diff --git a/include/winX.h b/include/winX.h
index 76b4a58f4..dc34bd572 100644
--- a/include/winX.h
+++ b/include/winX.h
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ struct text_map_info_t {
         square_ascent, /*   placement of changes.        */
         square_lbearing;
 
-#ifdef ENHANCED_SYMBOLS
+#if defined(ENHANCED_SYMBOLS) && !defined(USE_XFT)
     XFontStruct *font;
 #endif
 };
@@ -131,7 +131,12 @@ struct line_element {
 };
 
 struct mesg_info_t {
+#ifdef USE_XFT
+    Pixel fgpixel;   /* Color for text drawing */
+#else
+    GC gc;           /* GC for text drawing */
     XFontStruct *fs;                 /* Font for the window. */
+#endif
     int num_lines;                   /* line count */
     struct line_element *head;       /* head of circular line queue */
     struct line_element *line_here;  /* current drawn line position */
@@ -139,11 +144,6 @@ struct mesg_info_t {
                                      /*     bottom of screen             */
     struct line_element *last_pause_head; /* pointer to head of previous */
                                           /* turn                        */
-#ifdef USE_XFT
-    Pixel fgpixel;   /* Color for text drawing */
-#else
-    GC gc;           /* GC for text drawing */
-#endif
     int char_width,  /* Saved font information so we can  */
         char_height, /*   calculate the correct placement */
         char_ascent, /*   of changes.                     */
@@ -161,7 +161,9 @@ struct mesg_info_t {
 struct status_info_t {
     struct text_buffer text; /* Just a text buffer. */
     Pixel fg, bg;          /* foreground and background */
+#ifndef USE_XFT
     XFontStruct *fs;       /* Status window font structure. */
+#endif
     Dimension spacew;      /* width of one space */
     Position x, y[3];      /* x coord (not used), y for up to three lines */
     Dimension wd, ht;      /* width (not used), height (same for all lines) */
@@ -202,7 +204,9 @@ struct menu_info_t {
     struct menu curr_menu; /* Menu being displayed. */
     struct menu new_menu;  /* New menu being built. */
 
+#ifndef USE_XFT
     XFontStruct *fs;           /* Font for the window. */
+#endif
     long menu_count;           /* number entered by user */
     Dimension line_height;     /* Total height of a line of text. */
     Dimension internal_height; /* Internal height between widget & border */
@@ -225,10 +229,6 @@ struct menu_info_t {
  */
 struct text_info_t {
     struct text_buffer text;
-    XFontStruct *fs;        /* Font for the text window. */
-    int max_width;          /* Width of widest line so far. */
-    int extra_width,        /* Sum of left and right border widths. */
-        extra_height;       /* Sum of top and bottom border widths. */
     boolean blocked;        /*  */
     boolean destroy_on_ack; /* Destroy this window when acknowledged. */
 #ifdef GRAPHIC_TOMBSTONE
@@ -250,8 +250,10 @@ struct xwindow {
 
     boolean nh_colors_inited;
     XColor nh_colors[CLR_MAX];
+#ifndef USE_XFT
     XFontStruct *boldfs;       /* Bold font */
     Display *boldfs_dpy;       /* Bold font display */
+#endif
     char *title;
 
     union {
@@ -361,8 +363,10 @@ extern boolean X11_blink;
     } while (0)
 
 /* ### Window.c ### */
+#ifndef USE_XFT
 extern Font WindowFont(Widget);
 extern XFontStruct *WindowFontStruct(Widget);
+#endif
 
 /* ### dialogs.c ### */
 extern Widget CreateDialog(Widget, String, XtCallbackProc, XtCallbackProc);
diff --git a/win/X11/Window.c b/win/X11/Window.c
index d9b4f3edb..401caaa2d 100644
--- a/win/X11/Window.c
+++ b/win/X11/Window.c
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ WindowClassRec windowClassRec = {
 
