diff --git a/src/applets/cpu.c b/src/applets/cpu.c
index 3b22aa4..64337f1 100644
--- a/src/applets/cpu.c
+++ b/src/applets/cpu.c
@@ -194,8 +194,11 @@ static gboolean _cpu_get(CPU * cpu, gdouble * level)
 /* cpu_set */
 static void _cpu_set(CPU * cpu, gdouble level)
 {
-#if GTK_CHECK_VERSION(3, 6, 0)
+#if GTK_CHECK_VERSION(3, 8, 0)
 	gtk_level_bar_set_value(GTK_LEVEL_BAR(cpu->scale), level);
+#elif GTK_CHECK_VERSION(3, 6, 0)
+	/* invert the value ourselves */
+	gtk_level_bar_set_value(GTK_LEVEL_BAR(cpu->scale), 100.0 - level);
 #else
 	gtk_range_set_value(GTK_RANGE(cpu->scale), level);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/applets/memory.c b/src/applets/memory.c
index 575a7df..776be43 100644
--- a/src/applets/memory.c
+++ b/src/applets/memory.c
@@ -151,8 +151,11 @@ static void _memory_destroy(Memory * memory)
 /* memory_set */
 static void _memory_set(Memory * memory, gdouble level)
 {
-#if GTK_CHECK_VERSION(3, 6, 0)
+#if GTK_CHECK_VERSION(3, 8, 0)
 	gtk_level_bar_set_value(GTK_LEVEL_BAR(memory->scale), level);
+#elif GTK_CHECK_VERSION(3, 6, 0)
+	/* invert the value ourselves */
+	gtk_level_bar_set_value(GTK_LEVEL_BAR(memory->scale), 100.0 - level);
 #else
 	gtk_range_set_value(GTK_RANGE(memory->scale), level);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/applets/swap.c b/src/applets/swap.c
index 01c62b3..c7aa0c1 100644
--- a/src/applets/swap.c
+++ b/src/applets/swap.c
@@ -137,8 +137,11 @@ static void _swap_destroy(Swap * swap)
 /* accessors */
 static void _swap_set(Swap * swap, gdouble level)
 {
-#if GTK_CHECK_VERSION(3, 6, 0)
+#if GTK_CHECK_VERSION(3, 8, 0)
 	gtk_level_bar_set_value(GTK_LEVEL_BAR(swap->scale), level);
+#elif GTK_CHECK_VERSION(3, 6, 0)
+	/* invert the value ourselves */
+	gtk_level_bar_set_value(GTK_LEVEL_BAR(swap->scale), 100.0 - level);
 #else
 	gtk_range_set_value(GTK_RANGE(swap->scale), level);
 #endif