diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 99791aa8e..22a38585d 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 CHANGES IN FLTK 1.1.10
 
+	- Setting a default font for Xft (STR #2216)
 	- Temporarily limited builds to 32-bit on OX S to stay
 	  compatible to Snow Leopard
 	- Fixed Windows compile bug with "#define USE_COLORMAP 0"
diff --git a/src/fl_font_xft.cxx b/src/fl_font_xft.cxx
index cf1116843..36ca69ab9 100644
--- a/src/fl_font_xft.cxx
+++ b/src/fl_font_xft.cxx
@@ -387,6 +387,9 @@ void fl_destroy_xft_draw(Window id) {
 }
 
 void fl_draw(const char *str, int n, int x, int y) {
+  if ( !current_font ) {
+    fl_font(FL_HELVETICA, 14);
+  }
 #if USE_OVERLAY
   XftDraw*& draw = fl_overlay ? draw_overlay : ::draw;
   if (fl_overlay) {