diff --git a/api_drivers/common_api_drivers/display/st7796/_st7796_init.py b/api_drivers/common_api_drivers/display/st7796/_st7796_init.py
index ffb7b5e0..253d0b17 100644
--- a/api_drivers/common_api_drivers/display/st7796/_st7796_init.py
+++ b/api_drivers/common_api_drivers/display/st7796/_st7796_init.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 _VCMPCTL = const(0xC5)
 _PGC = const(0xE0)
 _NGC = const(0xE1)
+_INVON = const(0x21)
 _DISPON = const(0x29)
 
 _EM = const(0xB7)
@@ -118,6 +119,10 @@ def init(self):
 
     time.sleep_ms(120)  # NOQA
 
+    # IPS panels are normally-inverted: without INVON the whole display
+    # renders in negative. The st7789 init does the same.
+    self.set_params(_INVON)
+
     self.set_params(_DISPON)
 
     time.sleep_ms(120)  # NOQA