diff --git a/packages/pdf.lua b/packages/pdf.lua
index 9de3fd2a5..4022b6d71 100644
--- a/packages/pdf.lua
+++ b/packages/pdf.lua
@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@ SILE.registerCommand("pdf:bookmark", function (options, _)
   -- European languages, we use UTF-16BE for internationalization.
   local ustr = SU.utf8_to_utf16be_hexencoded(title)
   SILE.typesetter:pushHbox({
-    value = nil, height = 0, width = 0, depth = 0,
+    value = nil,
+    height = SILE.measurement(0),
+    width = SILE.measurement(0),
+    depth = SILE.measurement(0),
     outputYourself = function ()
       local d = "<</Title<" .. ustr .. ">/A<</S/GoTo/D(" .. dest .. ")>>>>"
       SILE.outputters.libtexpdf._init()
@@ -50,9 +53,9 @@ end
 SILE.registerCommand("pdf:literal", function (_, content)
   SILE.typesetter:pushHbox({
       value = nil,
-      height = 0,
-      width = 0,
-      depth = 0,
+      height = SILE.measurement(0),
+      width = SILE.measurement(0),
+      depth = SILE.measurement(0),
       outputYourself = function (_, _, _)
         SILE.outputters.libtexpdf._init()
         pdf.add_content(content[1])
@@ -66,12 +69,12 @@ SILE.registerCommand("pdf:link", function (options, content)
   local llx, lly
   SILE.typesetter:pushHbox({
     value = nil,
-    height = 0,
-    width = 0,
-    depth = 0,
+    height = SILE.measurement(0),
+    width = SILE.measurement(0),
+    depth = SILE.measurement(0),
     outputYourself = function (_, typesetter, _)
-      llx = typesetter.frame.state.cursorX
-      lly = SILE.documentState.paperSize[2] - typesetter.frame.state.cursorY
+      llx = typesetter.frame.state.cursorX:tonumber()
+      lly = (SILE.documentState.paperSize[2] - typesetter.frame.state.cursorY):tonumber()
       SILE.outputters.libtexpdf._init()
       pdf.begin_annotation()
     end
@@ -81,12 +84,14 @@ SILE.registerCommand("pdf:link", function (options, content)
 
   SILE.typesetter:pushHbox({
     value = nil,
-    height = 0,
-    width = 0,
-    depth = 0,
+    height = SILE.measurement(0),
+    width = SILE.measurement(0),
+    depth = SILE.measurement(0),
     outputYourself = function (_, typesetter, _)
       local d = "<</Type/Annot/Subtype/Link/C [ 1 0 0 ]/A<<" .. target .. "(" .. dest .. ")>>>>"
-      pdf.end_annotation(d, llx, lly, typesetter.frame.state.cursorX, SILE.documentState.paperSize[2] -typesetter.frame.state.cursorY + hbox.height)
+      local x = typesetter.frame.state.cursorX:tonumber()
+      local y = (SILE.documentState.paperSize[2] - typesetter.frame.state.cursorY + hbox.height):tonumber()
+      pdf.end_annotation(d, llx, lly, x, y)
     end
   })
 end)
@@ -96,9 +101,9 @@ SILE.registerCommand("pdf:metadata", function (options, _)
   local val = SU.required(options, "val", "pdf:metadata")
   SILE.typesetter:pushHbox({
     value = nil,
-    height = 0,
-    width = 0,
-    depth = 0,
+    height = SILE.measurement(0),
+    width = SILE.measurement(0),
+    depth = SILE.measurement(0),
     outputYourself = function (_, _, _)
       SILE.outputter._init()
       pdf.metadata(key, val)
diff --git a/packages/ruby.lua b/packages/ruby.lua
index e30e017ce..9377dea36 100644
--- a/packages/ruby.lua
+++ b/packages/ruby.lua
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+-- Japaneese language support defines units which are useful here
+SILE.call("language", { main = "ja" }, {})
+
 SILE.registerCommand("ruby:font", function (_, _)
   SILE.call("font", { size = "0.6zw", weight = 800 })
 end)
diff --git a/packages/tate.lua b/packages/tate.lua
index 802492d8c..61b9cd465 100644
--- a/packages/tate.lua
+++ b/packages/tate.lua
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+-- Japaneese language support defines units which are useful here
+SILE.call("language", { main = "ja" }, {})
+
 SILE.tateFramePrototype = pl.class({
     _base = SILE.framePrototype,
     direction = "TTB-RTL",
@@ -37,7 +40,7 @@ local outputLatinInTate = function (self, typesetter, line)
   local vorigin = -typesetter.frame.state.cursorY
   self:oldOutputYourself(typesetter,line)
   typesetter.frame.state.cursorY = -vorigin
-  typesetter.frame:advanceWritingDirection(self:lineContribution().length)
+  typesetter.frame:advanceWritingDirection(self:lineContribution())
   -- My baseline moved
   typesetter.frame:advanceWritingDirection(SILE.measurement("0.5zw") )
   typesetter.frame:advancePageDirection(-SILE.measurement("0.25zw"))
@@ -46,9 +49,9 @@ end
 
 local outputTateChuYoko = function (self, typesetter, line)
   -- My baseline moved
-  local em = SILE.toPoints("1zw")
-  typesetter.frame:advanceWritingDirection(-(em) + em/4 - self:lineContribution()/2)
-  typesetter.frame:advancePageDirection(2*self.height - self.width.length/2)
+  local em = SILE.measurement("1zw")
+  typesetter.frame:advanceWritingDirection(-em + em/4 - self:lineContribution()/2)
+  typesetter.frame:advancePageDirection(2*self.height - self.width/2)
   self:oldOutputYourself(typesetter,line)
   typesetter.frame:advanceWritingDirection(-self:lineContribution()*1.5+self.height*3/4)