diff --git a/apps/gui/skin_engine/skin_parser.c b/apps/gui/skin_engine/skin_parser.c
index 3b83d9e199..4e4b9d14d2 100644
--- a/apps/gui/skin_engine/skin_parser.c
+++ b/apps/gui/skin_engine/skin_parser.c
@@ -387,19 +387,30 @@ static int parse_image_load(struct skin_element *element,
 {
     const char* filename;
     const char* id;
-    int x,y;
+    int x = 0,y = 0, subimages = 1;
     struct gui_img *img;
 
-    /* format: %x(n,filename.bmp,x,y)
-       or %xl(n,filename.bmp,x,y)
-       or %xl(n,filename.bmp,x,y,num_subimages)
+    /* format: %x(n,filename.bmp[,x,y])
+       or %xl(n,filename.bmp[,x,y])
+       or %xl(n,filename.bmp[,x,y,num_subimages])
     */
 
     id = get_param_text(element, 0);
     filename = get_param_text(element, 1);
-    x = get_param(element, 2)->data.number;
-    y = get_param(element, 3)->data.number;
-
+    /* x,y,num_subimages handling:
+     * If all 3 are left out use sane defaults.
+     * If there are 2 params it must be x,y
+     * if there is only 1 param it must be the num_subimages
+     */
+    if (element->params_count == 3)
+        subimages = get_param(element, 2)->data.number;
+    else if (element->params_count > 3)
+    {
+        x = get_param(element, 2)->data.number;
+        y = get_param(element, 3)->data.number;
+        if (element->params_count == 5)
+            subimages = get_param(element, 4)->data.number;
+    }
     /* check the image number and load state */
     if(skin_find_item(id, SKIN_FIND_IMAGE, wps_data))
     {
@@ -414,7 +425,7 @@ static int parse_image_load(struct skin_element *element,
     img->label = PTRTOSKINOFFSET(skin_buffer, (void*)id);
     img->x = x;
     img->y = y;
-    img->num_subimages = 1;
+    img->num_subimages = subimages;
     img->display = -1;
     img->using_preloaded_icons = false;
     img->buflib_handle = -1;
@@ -423,15 +434,7 @@ static int parse_image_load(struct skin_element *element,
     img->vp = PTRTOSKINOFFSET(skin_buffer, &curr_vp->vp);
 
     if (token->type == SKIN_TOKEN_IMAGE_DISPLAY)
-    {
         token->value.data = PTRTOSKINOFFSET(skin_buffer, img);
-    }
-    else if (element->params_count == 5)
-    {
-        img->num_subimages = get_param(element, 4)->data.number;
-        if (img->num_subimages <= 0)
-            return WPS_ERROR_INVALID_PARAM;
-    }
 
     if (!strcmp(img->bm.data, "__list_icons__"))
     {
diff --git a/lib/skin_parser/tag_table.c b/lib/skin_parser/tag_table.c
index e4b8bb1bf9..47a0abb046 100644
--- a/lib/skin_parser/tag_table.c
+++ b/lib/skin_parser/tag_table.c
@@ -176,9 +176,9 @@ static const struct tag_info legal_tags[] =
     { SKIN_TOKEN_DISABLE_THEME,         "wd", "", 0|NOBREAK },
     { SKIN_TOKEN_DRAW_INBUILTBAR,       "wi", "", SKIN_REFRESH_STATIC|NOBREAK },
     
-    { SKIN_TOKEN_IMAGE_PRELOAD,         "xl", "SFII|I", 0|NOBREAK },
+    { SKIN_TOKEN_IMAGE_PRELOAD,         "xl", "SF|III", 0|NOBREAK },
     { SKIN_TOKEN_IMAGE_PRELOAD_DISPLAY, "xd", "S|[IT]I", 0 },
-    { SKIN_TOKEN_IMAGE_DISPLAY,         "x", "SFII", SKIN_REFRESH_STATIC|NOBREAK },
+    { SKIN_TOKEN_IMAGE_DISPLAY,         "x", "SF|II", SKIN_REFRESH_STATIC|NOBREAK },
     
     { SKIN_TOKEN_LOAD_FONT,             "Fl" , "IF|I", 0|NOBREAK },
     { SKIN_TOKEN_ALBUMART_LOAD,         "Cl" , "IIII|ss", 0|NOBREAK },
diff --git a/manual/appendix/wps_tags.tex b/manual/appendix/wps_tags.tex
index 5890e20e93..baea29a516 100644
--- a/manual/appendix/wps_tags.tex
+++ b/manual/appendix/wps_tags.tex
@@ -369,19 +369,19 @@ Examples:
         & Load and set a backdrop image for the WPS.
           This image must be exactly the same size as your LCD.\\
     }%
-    \config{\%x(n,filename,x,y)}
+    \config{\%x(n,filename[,x,y])}
         & Load and display an image\newline
           \config{n}: image ID (a-z and A-Z) for later referencing in \config{\%xd}\newline
           \config{filename}: file name relative to \fname{/.rockbox/} and including ``.bmp''\newline
-          \config{x}: x coordinate\newline
-          \config{y}: y coordinate.\\
-    \config{\%xl(n,filename,x,y,\tabnlindent[nimages])}
+          \config{x}: x coordinate (defaults to 0 if both x and y are not specified)\newline
+          \config{y}: y coordinate. (defaults to 0 if both x and y are not specified)\\
+    \config{\%xl(n,filename,[x,y],\tabnlindent[nimages])}
         & Preload an image for later display (useful for when your images are displayed conditionally).\newline
           \config{n}: image ID (a-z and A-Z) for later referencing in \config{\%xd}\newline
           \config{filename}: file name relative to \fname{/.rockbox/} and including ``.bmp''\newline
             If the filename is ``\_\_list\_icons\_\_'' the list icon bitmap will be used instead\newline
-          \config{x}: x coordinate\newline
-          \config{y}: y coordinate\newline
+          \config{x}: x coordinate (defaults to 0 if both x and y are not specified)\newline
+          \config{y}: y coordinate. (defaults to 0 if both x and y are not specified)\\
           \config{nimages}: (optional) number of sub-images (tiled vertically, of the same height)
           contained in the bitmap. Default is 1.\\
     \config{\%xd(n[i] [,tag] [,offset])} & Display a preloaded image.