 WidgetClass windowWidgetClass = (WidgetClass) &windowClassRec;
 
+#ifndef USE_XFT
 Font
 WindowFont(Widget w)
 {
@@ -179,3 +180,4 @@ WindowFontStruct(Widget w)
 {
     return ((WindowWidget) w)->window.font;
 }
+#endif
diff --git a/win/X11/winX.c b/win/X11/winX.c
index 79adc1d6b..c59ab5fab 100644
--- a/win/X11/winX.c
+++ b/win/X11/winX.c
@@ -1161,8 +1161,10 @@ X11_create_nhwindow(int type)
         wp->pixel_height = 0;
     wp->keep_window = FALSE;
     wp->nh_colors_inited = FALSE;
+#ifndef USE_XFT
     wp->boldfs = (XFontStruct *) 0;
     wp->boldfs_dpy = (Display *) 0;
+#endif
     wp->title = (char *) 0;
 
     switch (type) {
@@ -1304,11 +1306,13 @@ X11_destroy_nhwindow(winid window)
         WIN_INVEN = WIN_ERR;
     }
 
+#ifndef USE_XFT
     if (wp->boldfs) {
         XFreeFont(wp->boldfs_dpy, wp->boldfs);
         wp->boldfs = (XFontStruct *) 0;
         wp->boldfs_dpy = (Display *) 0;
     }
+#endif
 
     if (wp->title) {
         free(wp->title);
@@ -3158,7 +3162,6 @@ X11_italic_font(Display *display, XFontStruct *font)
 
     return font2;
 }
-#endif /* !USE_XFT */
 
 #ifdef ENHANCED_SYMBOLS
 /* Given an XFontStruct, return a corresponding font that supports Unicode */
@@ -3202,6 +3205,7 @@ X11_unicode_font(Display *display, XFontStruct *font)
     return unifont;
 }
 #endif /* ENHANCED_SYMBOLS */
+#endif /* !USE_XFT */
 
 #ifdef USE_XFT
 
diff --git a/win/X11/winmap.c b/win/X11/winmap.c
index c6733f76c..a09691957 100644
--- a/win/X11/winmap.c
+++ b/win/X11/winmap.c
@@ -72,12 +72,15 @@ static void X11_free_gc(struct xwindow *wp, GC gc, X11_color color);
 static void X11_draw_image_string(Display *display, Drawable d,
                                   GC ggc, int x, int y,
                                   const X11_map_symbol *string, int length);
-#endif /* ?USE_XFT */
 #ifdef ENHANCED_SYMBOLS
 static void X11_set_map_font(struct xwindow *wp);
 #endif
+#endif /* ?USE_XFT */
 static Font X11_get_map_font(struct xwindow *wp);
+#ifndef USE_XFT
 static XFontStruct *X11_get_map_font_struct(struct xwindow *wp);
+#endif
+static void get_text_gc(struct xwindow *, Font);
 static boolean init_tiles(struct xwindow *);
 static void set_button_values(Widget, int, int, unsigned);
 static void map_check_size_change(struct xwindow *);
@@ -85,7 +88,6 @@ static void map_update(struct xwindow *, int, int, int, int, boolean);
 static void init_text(struct xwindow *);
 static void map_exposed(Widget, XtPointer, XtPointer);
 static void set_gc(Widget, Font, const char *, Pixel, GC *, GC *);
-static void get_text_gc(struct xwindow *, Font);
 static void map_all_unexplored(struct map_info_t *);
 static void get_char_info(struct xwindow *);
 static void display_cursor(struct xwindow *);
@@ -844,7 +846,11 @@ set_gc(
     GC *regular, GC *inverse)
 {
     XGCValues values;
+#ifdef USE_XFT
+    XtGCMask mask = GCFunction | GCForeground | GCBackground;
+#else
     XtGCMask mask = GCFunction | GCForeground | GCBackground | GCFont;
+#endif
     Pixel curpixel;
     Arg arg[1];
 
