diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_rulers.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_rulers.cc
index d1a002e602..5dc93cde99 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_rulers.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_rulers.cc
@@ -122,8 +122,14 @@ void
 Editor::initialize_rulers ()
 {
 	ruler_grabbed_widget = 0;
+	/* Not really sure why we can't get this right in a cross-platform way,
+	   but it seems hard.
+	*/
+#ifdef __APPLE__	
+	Pango::FontDescription font (ARDOUR_UI::config()->get_canvasvar_SmallerFont());
+#else
 	Pango::FontDescription font (ARDOUR_UI::config()->get_canvasvar_SmallFont());
-
+#endif
 	_timecode_metric = new TimecodeMetric (this);
 	_bbt_metric = new BBTMetric (this);
 	_minsec_metric = new MinsecMetric (this);