diff --git a/src/common.c b/src/common.c
index 3fb70417..f1bffcb4 100644
--- a/src/common.c
+++ b/src/common.c
@@ -511,11 +511,11 @@ uint8_t mem_percentage(struct text_object *obj)
 	return (info.memmax ? round_to_int(info.mem * 100 / info.memmax) : 0);
 }
 
-uint8_t mem_barval(struct text_object *obj)
+double mem_barval(struct text_object *obj)
 {
 	(void)obj;
 
-	return round_to_int(info.memmax ? (info.mem * 255 / info.memmax) : 0);
+	return info.memmax ? ((double)info.mem / info.memmax) : 0;
 }
 
 uint8_t swap_percentage(struct text_object *obj)
diff --git a/src/common.h b/src/common.h
index 06e8f273..cef49295 100644
--- a/src/common.h
+++ b/src/common.h
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ void print_swap(struct text_object *, char *, int);
 void print_swapfree(struct text_object *, char *, int);
 void print_swapmax(struct text_object *, char *, int);
 uint8_t mem_percentage(struct text_object *);
-uint8_t mem_barval(struct text_object *);
+double mem_barval(struct text_object *);
 uint8_t swap_percentage(struct text_object *);
 uint8_t swap_barval(struct text_object *);
 
diff --git a/src/core.c b/src/core.c
index b6d84a3b..a6f5749b 100644
--- a/src/core.c
+++ b/src/core.c
@@ -812,15 +812,15 @@ struct text_object *construct_text_object(const char *s, const char *arg, long
 	END OBJ(memperc, &update_meminfo)
 		obj->callbacks.percentage = &mem_percentage;
 	END OBJ(memgauge, &update_meminfo)
-		scan_gauge(obj, arg, 255);
+		scan_gauge(obj, arg, 1);
 		obj->callbacks.gaugeval = &mem_barval;
 	END OBJ(membar, &update_meminfo)
-		scan_bar(obj, arg, 255);
+		scan_bar(obj, arg, 1);
 		obj->callbacks.barval = &mem_barval;
 #ifdef X11
 	END OBJ(memgraph, &update_meminfo)
 		char *buf = 0;
-		buf = scan_graph(obj, arg, 255);
+		buf = scan_graph(obj, arg, 1);
 
 		if (buf) free(buf);
 		obj->callbacks.graphval = &mem_barval;