diff --git a/code/modules/buildmode/buildmode.dm b/code/modules/buildmode/buildmode.dm
index 3c91dc49a4b..7f43f20c934 100644
--- a/code/modules/buildmode/buildmode.dm
+++ b/code/modules/buildmode/buildmode.dm
@@ -49,8 +49,9 @@
 		var/x = pos_idx % switch_width
 		var/y = FLOOR(pos_idx / switch_width, 1)
 		var/obj/screen/buildmode/B = new buttontype(src, thing)
-		// extra .5 for a nice offset look
-		B.screen_loc = "NORTH-[(1 + 0.5 + y*1.5)],WEST+[0.5 + x*1.5]"
+		// this stuff is equivalent to the commented out line for 511 compat
+		// B.screen_loc = "NORTH-[(1 + 0.5 + y*1.5)],WEST+[0.5 + x*1.5]"
+		B.screen_loc = "NORTH-[1 + FLOOR(0.5 + 1.5*y, 1) + ((y + 1) % 2)]:[16*((y + 1) % 2)],WEST+[FLOOR(0.5 + 1.5*x, 1)]:[16*((x + 1) % 2)]"
 		buttonslist += B
 		pos_idx++