@@ -1587,10 +1593,16 @@ X11_make_gc(
                 values.background = bgpixel;
             }
             values.function = GXcopy;
+#ifdef USE_XFT
+            ggc = XtGetGC(wp->w,
+                         GCFunction | GCForeground | GCBackground,
+                         &values);
+#else
             values.font = X11_get_map_font(wp);
             ggc = XtGetGC(wp->w,
                          GCFunction | GCForeground | GCBackground | GCFont,
                          &values);
+#endif
         } else {
             ggc = (cur_inv ? text_map->inv_copy_gc : text_map->copy_gc);
         }
@@ -1784,7 +1796,7 @@ create_map_window(
 
     map_info = wp->map_information =
         (struct map_info_t *) alloc(sizeof (struct map_info_t));
-#ifdef ENHANCED_SYMBOLS
+#if defined(ENHANCED_SYMBOLS) && !defined(USE_XFT)
     X11_set_map_font(wp);
 #endif
 
@@ -1835,7 +1847,7 @@ create_map_window(
     map_all_unexplored(map_info);
 }
 
-#ifdef ENHANCED_SYMBOLS
+#if defined(ENHANCED_SYMBOLS) && !defined(USE_XFT)
 static void
 X11_set_map_font(struct xwindow *wp)
 {
@@ -1853,14 +1865,20 @@ X11_set_map_font(struct xwindow *wp)
         map_info->text_map.font = fs;
     }
 }
-#endif
+#endif /* ENHANCED_SYMBOLS && !USE_XFT */
 
 static Font
 X11_get_map_font(struct xwindow *wp)
 {
+#ifdef USE_XFT
+    nhUse(wp);
+    return 0;
+#else /* !USE_XFT */
     return X11_get_map_font_struct(wp)->fid;
+#endif /* ?USE_XFT */
 }
 
+#ifndef USE_XFT
 static XFontStruct *
 X11_get_map_font_struct(struct xwindow *wp)
 {
@@ -1876,6 +1894,7 @@ X11_get_map_font_struct(struct xwindow *wp)
     return WindowFontStruct(wp->w);
 #endif
 }
+#endif /* USE_XFT */
 
 /*
  * Destroy this map window.
@@ -1900,7 +1919,7 @@ destroy_map_window(struct xwindow *wp)
         }
 
         /* Free the font structure if we allocated one */
-#ifdef ENHANCED_SYMBOLS
+#if defined(ENHANCED_SYMBOLS) && !defined(USE_XFT)
         XFreeFont(XtDisplay(wp->w), text_map->font);
 #endif
 
diff --git a/win/X11/winmesg.c b/win/X11/winmesg.c
index 69df458b0..aa707a186 100644
--- a/win/X11/winmesg.c
+++ b/win/X11/winmesg.c
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 
 static struct line_element *get_previous(struct line_element *);
 static void set_circle_buf(struct mesg_info_t *, int);
-static char *split(char *, XFontStruct *, Dimension);
+static char *split(char *, struct xwindow *, Dimension);
 static void add_line(struct mesg_info_t *, const char *);
 static void redraw_message_window(struct xwindow *);
 static void mesg_check_size_change(struct xwindow *);
@@ -83,7 +83,9 @@ create_message_window(struct xwindow *wp, /* window pointer */
     wp->mesg_information = mesg_info =
         (struct mesg_info_t *) alloc(sizeof (struct mesg_info_t));
 
+#ifndef USE_XFT
     mesg_info->fs = 0;
+#endif
     mesg_info->num_lines = 0;
     mesg_info->head = mesg_info->line_here = mesg_info->last_pause =
         mesg_info->last_pause_head = (struct line_element *) 0;
@@ -151,26 +153,37 @@ create_message_window(struct xwindow *wp, /* window pointer */
      * is appResources.message_lines high and DEFAULT_MESSAGE_WIDTH wide.
      */
 
