diff --git a/docs/library/framebuf.rst b/docs/library/framebuf.rst
index e2a231207d673..dfed26b042e43 100644
--- a/docs/library/framebuf.rst
+++ b/docs/library/framebuf.rst
@@ -192,7 +192,20 @@ Constants
 
 .. data:: framebuf.RGB565
 
-    Red Green Blue (16-bit, 5+6+5) color format
+    Red Green Blue (16-bit, 5+6+5, native) color format in native byte-order.
+
+.. data:: framebuf.RGB565_LE
+
+    Red Green Blue (16-bit, 5+6+5, little-endian) color format in little-endian
+    byte order.  This defines a 16-bit format where the bytes are stored in
+    little-endian order. If the system is little-endian, this is the same as
+    ``RGB565``.
+
+.. data:: framebuf.RGB565_BE
+
+    Red Green Blue (16-bit, 5+6+5, big-endian) color format in big-endian byte
+    order.  This defines a 16-bit format where the bytes are stored in
+    big-endian order. If the system is big-endian, this is the same as ``RGB565``.
 
 .. data:: framebuf.GS2_HMSB
 
diff --git a/examples/natmod/framebuf/framebuf.c b/examples/natmod/framebuf/framebuf.c
index 5fd7c6be3a456..e05799d1eb389 100644
--- a/examples/natmod/framebuf/framebuf.c
+++ b/examples/natmod/framebuf/framebuf.c
@@ -44,6 +44,13 @@ mp_obj_t mpy_init(mp_obj_fun_bc_t *self, size_t n_args, size_t n_kw, mp_obj_t *a
     mp_store_global(MP_QSTR_MVLSB, MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(FRAMEBUF_MVLSB));
     mp_store_global(MP_QSTR_MONO_VLSB, MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(FRAMEBUF_MVLSB));
     mp_store_global(MP_QSTR_RGB565, MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(FRAMEBUF_RGB565));
+    #if MP_ENDIANNESS_LITTLE
+    mp_store_global(MP_QSTR_RGB565_LE, MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(FRAMEBUF_RGB565));
+    mp_store_global(MP_QSTR_RGB565_BE, MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(FRAMEBUF_RGB565_BS));
+    #else
+    mp_store_global(MP_QSTR_RGB565_BE, MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(FRAMEBUF_RGB565));
+    mp_store_global(MP_QSTR_RGB565_LE, MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(FRAMEBUF_RGB565_BS));
+    #endif
     mp_store_global(MP_QSTR_GS2_HMSB, MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(FRAMEBUF_GS2_HMSB));
     mp_store_global(MP_QSTR_GS4_HMSB, MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(FRAMEBUF_GS4_HMSB));
     mp_store_global(MP_QSTR_GS8, MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(FRAMEBUF_GS8));
diff --git a/extmod/modframebuf.c b/extmod/modframebuf.c
index 593125aa16f91..be80000c3550f 100644
--- a/extmod/modframebuf.c
+++ b/extmod/modframebuf.c
@@ -57,13 +57,14 @@ typedef struct _mp_framebuf_p_t {
 } mp_framebuf_p_t;
 
 // constants for formats
-#define FRAMEBUF_MVLSB    (0)
-#define FRAMEBUF_RGB565   (1)
-#define FRAMEBUF_GS2_HMSB (5)
-#define FRAMEBUF_GS4_HMSB (2)
-#define FRAMEBUF_GS8      (6)
-#define FRAMEBUF_MHLSB    (3)
-#define FRAMEBUF_MHMSB    (4)
+#define FRAMEBUF_MVLSB     (0)
+#define FRAMEBUF_RGB565    (1)
+#define FRAMEBUF_RGB565_BS (7)
+#define FRAMEBUF_GS2_HMSB  (5)
+#define FRAMEBUF_GS4_HMSB  (2)
+#define FRAMEBUF_GS8       (6)
+#define FRAMEBUF_MHLSB     (3)
+#define FRAMEBUF_MHMSB     (4)
 
 // Functions for MHLSB and MHMSB
 
@@ -117,7 +118,10 @@ static void mvlsb_fill_rect(const mp_obj_framebuf_t *fb, unsigned int x, unsigne
     }
 }
 
-// Functions for RGB565 format
+// Functions for RGB565 and RGB565_BS format
+//
+// Internally we use 'native' and 'byte-swapped' formats, and then expose those as big- or little-
+// endian to Python as appropriate.
 
 static void rgb565_setpixel(const mp_obj_framebuf_t *fb, unsigned int x, unsigned int y, uint32_t col) {
     ((uint16_t *)fb->buf)[x + y * fb->stride] = col;
@@ -127,7 +131,20 @@ static uint32_t rgb565_getpixel(const mp_obj_framebuf_t *fb, unsigned int x, uns
     return ((uint16_t *)fb->buf)[x + y * fb->stride];
 }
 
