diff --git a/keywords.txt b/keywords.txt
index f5092e5..7a9038f 100644
--- a/keywords.txt
+++ b/keywords.txt
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ buttonsState	KEYWORD2
 clear	KEYWORD2
 collide	KEYWORD2
 cpuLoad	KEYWORD2
+delayShort	KEYWORD2
 digitalWriteRGB	KEYWORD2
 display	KEYWORD2
 displayOff	KEYWORD2
diff --git a/src/Arduboy2.cpp b/src/Arduboy2.cpp
index 506823b..b96e2d1 100644
--- a/src/Arduboy2.cpp
+++ b/src/Arduboy2.cpp
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ void Arduboy2Base::begin()
 
   // wait for all buttons to be released
   do {
-    delay(50);
+    delayShort(50);
   } while (buttonsState());
 }
 
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ void Arduboy2Base::systemButtons()
     digitalWriteRGB(BLUE_LED, RGB_ON); // turn on blue LED
     sysCtrlSound(UP_BUTTON + B_BUTTON, GREEN_LED, 0xff);
     sysCtrlSound(DOWN_BUTTON + B_BUTTON, RED_LED, 0);
-    delay(200);
+    delayShort(200);
   }
 
   digitalWriteRGB(BLUE_LED, RGB_OFF); // turn off blue LED
@@ -87,10 +87,10 @@ void Arduboy2Base::sysCtrlSound(uint8_t buttons, uint8_t led, uint8_t eeVal)
 {
   if (pressed(buttons)) {
     digitalWriteRGB(BLUE_LED, RGB_OFF); // turn off blue LED
-    delay(200);
+    delayShort(200);
     digitalWriteRGB(led, RGB_ON); // turn on "acknowledge" LED
     EEPROM.update(EEPROM_AUDIO_ON_OFF, eeVal);
-    delay(500);
+    delayShort(500);
     digitalWriteRGB(led, RGB_OFF); // turn off "acknowledge" LED
 
     while (pressed(buttons)) { } // Wait for button release
@@ -161,15 +161,15 @@ void Arduboy2Base::bootLogoShell(void (*drawLogo)(int16_t))
     clear();
     (*drawLogo)(y); // call the function that actually draws the logo
     display();
-    delay(27);
+    delayShort(27);
     // longer delay post boot, we put it inside the loop to
     // save the flash calling clear/delay again outside the loop
     if (y==-16) {
-      delay(250);
+      delayShort(250);
     }
   }
 
-  delay(700);
+  delayShort(700);
   digitalWriteRGB(BLUE_LED, RGB_OFF);
 
   bootLogoExtra();
@@ -1087,15 +1087,15 @@ void Arduboy2::bootLogoText()
     cursor_y = y;
     print("ARDUBOY");
     display();
-    delay(27);
+    delayShort(27);
     // longer delay post boot, we put it inside the loop to
     // save the flash calling clear/delay again outside the loop
     if (y==-16) {
-      delay(250);
+      delayShort(250);
     }
   }
 
-  delay(750);
+  delayShort(700);
   digitalWriteRGB(BLUE_LED, RGB_OFF);
   textSize = 1;
 
@@ -1127,7 +1127,7 @@ void Arduboy2::bootLogoExtra()
     while (i < EEPROM_UNIT_NAME + ARDUBOY_UNIT_NAME_LEN);
 
     display();
-    delay(1000);
+    delayShort(1000);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/Arduboy2Core.cpp b/src/Arduboy2Core.cpp
index b9c6a82..44730f8 100644
--- a/src/Arduboy2Core.cpp
+++ b/src/Arduboy2Core.cpp
@@ -194,9 +194,9 @@ void Arduboy2Core::bootPins()
 void Arduboy2Core::bootOLED()
 {
   // reset the display
-  delay(5); // reset pin should be low here. let it stay low a while
+  delayShort(5); // reset pin should be low here. let it stay low a while
   bitSet(RST_PORT, RST_BIT); // set high to come out of reset
-  delay(5); // wait a while
+  delayShort(5); // wait a while
 
   // select the display (permanently, since nothing else is using SPI)
   bitClear(CS_PORT, CS_BIT);
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ void Arduboy2Core::displayOff()
   SPItransfer(0xAE); // display off
   SPItransfer(0x8D); // charge pump:
   SPItransfer(0x10); //   disable
-  delay(250);
+  delayShort(250);
   bitClear(RST_PORT, RST_BIT); // set display reset pin low (reset state)
 }
 
@@ -469,3 +469,10 @@ uint8_t Arduboy2Core::buttonsState()
 
   return buttons;
 }
+
+// delay in ms with 16 bit duration
+void Arduboy2Core::delayShort(uint16_t ms)
+{
+  delay((unsigned long) ms);
+}
+
diff --git a/src/Arduboy2Core.h b/src/Arduboy2Core.h
index 944c7aa..324ae15 100644
--- a/src/Arduboy2Core.h
+++ b/src/Arduboy2Core.h
@@ -676,6 +676,19 @@ class Arduboy2Core
      */
     void static safeMode();
 
+    /** \brief
+     * Delay for the number of milliseconds, specified as a 16 bit value.
+     *
+     * \param ms The delay in milliseconds.
+     *
+     * \details
+     * This function works the same as the Arduino `delay()` function except
+     * the provided value is 16 bits long, so the maximum delay allowed is
+     * 65535 milliseconds (about 65.5 seconds). Using this function instead
+     * of Arduino `delay()` will save a few bytes of code.
+     */
+    void static delayShort(uint16_t ms) __attribute__ ((noinline));
+
   protected:
     // internals
     void static setCPUSpeed8MHz();