diff --git a/octoprint_hd44780/__init__.py b/octoprint_hd44780/__init__.py
index 1a02b0a..0b7b9a6 100644
--- a/octoprint_hd44780/__init__.py
+++ b/octoprint_hd44780/__init__.py
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ class LCD_HD44780(octoprint.plugin.StartupPlugin,
         if self._lcd_updating:
             return
 
+        bytes_per_send_cycle = int(self.cols*(self.rows/2))
+
         self._lcd_updating = True
 
         line1 = self._line1.ljust(self.cols, ' ')
@@ -122,12 +124,12 @@ class LCD_HD44780(octoprint.plugin.StartupPlugin,
 
         message = line1 + line3
         self._lcd_send_byte(self._lcd_line1, self._lcd_cmd)
-        for i in range(self.cols*self.rows/2):
+        for i in range(bytes_per_send_cycle):
             self._lcd_send_byte(ord(message[i]), self._lcd_chr)
 
         message = line2 + line4
         self._lcd_send_byte(self._lcd_line2, self._lcd_cmd)
-        for i in range(self.cols*self.rows/2):
+        for i in range(bytes_per_send_cycle):
             self._lcd_send_byte(ord(message[i]), self._lcd_chr)
 
         self._lcd_updating = False