+    /* Save character information for fast use later. */
+#ifdef USE_XFT
+    XftFont *font = X11_new_font(wp->w, 0, NHW_MESSAGE);
+    XGlyphInfo extents;
+    mesg_info->char_width = font->max_advance_width;
+    mesg_info->char_height = font->height;
+    mesg_info->char_ascent = font->ascent;
+    mesg_info->char_lbearing = 0;
+    /* Xft seems to offer no direct way to distinguish proportional from
+       monospaced fonts. Assume that "!" will be narrower than maximum. */
+    XftTextExtents8(XtDisplay(wp->w), font, (const FcChar8*) "!", 1, &extents);
+    int min_width = extents.width - extents.x;
+    /* "Maximum" is likely to include things like Chinese characters that
+     * display at double width. Use the width of "M". */
+    XftTextExtents8(XtDisplay(wp->w), font, (const FcChar8*) "M", 1, &extents);
+    int max_width = extents.width - extents.x;
+    X11_release_font(wp->w, font);
+#else
     /* Get the font information. */
     num_args = 0;
     XtSetArg(args[num_args], XtNfont, &mesg_info->fs);
     num_args++;
     XtGetValues(wp->w, args, num_args);
 
-    /* Save character information for fast use later. */
-#ifdef USE_XFT
-    XftFont *font = X11_new_font(wp->w, 0, NHW_MESSAGE);
-    mesg_info->char_width = font->max_advance_width;
-    mesg_info->char_height = font->height;
-    mesg_info->char_ascent = font->ascent;
-    mesg_info->char_lbearing = 0;
-    X11_release_font(wp->w, font);
-#else
     mesg_info->char_width = mesg_info->fs->max_bounds.width;
     mesg_info->char_height =
         mesg_info->fs->max_bounds.ascent + mesg_info->fs->max_bounds.descent;
     mesg_info->char_ascent = mesg_info->fs->max_bounds.ascent;
     mesg_info->char_lbearing = -mesg_info->fs->min_bounds.lbearing;
+    int min_width = mesg_info->fs->min_bounds.width;
+    int max_width = mesg_info->fs->max_bounds.width;
 #endif
 
     get_gc(wp->w, mesg_info);
@@ -178,12 +191,11 @@ create_message_window(struct xwindow *wp, /* window pointer */
     wp->pixel_height = ((int) iflags.msg_history) * mesg_info->char_height;
 
     /* If a variable spaced font, only use 2/3 of the default size */
-    if (mesg_info->fs->min_bounds.width != mesg_info->fs->max_bounds.width) {
+    if (min_width != max_width) {
         wp->pixel_width = ((2 * DEFAULT_MESSAGE_WIDTH) / 3)
-                          * mesg_info->fs->max_bounds.width;
+                          * max_width;
     } else
-        wp->pixel_width =
-            (DEFAULT_MESSAGE_WIDTH * mesg_info->fs->max_bounds.width);
+        wp->pixel_width = (DEFAULT_MESSAGE_WIDTH * max_width);
 
     /* Set the new width and height. */
     num_args = 0;
@@ -259,7 +271,7 @@ append_message(struct xwindow *wp, const char *str)
     remainder = buf;
     do {
         mark = remainder;
-        remainder = split(mark, wp->mesg_information->fs, wp->pixel_width);
+        remainder = split(mark, wp, wp->pixel_width);
         add_line(wp->mesg_information, mark);
     } while (remainder);
 }
@@ -366,10 +378,16 @@ set_circle_buf(struct mesg_info_t *mesg_info, int count)
  * not, back up from the end by words until we find a place to split.
  */
 static char *
-split(char *s,
-      XFontStruct *fs, /* Font for the window. */
+split(
+      char *s,
+      struct xwindow *wp,
       Dimension pixel_width)
 {
+#ifdef USE_XFT
+    XftFont *font = X11_new_font(wp->w, 0, NHW_MESSAGE);
+#else
+    XFontStruct *fs = wp->mesg_information->fs; /* Font for the window. */
+#endif
     char save, *end, *remainder;
 
     save = '\0';
@@ -377,7 +395,18 @@ split(char *s,
     end = eos(s); /* point to null at end of string */
 
