diff --git a/direct/src/gui/Button.py b/direct/src/gui/Button.py
index 044ed15ca0..2709161be1 100644
--- a/direct/src/gui/Button.py
+++ b/direct/src/gui/Button.py
@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
 from ShowBaseGlobal import *
 from DirectObject import *
 from GuiGlobals import *
-import GuiManager
 import GuiLabel
 import GuiButton
 
-guiMgr = GuiManager.GuiManager.getPtr(base.win, base.mak.node(), base.renderGui.node())
 
 class Button(DirectObject):
 
diff --git a/direct/src/gui/Frame.py b/direct/src/gui/Frame.py
index 22a41c6b40..bbda318098 100644
--- a/direct/src/gui/Frame.py
+++ b/direct/src/gui/Frame.py
@@ -1,12 +1,9 @@
 from ShowBaseGlobal import *
 from DirectObject import *
-import GuiManager
+from GuiGlobals import *
 import GuiFrame
 import Vec3
 
-guiMgr = GuiManager.GuiManager.getPtr(base.win, base.mak.node(), base.renderGui.node())
-font = (loader.loadModelOnce("phase_3/models/fonts/ttf-comic")).node()
-
 class Frame(DirectObject):
 
     # special methods
diff --git a/direct/src/gui/GuiGlobals.py b/direct/src/gui/GuiGlobals.py
index 5633a1d5c7..da3379cf35 100644
--- a/direct/src/gui/GuiGlobals.py
+++ b/direct/src/gui/GuiGlobals.py
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 # GuiGlobals.py : global info for the gui package
 
 from ShowBaseGlobal import *
+import GuiManager
+
+guiMgr = GuiManager.GuiManager.getPtr(base.win, base.mak.node(),
+                                      base.renderGui.node())
 
 font = loader.loadModelNode("models/fonts/ttf-comic")
 
@@ -10,3 +14,4 @@ def getDefaultFont():
 def setDefaultFont(newFont):
     global font
     font = newFont
+
diff --git a/direct/src/gui/OnscreenText.py b/direct/src/gui/OnscreenText.py
index 58009083b9..674ac55b44 100644
--- a/direct/src/gui/OnscreenText.py
+++ b/direct/src/gui/OnscreenText.py
@@ -38,10 +38,9 @@ class OnscreenText(PandaObject, NodePath):
         self.assign(textNodePath)
 
         # position ourselves
-        self.setXY(x, y)
+        self.setPos(x, y)
 
-        # assume 4:3 aspect ratio
-        self.setScale( 0.069, 1.0, 0.069)
+        self.setScale(0.069)
 	self.isClean = 0
 	return None
 
@@ -66,13 +65,19 @@ class OnscreenText(PandaObject, NodePath):
         """
         self.node().setText(string)
 
-
-    def setXY(self, x, y):
+    def setScale(self, scale):
+        """setScale(self, float)
+        Override NodePath setScale to account for aspect ratio
+        """
+        # assume 4:3 aspect ratio
+        NodePath.setScale(self, scale, 1.0, scale * (4.0/3.0))
+        
+    def setPos(self, x, y):
         """setPos(self, float, float)
         Position the onscreen text in 2d screen space
         """
         # render2d has x across and z up
-        self.setPos(x, 0.0, y)
+        NodePath.setPos(self, x, 0.0, y)
 
     def setColor(self, color):
         self.textNode.setCardColor(color[0],color[1],color[2],color[3])
diff --git a/direct/src/gui/Sign.py b/direct/src/gui/Sign.py
index b82be742fb..64536944ee 100644
--- a/direct/src/gui/Sign.py
+++ b/direct/src/gui/Sign.py
@@ -2,11 +2,8 @@ from ShowBaseGlobal import *
 from DirectObject import *
 from GuiGlobals import *
 import GuiSign
-import GuiManager
 import GuiLabel
 
-guiMgr = GuiManager.GuiManager.getPtr(base.win, base.mak.node(), base.renderGui.node())
-
 class Sign(DirectObject):
 
     def __init__(self, name, label=None, font=getDefaultFont()):