diff --git a/ardour.rc.in b/ardour.rc.in
index 04058791c9..6b6c29908c 100644
--- a/ardour.rc.in
+++ b/ardour.rc.in
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
     <Option name="show-track-meters" value="1"/>
 	<Option name="default-narrow_ms" value="0"/>
     <Option name="smpte-format" value="6"/>
+	<Option name="font-scale" value="102400"/>
   </Config>
   <extra>
     <RulerVisibility smpte="yes" bbt="yes" frames="no" minsec="no" tempo="yes" meter="yes" marker="yes" rangemarker="no" transportmarker="yes" cdmarker="no"/>
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
index 31e42b49e1..0c6352c738 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
@@ -244,6 +244,8 @@ ARDOUR_UI::ARDOUR_UI (int *argcp, char **argvp[])
 
 	keyboard = new Keyboard;
 
+	gtk_settings_set_long_property (gtk_settings_get_default(), "gtk-xft-dpi", Config->get_font_scale(), "ardour");
+
 	starting.connect (mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::startup));
 	stopping.connect (mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::shutdown));
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/option_editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/option_editor.cc
index 2643777269..24ecdc8448 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/option_editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/option_editor.cc
@@ -250,20 +250,25 @@ OptionEditor::add_session_paths ()
 	session_raid_entry.set_text(session->raid_path());
 }
 
+static void
+font_scale_changed ()
+{
+	gtk_settings_set_long_property (gtk_settings_get_default(),
+					"gtk-xft-dpi", Config->get_font_scale(), "ardour");
+}
+
 static void
 reset_dpi (Gtk::Adjustment* adj)
 {
-	float val = adj->get_value();
-	long dpi = (long) floor (val * 1024);
-	gtk_settings_set_long_property (gtk_settings_get_default(),
-					"gtk-xft-dpi", dpi, "ardour");
+	Config->set_font_scale((long)floor (adj->get_value() * 1024));
+	font_scale_changed();
 }
 
 void
 OptionEditor::setup_misc_options ()
 {
 	Gtk::HBox* hbox;
-	Gtk::Adjustment* dpi_adj = new Gtk::Adjustment (75, 50, 250, 1, 10);
+	Gtk::Adjustment* dpi_adj = new Gtk::Adjustment ((double)Config->get_font_scale() / 1024, 50, 250, 1, 10);
 	Gtk::HScale * dpi_range = new Gtk::HScale (*dpi_adj);
 
 	Label* label = manage (new Label (_("Font Scaling")));
@@ -1368,5 +1373,7 @@ OptionEditor::parameter_changed (const char* parameter_name)
 
 		save_history_button.set_active (x);
 		saved_history_depth_spinner.set_sensitive (x);
+	} else if (PARAM_IS ("font-scale")) {
+		font_scale_changed();
 	}
 }
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/configuration_vars.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/configuration_vars.h
index 0ca7036270..3a6c8399b0 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/configuration_vars.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/configuration_vars.h
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ CONFIG_VARIABLE (std::string, keyboard_layout, "keyboard-layout", "ansi")
 CONFIG_VARIABLE (std::string, default_bindings, "default-bindings", "ardour")
 CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, default_narrow_ms, "default-narrow_ms", false)
 CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, rubberbanding_snaps_to_grid, "rubberbanding-snaps-to-grid", false)
+CONFIG_VARIABLE (long, font_scale, "font-scale", 102400)
 
 /* denormal management */