diff --git a/services/gam/src/lib.rs b/services/gam/src/lib.rs
index cf5689c71..b0bd5ed94 100644
--- a/services/gam/src/lib.rs
+++ b/services/gam/src/lib.rs
@@ -522,6 +522,7 @@ impl Menu {
                 break;
             }
         }
+        self.gam.redraw().unwrap();
     }
     fn num_items(&self) -> usize {
         let mut items = 0;
@@ -558,6 +559,7 @@ impl Menu {
                         }
                         self.index = 0; // reset the index to 0
                     }
+                    self.gam.redraw().unwrap();
                 },
                 '←' => {
                     // placeholder
@@ -569,9 +571,11 @@ impl Menu {
                 }
                 '↑' => {
                     self.prev_item();
+                    self.gam.redraw().unwrap();
                 }
                 '↓' => {
                     self.next_item();
+                    self.gam.redraw().unwrap();
                 }
                 _ => {}
             }
diff --git a/services/gam/src/status.rs b/services/gam/src/status.rs
index 85333a746..31d8d17fe 100644
--- a/services/gam/src/status.rs
+++ b/services/gam/src/status.rs
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ pub fn pump_thread(conn: usize) {
             Ok(xous::Result::Ok) => {},
             _ => panic!("unhandled error in status pump thread")
         }
-        ticktimer.sleep_ms(250).unwrap();
+        ticktimer.sleep_ms(1000).unwrap();
     }
 }
 
@@ -183,6 +183,8 @@ pub fn status_thread(canvas_gid_0: usize, canvas_gid_1: usize, canvas_gid_2: usi
                     } else {
                         write!(&mut security_tv, " USB secured").unwrap();
                     }
+                    // only post the view if something has actually changed
+                    gam.post_textview(&mut security_tv).unwrap();
                 }
                 let elapsed_time = ticktimer.elapsed_ms();
                 let now_seconds: usize = ((elapsed_time / 1000) % 60) as usize;
@@ -235,7 +237,7 @@ pub fn status_thread(canvas_gid_0: usize, canvas_gid_1: usize, canvas_gid_2: usi
                     }
                     last_seconds = now_seconds;
                     uptime_tv.clear_str();
-                    if (stats_phase > 3) && datetime.is_some() {
+                    if (stats_phase >= 2) && datetime.is_some() {
                         let dt = datetime.unwrap();
                         let day = match dt.weekday {
                             rtc::Weekday::Monday => "Mon",
@@ -257,9 +259,8 @@ pub fn status_thread(canvas_gid_0: usize, canvas_gid_1: usize, canvas_gid_2: usi
                     log::trace!("|status: requesting draw of '{}'", uptime_tv);
                     gam.post_textview(&mut uptime_tv).expect("|status: can't draw uptime");
                     gam.post_textview(&mut battstats_tv).expect("|status: can't draw battery stats");
-                    gam.post_textview(&mut security_tv).unwrap();
                     gam.redraw().expect("|status: couldn't redraw");
-                    stats_phase = (stats_phase + 1) % 8;
+                    stats_phase = (stats_phase + 1) % 4;
                 }
                 if elapsed_time - last_time > batt_interval {
                     //info!("|status: size of TextView type: {} bytes", core::mem::size_of::<TextView>());
diff --git a/services/graphics-server/src/backend/betrusted.rs b/services/graphics-server/src/backend/betrusted.rs
index 47fbac72d..76bc50bb6 100644
--- a/services/graphics-server/src/backend/betrusted.rs
+++ b/services/graphics-server/src/backend/betrusted.rs
@@ -128,7 +128,12 @@ impl XousDisplay {
     pub fn screen_size(&self) -> Point { Point::new(FB_WIDTH_PIXELS as i16, FB_LINES as i16) }
 
     pub fn redraw(&mut self) {
-        while self.busy() {xous::yield_slice()}
+        let mut busy_count = 0;
+        let mut dirty_count = 0;
+        while self.busy() {
+            xous::yield_slice();
+            busy_count += 1;
+        }
         let fb: *mut [u32; FB_SIZE] = self.fb.as_mut_ptr() as *mut [u32; FB_SIZE];
         let hwfb: *mut [u32; FB_SIZE] = self.hwfb.as_mut_ptr() as *mut [u32; FB_SIZE];
         for words in 0..FB_SIZE {
@@ -140,10 +145,14 @@ impl XousDisplay {
         // clear all the dirty bits, under the theory that it's time-wise cheaper on average
         // to visit every line and clear the dirty bits than it is to do an update_all()
         for lines in 0..FB_LINES {
+            if unsafe{(*fb)[lines * FB_WIDTH_WORDS + (FB_WIDTH_WORDS - 1)] & 0xFFFF_0000} != 0x0 {
+                dirty_count += 1;
+            }
             unsafe {
                 (*fb)[lines * FB_WIDTH_WORDS + (FB_WIDTH_WORDS - 1)] &= 0x0000_FFFF;
             }
         }
+        log::trace!("redraw {}/{}", busy_count, dirty_count);
     }
 
     // note: this API is used by emulation, don't remove calls to it