diff --git a/huds.lua b/huds.lua
index e29c7bf..ba08487 100644
--- a/huds.lua
+++ b/huds.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 local HUD_POSITION = { x = postool.hudPosX, y = postool.hudPosY }
 local HUD_ALIGNMENT = { x = 1, y = 0 }
 local HUD_SCALE = { x = 100, y = 100 }
+local HUD_STATBAR_SIZE = { x = 160, y = 18 }
 
 -- hud id map (playername -> { playername = { tIDs = { hud-ids }, tb = { toggles }, ... )
 postool.tHudDB = {}
@@ -142,27 +143,18 @@ postool.rebuildHud = function(oPlayer)
 	local bAdvTrains = postool.hasAdvancedTrains()
 	local bMesecons = postool.hasMeseconsDebug()
 
-	local iID = tIDs.meseconsUsageBG
+	local iID = tIDs.meseconsUsageFG
 	if tb[5] and bMesecons then
 
 		if nil == iID then
-			tIDs.meseconsUsageBG = oPlayer:hud_add({
-				hud_elem_type = 'statbar',
-				name = 'postoolMeseconsUsageBG',
-				position = tPosition,
-				offset = { x = 0, y = iY -23 },
-				text = 'mesecons_use_bg.png',
-				scale = HUD_SCALE,
-				alignment = HUD_ALIGNMENT,
-				number = 3
-			})
 			tIDs.meseconsUsageFG = oPlayer:hud_add({
 				hud_elem_type = 'statbar',
 				name = 'postoolMeseconsUsageFG',
 				position = tPosition,
-				offset = { x = 0, y = iY -23 },
+				offset = { x = -2, y = iY - 27 },
 				text = 'mesecons_use_fg.png',
 				scale = HUD_SCALE,
+				size = { x = 1, y = HUD_STATBAR_SIZE.y },
 				alignment = HUD_ALIGNMENT,
 				number = 4
 			})
@@ -170,7 +162,7 @@ postool.rebuildHud = function(oPlayer)
 				hud_elem_type = 'text',
 				name = 'postoolMeseconsPenalty',
 				position = tPosition,
-				offset = { x = 0, y = 0 },
+				offset = { x = 0, y = -16 },
 				text = 'Initializing...',
 				scale = HUD_SCALE,
 				alignment = HUD_ALIGNMENT,
@@ -183,7 +175,6 @@ postool.rebuildHud = function(oPlayer)
 	elseif nil ~= iID then
 
 		oPlayer:hud_remove(iID)
-		tIDs.meseconsUsageBG = nil
 		oPlayer:hud_remove(tIDs.meseconsUsageFG)
 		tIDs.meseconsUsageFG = nil
 		oPlayer:hud_remove(tIDs.meseconsPenalty)
@@ -359,8 +350,10 @@ postool.updateHudMesecons = function(oPlayer)
 	oPlayer:hud_change(tIDs.meseconsPenalty, 'text', sPenalty)
 	oPlayer:hud_change(tIDs.meseconsUsageFG, 'text', sTexture)
 	-- give a minimum to show, so can see red penalty even when no usage
-	oPlayer:hud_change(tIDs.meseconsUsageFG, 'number', math.max(8, nPercent * 3))
-
+	oPlayer:hud_change(tIDs.meseconsUsageFG, 'size', {
+		x = math.max(8, .01 * nPercent * HUD_STATBAR_SIZE.x),
+		y = HUD_STATBAR_SIZE.y + math.floor(tCtx.penalty * 16)
+	})
 end -- updateHudMesecons
 
 
diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 17bdeaf..74a7ab8 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 -- read the readme.md for more info on origin.
 
 -- safety check in case translation function does not exist
-if not minetest.global_exists('S') then S = function(s) return s end end
+local S = (minetest.global_exists('S') and S) or function(s) return s end
 
 --settings
 postool = {
diff --git a/textures/mesecons_use_bg.png b/textures/mesecons_use_bg.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 12bc461..0000000
Binary files a/textures/mesecons_use_bg.png and /dev/null differ