diff --git a/pd/src/g_vumeter.c b/pd/src/g_vumeter.c
index 0b1a8076ec3f6692492db1ffe09f65fba35ff69d..7b6f46ecd1f4b9b8269ba7c4820ed23147bb675b 100644
--- a/pd/src/g_vumeter.c
+++ b/pd/src/g_vumeter.c
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ static void vu_draw_new(t_vu *x, t_glist *glist)
             gui_vmess("gui_vumeter_draw_text", "xxsiisiiiis",
                 canvas, x,
                 cbuf, end+1, yyy+k3+2, iemgui_vu_scale_str[i/4],
-                i, x1, y1,
+                i, x1, y1 - 3,
                 x->x_gui.x_fontsize,
                 sys_fontweight);
         }