diff --git a/drw.c b/drw.c
index c8e65a8..f6a7a28 100644
--- a/drw.c
+++ b/drw.c
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ drw_text(Drw *drw, int x, int y, unsigned int w, unsigned int h, unsigned int lp
 		return 0;
 
 	if (!render) {
-		w = ~w;
+		w = invert ? invert : ~invert;
 	} else {
 		XSetForeground(drw->dpy, drw->gc, drw->scheme[invert ? ColFg : ColBg].pixel);
 		XFillRectangle(drw->dpy, drw->drawable, drw->gc, x, y, w, h);
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ drw_text(Drw *drw, int x, int y, unsigned int w, unsigned int h, unsigned int lp
 		return 0;
 
 	if (!render) {
-		w = ~w;
+		w = invert ? invert : ~invert;
 	} else {
 		XSetForeground(drw->dpy, drw->gc, drw->scheme[invert ? ColFg : ColBg].pixel);
 		XFillRectangle(drw->dpy, drw->drawable, drw->gc, x, y, w, h);
@@ -483,7 +483,13 @@ drw_text(Drw *drw, int x, int y, unsigned int w, unsigned int h, unsigned int lp
 
 					if (ew + tmpw > w) {
 						overflow = 1;
-						utf8strlen = ellipsis_len;
+						/* called from drw_fontset_getwidth_clamp():
+						 * it wants the width AFTER the overflow
+						 */
+						if (!render)
+							x += tmpw;
+						else
+							utf8strlen = ellipsis_len;
 					} else if (curfont == usedfont) {
  						utf8strlen += utf8charlen;
  						text += utf8charlen;
@@ -581,6 +587,15 @@ drw_font_getwidth(Drw *drw, const char *text, Bool markup)
 		return 0;
 	return drw_text(drw, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, text, 0, markup);
 }
+
+unsigned int
+drw_fontset_getwidth_clamp(Drw *drw, const char *text, unsigned int n)
+{
+	unsigned int tmp = 0;
+	if (drw && drw->font && text && n)
+		tmp = drw_text(drw, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, text, n, True);
+	return MIN(n, tmp);
+}
 #else
 unsigned int
 drw_fontset_getwidth(Drw *drw, const char *text)
@@ -589,6 +604,15 @@ drw_fontset_getwidth(Drw *drw, const char *text)
 		return 0;
 	return drw_text(drw, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, text, 0);
 }
+
+unsigned int
+drw_fontset_getwidth_clamp(Drw *drw, const char *text, unsigned int n)
+{
+	unsigned int tmp = 0;
+	if (drw && drw->fonts && text && n)
+		tmp = drw_text(drw, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, text, n);
+	return MIN(n, tmp);
+}
 #endif // PANGO_PATCH
 
 #if PANGO_PATCH
diff --git a/drw.h b/drw.h
index a51e6e3..af4af4d 100644
--- a/drw.h
+++ b/drw.h
@@ -58,11 +58,13 @@ void drw_free(Drw *drw);
 Fnt *drw_font_create(Drw* drw, const char font[]);
 void drw_font_free(Fnt* set);
 unsigned int drw_font_getwidth(Drw *drw, const char *text, Bool markup);
+unsigned int drw_fontset_getwidth_clamp(Drw *drw, const char *text, unsigned int n);
 void drw_font_getexts(Fnt *font, const char *text, unsigned int len, unsigned int *w, unsigned int *h, Bool markup);
 #else
 Fnt *drw_fontset_create(Drw* drw, const char *fonts[], size_t fontcount);
 void drw_fontset_free(Fnt* set);
 unsigned int drw_fontset_getwidth(Drw *drw, const char *text);
+unsigned int drw_fontset_getwidth_clamp(Drw *drw, const char *text, unsigned int n);
 void drw_font_getexts(Fnt *font, const char *text, unsigned int len, unsigned int *w, unsigned int *h);
 #endif // PANGO_PATCH