diff --git a/stepmania/src/HelpDisplay.cpp b/stepmania/src/HelpDisplay.cpp
index 17c1d3b9be..4a9fbb6a7e 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/HelpDisplay.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/HelpDisplay.cpp
@@ -11,24 +11,13 @@ HelpDisplay::HelpDisplay()
 {
 	m_iCurTipIndex = 0;
 	m_fSecsUntilSwitch = 0;
+	m_fSecsBetweenSwitches = 1;
 }
 
 void HelpDisplay::Load( const RString &sType )
 {
-	TIP_SHOW_TIME.Load( sType, "TipShowTime" );
-
 	RunCommands( THEME->GetMetricA(sType,"TipOnCommand") );
-
-	LoadFromFont( THEME->GetPathF(sType,"text") );
-	
-	m_fSecsUntilSwitch = TIP_SHOW_TIME;
-}
-
-void HelpDisplay::LoadFromNode( const RString& sDir, const XNode* pNode )
-{
-	BitmapText::LoadFromNode( sDir, pNode );
-
-	Load( m_sName );
+	m_fSecsUntilSwitch = THEME->GetMetricF(sType,"TipShowTime");
 }
 
 void HelpDisplay::SetTips( const vector<RString> &arrayTips, const vector<RString> &arrayTipsAlt )
@@ -63,7 +52,7 @@ void HelpDisplay::Update( float fDeltaTime )
 		return;
 
 	// time to switch states
-	m_fSecsUntilSwitch = TIP_SHOW_TIME;
+	m_fSecsUntilSwitch = m_fSecsBetweenSwitches;
 	SetText( m_arrayTips[m_iCurTipIndex], m_arrayTipsAlt[m_iCurTipIndex] );
 	m_iCurTipIndex++;
 	m_iCurTipIndex = m_iCurTipIndex % m_arrayTips.size();
@@ -114,11 +103,12 @@ public:
 
 		return 2;
 	}
-
+	static int setsecsbetweenswitches( T* p, lua_State *L ) { p->SetSecsBetweenSwitches( FArg(1) ); return 0; }
 	static void Register(lua_State *L) 
 	{
 		ADD_METHOD( settips );
 		ADD_METHOD( gettips );
+		ADD_METHOD( setsecsbetweenswitches );
 
 		Luna<T>::Register( L );
 	}
diff --git a/stepmania/src/HelpDisplay.h b/stepmania/src/HelpDisplay.h
index a2f483eec9..44a9f31295 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/HelpDisplay.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/HelpDisplay.h
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 #define HELP_DISPLAY_H
 
 #include "BitmapText.h"
-#include "ThemeMetric.h"
 #include "MessageManager.h"
 
 struct lua_State;
@@ -15,12 +14,12 @@ public:
 	HelpDisplay();
 	void Load( const RString &sType );
 
-	void LoadFromNode( const RString& sDir, const XNode* pNode );
 	virtual Actor *Copy() const;
 
 	void SetTips( const vector<RString> &arrayTips ) { SetTips( arrayTips, arrayTips ); }
 	void SetTips( const vector<RString> &arrayTips, const vector<RString> &arrayTipsAlt );
 	void GetTips( vector<RString> &arrayTipsOut, vector<RString> &arrayTipsAltOut ) const { arrayTipsOut = m_arrayTips; arrayTipsAltOut = m_arrayTipsAlt; }
+	void SetSecsBetweenSwitches( float fSeconds ) { m_fSecsBetweenSwitches = m_fSecsUntilSwitch = fSeconds; }
 
 	virtual void Update( float fDeltaTime );
 
@@ -28,11 +27,10 @@ public:
 	virtual void PushSelf( lua_State *L );
 
 protected:
-	ThemeMetric<float> TIP_SHOW_TIME;
-
 	vector<RString> m_arrayTips, m_arrayTipsAlt;
 	int m_iCurTipIndex;
 	
+	float m_fSecsBetweenSwitches;
 	float m_fSecsUntilSwitch;
 };
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.cpp
index c91d360528..0d4d151459 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.cpp
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ void ScreenWithMenuElements::Init()
 
 	m_textHelp->SetName( "Help" );
 	m_textHelp->Load( "HelpDisplay" );
+	m_textHelp->LoadFromFont( THEME->GetPathF("HelpDisplay","text") );
 	SET_XY( m_textHelp );
 	LoadHelpText();
 	this->AddChild( m_textHelp );