diff --git a/src/declarativeimports/core/units.cpp b/src/declarativeimports/core/units.cpp
index a8953fcbc..65ee94028 100644
--- a/src/declarativeimports/core/units.cpp
+++ b/src/declarativeimports/core/units.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ Units::Units (QObject *parent)
     m_dpi = QApplication::desktop()->physicalDpiX();
     m_dpiScale = (qreal)m_dpi / (qreal)96;
 
+    updateSpacing();
+
     m_iconSizes = new QQmlPropertyMap(this);
     iconLoaderSettingsChanged();
 
@@ -47,6 +49,7 @@ Units::Units (QObject *parent)
     themeChanged();
     connect(&m_theme, SIGNAL(themeChanged()),
             this, SLOT(themeChanged()));
+    installEventFilter(qApp);
 }
 
 Units::~Units()
@@ -158,7 +161,35 @@ void Units::printScreenInfo(QQuickItem* item)
     qDebug() << " gridUnit: " << QFontMetrics(QApplication::font()).boundingRect("M").size().height();
 }
 
+int Units::smallSpacing() const
+{
+    return m_smallSpacing;
+}
 
+int Units::largeSpacing() const
+{
+    return m_largeSpacing;
+}
+
+void Units::updateSpacing()
+{
+    const int _s = QFontMetrics(QApplication::font()).boundingRect("M").size().height();
+    if (_s != m_largeSpacing) {
+        m_smallSpacing = qMax(2, (int)(_s / 8)); // 1/8 of msize.height, at least 2
+        m_largeSpacing = _s; // msize.height
+        emit spacingChanged();
+    }
+}
+
+bool Units::eventFilter(QObject *watched, QEvent *event)
+{
+    if (watched == QCoreApplication::instance()) {
+        if (event->type() == QEvent::ApplicationFontChange || event->type() == QEvent::FontChange) {
+            updateSpacing();
+        }
+    }
+    return QObject::eventFilter(watched, event);
+}
 
 #include "units.moc"
 
diff --git a/src/declarativeimports/core/units.h b/src/declarativeimports/core/units.h
index 55a638a04..9f3581115 100644
--- a/src/declarativeimports/core/units.h
+++ b/src/declarativeimports/core/units.h
@@ -60,11 +60,18 @@ class Units : public QObject
      */
     Q_PROPERTY(QQmlPropertyMap *iconSizes READ iconSizes NOTIFY iconSizesChanged)
 
+    // layout hints
+    Q_PROPERTY(int smallSpacing READ smallSpacing NOTIFY spacingChanged)
+    Q_PROPERTY(int largeSpacing READ largeSpacing NOTIFY spacingChanged)
+
     Q_PROPERTY(qreal dpiScale READ dpiScale WRITE setDpiScale NOTIFY dpiScaleChanged)
+
 public:
     Units(QObject *parent = 0);
     ~Units();
 
+    bool eventFilter(QObject *watched, QEvent *event);
+
     qreal gridUnit() const;
 
     void setDpiScale(const qreal scale);
@@ -72,6 +79,10 @@ public:
 
     QQmlPropertyMap *iconSizes() const;
 
+    int smallSpacing() const;
+    int largeSpacing() const;
+
+
     /**
      * @returns the number of pixels value density independent pixels correspond to.
      */
@@ -93,17 +104,22 @@ Q_SIGNALS:
     void dpiScaleChanged();
     void gridUnitChanged();
     void iconSizesChanged();
+    void spacingChanged();
 
 private Q_SLOTS:
     void themeChanged();
     void iconLoaderSettingsChanged();
 
 private:
+    void updateSpacing();
+
     int m_gridUnit;
     Plasma::Theme m_theme;
     qreal m_dpiScale;
     qreal m_dpi;
     QQmlPropertyMap *m_iconSizes;
+    int m_smallSpacing;
+    int m_largeSpacing;
 };
 
 #endif //UNITS_H
diff --git a/src/plasma/theme.cpp b/src/plasma/theme.cpp
index cb006cc4f..ee3a38e1e 100644
--- a/src/plasma/theme.cpp
+++ b/src/plasma/theme.cpp
@@ -545,17 +545,6 @@ QSizeF Theme::mSize(const QFont &font) const
     return QFontMetrics(font).boundingRect("M").size();
 }
 
-int Theme::smallSpacing() const
-{
-    return d->smallSpacing;
-}
-
-int Theme::largeSpacing() const
-{
-    return d->largeSpacing;
-}
-
-
 
 }
 
diff --git a/src/plasma/theme.h b/src/plasma/theme.h
index 8b89cb770..2defacff9 100644
--- a/src/plasma/theme.h
+++ b/src/plasma/theme.h
@@ -83,10 +83,6 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Theme : public QObject
 
     Q_PROPERTY(int defaultIconSize READ defaultIconSize NOTIFY defaultIconSizeChanged)
 
-    // layout hints
-    Q_PROPERTY(int smallSpacing READ smallSpacing NOTIFY defaultFontChanged)
-    Q_PROPERTY(int largeSpacing READ largeSpacing NOTIFY defaultFontChanged)
-
     public:
         enum ColorRole {
             TextColor = 0, /**<  the text color to be used by items resting on the background */
@@ -336,7 +332,16 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Theme : public QObject
          */
         KPluginInfo pluginInfo() const;
 
+        /**
+         * @return The default application font
+         * @since 5.0
+         */
         QFont defaultFont() const;
+
+        /**
+         * @return The smallest readable font
+         * @since 5.0
+         */
         QFont smallestFont() const;
 
         QColor textColor() const;
@@ -355,9 +360,6 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Theme : public QObject
 
         int defaultIconSize() const;
 
-        int smallSpacing() const;
-        int largeSpacing() const;
-
         Q_INVOKABLE QSizeF mSize(const QFont &font = QApplication::font()) const;
 
     Q_SIGNALS: