diff --git a/Lua/inject.lua b/Lua/inject.lua
index 6f717b1..1a23e99 100644
--- a/Lua/inject.lua
+++ b/Lua/inject.lua
@@ -112,16 +112,15 @@ local function inject(fn, dumb)
     local inject_bytes = {}
     local size = 0
     local cons_pos = inject_addr
-    local function write(pos, line)
-        assert(#line == 2, "that ain't const")
-        dprint(("%08X"):format(pos), line)
+    local function write(pos, b)
+        dprint(("%08X    %02X"):format(pos, b))
         pos = pos % 0x80000000
         size = size + 1
         -- FIXME: doesn't detect .skip/.space directives
         if pos > cons_pos and (pos < inject_end or cons_pos == pos - 1) then
             cons_pos = pos
         end
-        inject_bytes[pos] = tonumber(line, 16)
+        inject_bytes[pos] = b
     end
 
     -- offset assembly labels so they work properly, and assemble!
diff --git a/Lua/lib/lips/Dumper.lua b/Lua/lib/lips/Dumper.lua
index 1792b41..c02345e 100644
--- a/Lua/lib/lips/Dumper.lua
+++ b/Lua/lib/lips/Dumper.lua
@@ -233,8 +233,7 @@ end
 
 function Dumper:write(t)
     for _, b in ipairs(t) do
-        local s = ('%02X'):format(b)
-        self.writer(self.pos, s)
+        self.writer(self.pos, b)
         self.pos = self.pos + 1
     end
 end
diff --git a/Lua/lib/lips/init.lua b/Lua/lib/lips/init.lua
index 76768bb..74bc83b 100644
--- a/Lua/lib/lips/init.lua
+++ b/Lua/lib/lips/init.lua
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ function lips.word_writer()
     local max = -1
     return function(pos, b)
         if pos then
-            buff[pos] = b
+            buff[pos] = ("%02X"):format(b)
             if pos > max then
                 max = pos
             end
diff --git a/patch/patch.lua b/patch/patch.lua
index 490f35a..c046b9e 100644
--- a/patch/patch.lua
+++ b/patch/patch.lua
@@ -21,8 +21,7 @@ local function inject(args)
         end
     end
 
-    local function write(pos, line)
-        assert(#line == 2, "that ain't const")
+    local function write(pos, b)
         if args.extra_rom and args.extra_ram and pos >= args.extra_ram then
             pos = pos - args.extra_ram + args.extra_rom
         elseif pos >= args.offset then
@@ -30,15 +29,14 @@ local function inject(args)
         end
         if pos >= 1024*1024*1024 then
             print("you probably don't want to do this:")
-            print(("%08X"):format(pos), line)
+            print(("%08X    %02X"):format(pos, b))
             return
         end
         f:seek('set', pos)
 
         -- TODO: write hex dump format of written bytes
-        --print(("%08X    %s"):format(pos, line))
 
-        f:write(string.char(tonumber(line, 16)))
+        f:write(string.char(b))
     end
 
     assemble(args.input, write, {unsafe=true, offset=args.offset, labels=state})