diff --git a/src/nostalgia/core/gba/gfx.cpp b/src/nostalgia/core/gba/gfx.cpp
index 91698ee6..3ef65965 100644
--- a/src/nostalgia/core/gba/gfx.cpp
+++ b/src/nostalgia/core/gba/gfx.cpp
@@ -164,28 +164,28 @@ ox::Error initConsole(Context *ctx) noexcept {
 
 ox::Error loadBgTileSheet(Context *ctx,
                           int section,
-                          ox::FileAddress tilesheetAddr,
-                          ox::FileAddress paletteAddr) noexcept {
+                          const ox::FileAddress &tilesheetAddr,
+                          const ox::FileAddress &paletteAddr) noexcept {
 	oxRequire(tsStat, ctx->rom->stat(tilesheetAddr));
 	oxRequire(ts, ctx->rom->directAccess(tilesheetAddr));
 	GbaTileMapTarget target;
 	target.pal.palette = &MEM_BG_PALETTE[section];
 	target.bgCtl = &bgCtl(section);
 	target.tileMap = &ox::bit_cast<uint16_t*>(MEM_BG_TILES)[section * 512];
-	oxReturnError(ox::readMC(ts, tsStat.size, &target));
+	oxReturnError(ox::readMC(ox::bit_cast<char*>(ts), tsStat.size, &target));
 	// load external palette if available
 	if (paletteAddr) {
 		oxRequire(palStat, ctx->rom->stat(paletteAddr));
 		oxRequire(pal, ctx->rom->directAccess(paletteAddr));
-		oxReturnError(ox::readMC(pal, palStat.size, &target.pal));
+		oxReturnError(ox::readMC(ox::bit_cast<char*>(pal), palStat.size, &target.pal));
 	}
 	return OxError(0);
 }
 
 ox::Error loadSpriteTileSheet(Context *ctx,
                               int section,
-                              ox::FileAddress tilesheetAddr,
-                              ox::FileAddress paletteAddr) noexcept {
+                              const ox::FileAddress &tilesheetAddr,
+                              const ox::FileAddress &paletteAddr) noexcept {
 	oxRequire(tsStat, ctx->rom->stat(tilesheetAddr));
 	oxRequire(ts, ctx->rom->directAccess(tilesheetAddr));
 	GbaTileMapTarget target;
@@ -193,31 +193,31 @@ ox::Error loadSpriteTileSheet(Context *ctx,
 	// Is this needed? Should this be written to an equivalent sprite value?
 	// target.bgCtl = &bgCtl(section);
 	target.tileMap = &ox::bit_cast<uint16_t*>(MEM_SPRITE_TILES)[section * 512];
-	oxReturnError(ox::readMC(ts, tsStat.size, &target));
+	oxReturnError(ox::readMC(ox::bit_cast<char*>(ts), tsStat.size, &target));
 	// load external palette if available
 	if (paletteAddr) {
 		oxRequire(palStat, ctx->rom->stat(paletteAddr));
 		oxRequire(pal, ctx->rom->directAccess(paletteAddr));
-		oxReturnError(ox::readMC(pal, palStat.size, &target.pal));
+		oxReturnError(ox::readMC(ox::bit_cast<char*>(pal), palStat.size, &target.pal));
 	}
 	return OxError(0);
 }
 
-ox::Error loadBgPalette(Context *ctx, int section, ox::FileAddress paletteAddr) noexcept {
+ox::Error loadBgPalette(Context *ctx, int section, const ox::FileAddress &paletteAddr) noexcept {
 	GbaPaletteTarget target;
 	target.palette = &MEM_BG_PALETTE[section];
 	oxRequire(palStat, ctx->rom->stat(paletteAddr));
 	oxRequire(pal, ctx->rom->directAccess(paletteAddr));
-	oxReturnError(ox::readMC(pal, palStat.size, &target));
+	oxReturnError(ox::readMC(ox::bit_cast<char*>(pal), palStat.size, &target));
 	return OxError(0);
 }
 
-ox::Error loadSpritePalette(Context *ctx, int section, ox::FileAddress paletteAddr) noexcept {
+ox::Error loadSpritePalette(Context *ctx, int section, const ox::FileAddress &paletteAddr) noexcept {
 	GbaPaletteTarget target;
 	target.palette = &MEM_SPRITE_PALETTE[section];
 	oxRequire(palStat, ctx->rom->stat(paletteAddr));
 	oxRequire(pal, ctx->rom->directAccess(paletteAddr));
-	oxReturnError(ox::readMC(pal, palStat.size, &target));
+	oxReturnError(ox::readMC(ox::bit_cast<char*>(pal), palStat.size, &target));
 	return OxError(0);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/nostalgia/core/gfx.hpp b/src/nostalgia/core/gfx.hpp
index 9f2ea706..80602b0a 100644
--- a/src/nostalgia/core/gfx.hpp
+++ b/src/nostalgia/core/gfx.hpp
@@ -99,12 +99,12 @@ ox::Error initConsole(Context *ctx) noexcept;
 /**
  * @param section describes which section of the selected TileSheetSpace to use (e.g. MEM_PALLETE_BG[section])
  */
-ox::Error loadBgTileSheet(Context *ctx, int section, ox::FileAddress tilesheet, ox::FileAddress palette = nullptr) noexcept;
+ox::Error loadBgTileSheet(Context *ctx, int section, const ox::FileAddress &tilesheet, const ox::FileAddress &palette = nullptr) noexcept;
 
 ox::Error loadSpriteTileSheet(Context *ctx,
                               int section,
-                              ox::FileAddress tilesheetAddr,
-                              ox::FileAddress paletteAddr) noexcept;
+                              const ox::FileAddress &tilesheetAddr,
+                              const ox::FileAddress &paletteAddr) noexcept;
 
 void puts(Context *ctx, int column, int row, const char *str) noexcept;
 
diff --git a/src/nostalgia/core/userland/gfx.cpp b/src/nostalgia/core/userland/gfx.cpp
index e94c8831..e432257f 100644
--- a/src/nostalgia/core/userland/gfx.cpp
+++ b/src/nostalgia/core/userland/gfx.cpp
@@ -29,20 +29,17 @@ ox::Error initConsole(Context *ctx) noexcept {
 
 ox::Error loadSpriteTileSheet(Context*,
                               int,
-                              ox::FileAddress,
-                              ox::FileAddress) noexcept {
+                              const ox::FileAddress&,
+                              const ox::FileAddress&) noexcept {
 	return OxError(0);
 }
 
 ox::Error loadBgTileSheet(Context *ctx,
                           int section,
-                          ox::FileAddress tilesheetPath,
-                          ox::FileAddress palettePath) noexcept {
+                          const ox::FileAddress &tilesheetPath,
+                          const ox::FileAddress &palettePath) noexcept {
 	oxRequire(tilesheet, readObj<NostalgiaGraphic>(ctx, tilesheetPath));
-	if (!palettePath) {
-		palettePath = tilesheet.defaultPalette;
-	}
-	oxRequire(palette, readObj<NostalgiaPalette>(ctx, palettePath));
+	oxRequire(palette, readObj<NostalgiaPalette>(ctx, palettePath ? palettePath : tilesheet.defaultPalette));
 	const unsigned bytesPerTile = tilesheet.bpp == 8 ? 64 : 32;
 	const auto tiles = tilesheet.pixels.size() / bytesPerTile;
 	constexpr int width = 8;