     /* assume that if end == s, XXXXXX returns 0) */
-    while ((Dimension) XTextWidth(fs, s, (int) strlen(s)) > pixel_width) {
+    while (TRUE) {
+#ifdef USE_XFT
+        XGlyphInfo extents;
+        XftTextExtents8(XtDisplay(wp->w), font, (const FcChar8*) s, strlen(s), &extents);
+        if (extents.width - extents.x < pixel_width) {
+            break;
+        }
+#else
+        if ((Dimension) XTextWidth(fs, s, (int) strlen(s)) < pixel_width) {
+            break;
+        }
+#endif
         *end-- = save;
         while (*end != ' ') {
             if (end == s)
@@ -388,6 +417,9 @@ split(char *s,
         *end = '\0';
         remainder = end + 1;
     }
+#ifdef USE_XFT
+    X11_release_font(wp->w, font);
+#endif
     return remainder;
 }
 
diff --git a/win/X11/wintext.c b/win/X11/wintext.c
index 8a5e61cd7..ee6247029 100644
--- a/win/X11/wintext.c
+++ b/win/X11/wintext.c
@@ -136,16 +136,10 @@ add_to_text_window(struct xwindow *wp, int attr, /* currently unused */
                    const char *str)
 {
     struct text_info_t *text_info = wp->text_information;
-    int width;
 
     nhUse(attr);
 
     append_text_buffer(&text_info->text, str, FALSE);
-
-    /* Calculate text width and save longest line */
-    width = XTextWidth(text_info->fs, str, (int) strlen(str));
-    if (width > text_info->max_width)
-        text_info->max_width = width;
 }
 
 void
@@ -208,9 +202,6 @@ create_text_window(struct xwindow *wp)
         (struct text_info_t *) alloc(sizeof(struct text_info_t));
 
     init_text_buffer(&text_info->text);
-    text_info->max_width = 0;
-    text_info->extra_width = 0;
-    text_info->extra_height = 0;
     text_info->blocked = FALSE;
     text_info->destroy_on_ack = TRUE; /* Ok to destroy before display */
 #ifdef GRAPHIC_TOMBSTONE
@@ -269,15 +260,6 @@ create_text_window(struct xwindow *wp)
                                   args,      /* set some values */
                                   num_args); /* number of values to set */
     X11_wrap_widget_if_Xft(wp->w, NHW_TEXT);
-
-    /* Get the font and margin information. */
-    num_args = 0;
-    XtSetArg(args[num_args], XtNfont, &text_info->fs);
-    num_args++;
-    XtGetValues(wp->w, args, num_args);
-
-    text_info->extra_width = 0;
-    text_info->extra_height = 0;
 }
 
 void
@@ -495,12 +477,16 @@ rip_exposed(Widget w, XtPointer client_data UNUSED,
         XDestroyImage(rip_image); /* data bytes free'd also */
     }
 
-    mask = GCFunction | GCForeground | GCGraphicsExposures | GCFont;
     values.graphics_exposures = False;
     XtSetArg(args[0], XtNforeground, &values.foreground);
     XtGetValues(w, args, 1);
     values.function = GXcopy;
+#ifdef USE_XFT
+    mask = GCFunction | GCForeground | GCGraphicsExposures;
+#else
+    mask = GCFunction | GCForeground | GCGraphicsExposures | GCFont;
     values.font = WindowFont(w);
+#endif
     ggc = XtGetGC(w, mask, &values);
 
     if (rip_pixmap != None) {