diff --git a/theme.cpp b/theme.cpp
index a6b5b43e2..e550d2afb 100644
--- a/theme.cpp
+++ b/theme.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ class Theme::Private
 public:
    Private()
    {
+       generalFont = QApplication::font();
    }
 
    KConfigGroup config()
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ public:
    QString themeName;
    QString app;
    KSharedConfigPtr colors;
+   QFont generalFont;
 };
 
 class ThemeSingleton
@@ -165,16 +167,21 @@ QColor Theme::textColor() const
     return colors.foreground(KColorScheme::NormalText).color();
 }
 
+void Theme::setFont(const QFont &font)
+{
+    d->generalFont = font;
+}
+
 QFont Theme::font() const
 {
     //TODO: allow this to be overridden with a plasma specific font?
-    return QApplication::font();
+    return d->generalFont;
 }
 
 QFontMetrics Theme::fontMetrics() const
 {
     //TODO: allow this to be overridden with a plasma specific font?
-    return QApplication::fontMetrics();
+    return QFontMetrics(d->generalFont);
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/theme.h b/theme.h
index 8621a9a5e..c108ab86d 100644
--- a/theme.h
+++ b/theme.h
@@ -103,6 +103,12 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Theme : public QObject
          */
         Q_INVOKABLE QColor textColor() const;
 
+        /**
+         * Sets the default font to be used with themed items. Defaults to
+         * the application wide default font.
+         */
+        Q_INVOKABLE void setFont(const QFont &font);
+
         /**
          * Returns the font to be used by themed items
          */