diff --git a/libs/canvas/text.cc b/libs/canvas/text.cc
index 355c3f116c..7553449900 100644
--- a/libs/canvas/text.cc
+++ b/libs/canvas/text.cc
@@ -292,6 +292,7 @@ Text::set_font_description (Pango::FontDescription font_description)
 {
 	begin_change ();
 
+	delete _font_description;
 	_font_description = new Pango::FontDescription (font_description);
 	_need_redraw = true;
         _width_correction = -1.0;