.c
index cbad1ada2..780c674da 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/graph.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/venti/srv/graph.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ ginit(void)
 #ifdef PLAN9PORT
 	smallfont = openmemsubfont(unsharp("#9/font/lucsans/lstr.10"));
 #else
-	smallfont = openmemsubfont("/lib/font/bit/lucidasans/lstr.10");
+	smallfont = openmemsubfont("/lib/font/bit/lucidasans/lstr.10", 0);
 #endif
 	black = memblack;
 	blue = allocrepl(DBlue);
diff --git a/sys/src/libmemdraw/openmemsubfont.c b/sys/src/libmemdraw/openmemsubfont.c
index 1a17cfde6..22a644c29 100644
--- a/sys/src/libmemdraw/openmemsubfont.c
+++ b/sys/src/libmemdraw/openmemsubfont.c
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #include <memdraw.h>
 
 Memsubfont*
-openmemsubfont(char *name)
+openmemsubfont(char *name, Rune min)
 {
 	Memsubfont *sf;
 	Memimage *i;
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ openmemsubfont(char *name)
 		free(fc);
 		goto Err;
 	}
+	sf->min = min;
 	close(fd);
 	free(p);
 	return sf;
diff --git a/sys/src/libmemdraw/string.c b/sys/src/libmemdraw/string.c
index c0a6dc2de..69b4b5ab5 100644
--- a/sys/src/libmemdraw/string.c
+++ b/sys/src/libmemdraw/string.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ memimagestring(Memimage *b, Point p, Memimage *color, Point cp, Memsubfont *f, c
 			}
 			s += w;
 		}
+		c -= f->min;
 		if(c >= f->n)
 			continue;
 		i = f->info+c;
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ memsubfontwidth(Memsubfont *f, char *cs)
 			}
 			s += w;
 		}
+		c -= f->min;
 		if(c >= f->n)
 			continue;
 		i = f->info+c;