+static void rgb565_bs_setpixel(const mp_obj_framebuf_t *fb, unsigned int x, unsigned int y, uint32_t col) {
+    col = __builtin_bswap16(col);
+    ((uint16_t *)fb->buf)[x + y * fb->stride] = col;
+}
+
+static uint32_t rgb565_bs_getpixel(const mp_obj_framebuf_t *fb, unsigned int x, unsigned int y) {
+    uint32_t col = ((uint16_t *)fb->buf)[x + y * fb->stride];
+    return __builtin_bswap16(col);
+}
+
 static void rgb565_fill_rect(const mp_obj_framebuf_t *fb, unsigned int x, unsigned int y, unsigned int w, unsigned int h, uint32_t col) {
+    if (fb->format == FRAMEBUF_RGB565_BS) {
+        col = __builtin_bswap16(col);
+    }
     uint16_t *b = &((uint16_t *)fb->buf)[x + y * fb->stride];
     while (h--) {
         for (unsigned int ww = w; ww; --ww) {
@@ -234,6 +251,7 @@ static void gs8_fill_rect(const mp_obj_framebuf_t *fb, unsigned int x, unsigned
 static mp_framebuf_p_t formats[] = {
     [FRAMEBUF_MVLSB] = {mvlsb_setpixel, mvlsb_getpixel, mvlsb_fill_rect},
     [FRAMEBUF_RGB565] = {rgb565_setpixel, rgb565_getpixel, rgb565_fill_rect},
+    [FRAMEBUF_RGB565_BS] = {rgb565_bs_setpixel, rgb565_bs_getpixel, rgb565_fill_rect},
     [FRAMEBUF_GS2_HMSB] = {gs2_hmsb_setpixel, gs2_hmsb_getpixel, gs2_hmsb_fill_rect},
     [FRAMEBUF_GS4_HMSB] = {gs4_hmsb_setpixel, gs4_hmsb_getpixel, gs4_hmsb_fill_rect},
     [FRAMEBUF_GS8] = {gs8_setpixel, gs8_getpixel, gs8_fill_rect},
@@ -310,6 +328,7 @@ static mp_obj_t framebuf_make_new_helper(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *args_in,
             bpp = 8;
             break;
         case FRAMEBUF_RGB565:
+        case FRAMEBUF_RGB565_BS:
             bpp = 16;
             break;
         default:
@@ -909,6 +928,13 @@ static const mp_rom_map_elem_t framebuf_module_globals_table[] = {
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_MVLSB), MP_ROM_INT(FRAMEBUF_MVLSB) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_MONO_VLSB), MP_ROM_INT(FRAMEBUF_MVLSB) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_RGB565), MP_ROM_INT(FRAMEBUF_RGB565) },
+    #if MP_ENDIANNESS_LITTLE
+    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_RGB565_LE), MP_ROM_INT(FRAMEBUF_RGB565) },
+    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_RGB565_BE), MP_ROM_INT(FRAMEBUF_RGB565_BS) },
+    #elif MP_ENDIANNESS_BIG
+    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_RGB565_BE), MP_ROM_INT(FRAMEBUF_RGB565) },
+    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_RGB565_LE), MP_ROM_INT(FRAMEBUF_RGB565_BS) },
+    #endif // MP_ENDIANNESS_...
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_GS2_HMSB), MP_ROM_INT(FRAMEBUF_GS2_HMSB) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_GS4_HMSB), MP_ROM_INT(FRAMEBUF_GS4_HMSB) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_GS8), MP_ROM_INT(FRAMEBUF_GS8) },
diff --git a/tests/extmod/framebuf16.py b/tests/extmod/framebuf16.py
index 9f373c331e51f..7d4c21ff9ada3 100644
--- a/tests/extmod/framebuf16.py
+++ b/tests/extmod/framebuf16.py
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@
     print("SKIP")
     raise SystemExit
 
-# This test and its .exp file is based on a little-endian architecture.
-if sys.byteorder != "little":
-    print("SKIP")
-    raise SystemExit
+if (sys.byteorder == "little" and framebuf.RGB565 == framebuf.RGB565_LE) or (
+    sys.byteorder == "big" and framebuf.RGB565 == framebuf.RGB565_BE
+):
+    print("Native format matches expected value.")
+else:
+    print("Unexpected native format.")
 
 
 def printbuf():
@@ -17,50 +19,51 @@ def printbuf():
     print("-->8--")
 
 
-w = 4
-h = 5
-buf = bytearray(w * h * 2)
-fbuf = framebuf.FrameBuffer(buf, w, h, framebuf.RGB565)
+for format in [framebuf.RGB565_LE, framebuf.RGB565_BE]:
+    w = 4
+    h = 5
+    buf = bytearray(w * h * 2)
+    fbuf = framebuf.FrameBuffer(buf, w, h, format)
 
-# fill
-fbuf.fill(0xFFFF)
-printbuf()
-fbuf.fill(0x0000)
-printbuf()
+    # fill
+    fbuf.fill(0xFFFF)
+    printbuf()
+    fbuf.fill(0x0000)
+    printbuf()
 
-# put pixel
-fbuf.pixel(0, 0, 0xEEEE)
-fbuf.pixel(3, 0, 0xEE00)
-fbuf.pixel(0, 4, 0x00EE)
-fbuf.pixel(3, 4, 0x0EE0)
-printbuf()
+    # put pixel
+    fbuf.pixel(0, 0, 0xEEEE)
+    fbuf.pixel(3, 0, 0xEE00)
+    fbuf.pixel(0, 4, 0x00EE)
+    fbuf.pixel(3, 4, 0x0EE0)
+    printbuf()
 
-# get pixel
-print(fbuf.pixel(0, 4), fbuf.pixel(1, 1))
+    # get pixel
+    print(fbuf.pixel(0, 4), fbuf.pixel(1, 1))
 
-# scroll
-fbuf.fill(0x0000)
-fbuf.pixel(2, 2, 0xFFFF)
-printbuf()
-fbuf.scroll(0, 1)
-printbuf()
-fbuf.scroll(1, 0)
-printbuf()
-fbuf.scroll(-1, -2)
-printbuf()
+    # scroll
+    fbuf.fill(0x0000)
+    fbuf.pixel(2, 2, 0xFFFF)
+    printbuf()
+    fbuf.scroll(0, 1)
+    printbuf()
+    fbuf.scroll(1, 0)
+    printbuf()
+    fbuf.scroll(-1, -2)
+    printbuf()
 
-w2 = 2
-h2 = 3
-buf2 = bytearray(w2 * h2 * 2)
-fbuf2 = framebuf.FrameBuffer(buf2, w2, h2, framebuf.RGB565)
+    w2 = 2
+    h2 = 3
+    buf2 = bytearray(w2 * h2 * 2)
+    fbuf2 = framebuf.FrameBuffer(buf2, w2, h2, format)
 
-fbuf2.fill(0x0000)
-fbuf2.pixel(0, 0, 0x0EE0)
-fbuf2.pixel(0, 2, 0xEE00)
-fbuf2.pixel(1, 0, 0x00EE)
-fbuf2.pixel(1, 2, 0xE00E)
-fbuf.fill(0xFFFF)
-fbuf.blit(fbuf2, 3, 3, 0x0000)
-fbuf.blit(fbuf2, -1, -1, 0x0000)
-fbuf.blit(fbuf2, 16, 16, 0x0000)
-printbuf()
+    fbuf2.fill(0x0000)
+    fbuf2.pixel(0, 0, 0x0EE0)
+    fbuf2.pixel(0, 2, 0xEE00)
+    fbuf2.pixel(1, 0, 0x00EE)
+    fbuf2.pixel(1, 2, 0xE00E)
+    fbuf.fill(0xFFFF)
+    fbuf.blit(fbuf2, 3, 3, 0x0000)
+    fbuf.blit(fbuf2, -1, -1, 0x0000)
+    fbuf.blit(fbuf2, 16, 16, 0x0000)
+    printbuf()
diff --git a/tests/extmod/framebuf16.py.exp b/tests/extmod/framebuf16.py.exp
index c41dc19d07140..bb23762efcf75 100644
--- a/tests/extmod/framebuf16.py.exp
+++ b/tests/extmod/framebuf16.py.exp
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+Native format matches expected value.
 --8<--
 bytearray(b'\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff')
 bytearray(b'\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff')
@@ -55,3 +56,60 @@ bytearray(b'\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff')
 bytearray(b'\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xe0\x0e')
 bytearray(b'\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff')
 -->8--
+--8<--
+bytearray(b'\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff')
+bytearray(b'\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff')
+bytearray(b'\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff')
+bytearray(b'\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff')
+bytearray(b'\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff')
+-->8--
+--8<--
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+-->8--
+--8<--
+bytearray(b'\xee\xee\x00\x00\x00\x00\xee\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\xee\x00\x00\x00\x00\x0e\xe0')
+-->8--
+238 0
+--8<--
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\xff\xff\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+-->8--
+--8<--
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\xff\xff\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+-->8--
+--8<--
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\xff\xff')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+-->8--
+--8<--
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\xff\xff\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\xff\xff')
+bytearray(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00')
+-->8--
+--8<--
+bytearray(b'\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff')
+bytearray(b'\xe0\x0e\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff')
+bytearray(b'\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff')
+bytearray(b'\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\x0e\xe0')
+bytearray(b'\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff')
+-->8--