diff --git a/BizHawk.MultiClient/DisplayManager/DisplayManager.cs b/BizHawk.MultiClient/DisplayManager/DisplayManager.cs
index 0487c5ce8a..affab160a6 100644
--- a/BizHawk.MultiClient/DisplayManager/DisplayManager.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.MultiClient/DisplayManager/DisplayManager.cs
@@ -285,8 +285,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 	{
 		public string FPS { get; set; }
 		public string MT { get; set; }
-		IBlitterFont MessageFont;
-		IBlitterFont AlertFont;
+		public IBlitterFont MessageFont;
+		public IBlitterFont AlertFont;
 		public void Dispose()
 		{
 
diff --git a/BizHawk.MultiClient/LuaImplementation.cs b/BizHawk.MultiClient/LuaImplementation.cs
index c060a8ec1f..329e1f47c0 100644
--- a/BizHawk.MultiClient/LuaImplementation.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.MultiClient/LuaImplementation.cs
@@ -362,6 +362,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 		                                      		"drawIcon",
 		                                      		"drawImage",
 													"addmessage",
+													"drawText",
+													"drawString",
 		                                      	};
 
 		public static string[] EmuFunctions = new string[]
@@ -792,6 +794,65 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 			}
 		}
 
+		public void gui_drawString(object message, object X, object Y, object color = null, object fontsize = null, object fontfamily = null, object fontstyle = null)
+		{
+			gui_drawString(message, X, Y, color, fontsize, fontfamily, fontstyle);
+		}
+
+		public void gui_drawText(object message, object X, object Y, object color = null, object fontsize = null, object fontfamily = null, object fontstyle = null)
+		{
+			using (var g = GetGraphics())
+			{
+				float x = LuaInt(X) + 0.1F;
+				try
+				{
+					int fsize = 12;
+					if (fontsize != null)
+					{
+						fsize = LuaInt(fontsize);
+					}
+
+					FontFamily family = FontFamily.GenericMonospace;
+					if (fontfamily != null)
+					{
+						family = new FontFamily(fontfamily.ToString());
+					}
+
+					FontStyle fstyle = FontStyle.Regular;
+					if (fontstyle != null)
+					{
+						string tmp = fontstyle.ToString().ToLower();
+						switch (tmp)
+						{
+							default:
+							case "regular":
+								break;
+							case "bold":
+								fstyle = FontStyle.Bold;
+								break;
+							case "italic":
+								fstyle = FontStyle.Italic;
+								break;
+							case "strikethrough":
+								fstyle = FontStyle.Strikeout;
+								break;
+							case "underline":
+								fstyle = FontStyle.Underline;
+								break;
+						}
+					}
+
+
+					Font font = new System.Drawing.Font(family, fsize, fstyle, GraphicsUnit.Pixel);
+					g.DrawString(message.ToString(), font, GetBrush(color ?? "white"), LuaInt(X), LuaInt(Y));
+				}
+				catch (Exception)
+				{
+					return;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
 		public void gui_drawPixel(object X, object Y, object color = null)
 		{
 			using (var g = GetGraphics())