diff --git a/src/d_main.c b/src/d_main.c
index 950dd3d5..7b874898 100644
--- a/src/d_main.c
+++ b/src/d_main.c
@@ -2743,7 +2743,7 @@ void D_DoomMain(void)
 
   I_Printf(VB_INFO, "HU_Init: Setting up heads up display.");
   HU_Init();
-  MN_SetMenuFontSpacing();
+  MN_SetHUFontKerning();
 
   I_Printf(VB_INFO, "ST_Init: Init status bar.");
   ST_Init();
diff --git a/src/mn_font.c b/src/mn_font.c
index 673c44d6..25d5878c 100644
--- a/src/mn_font.c
+++ b/src/mn_font.c
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ boolean MN_DrawFon2String(int x, int y, byte *cr, const char *str)
         }
         else
         {
-            cx += FON2_SPACE + kerning;
+            cx += FON2_SPACE;
         }
     }
 
@@ -221,7 +221,14 @@ int MN_GetFon2PixelWidth(const char *str)
             continue;
         }
 
-        len += chars[c].width + kerning;
+        if (chars[c].width)
+        {
+            len += chars[c].width + kerning;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            len += FON2_SPACE;
+        }
     }
     len -= kerning;
     return len;
diff --git a/src/mn_menu.h b/src/mn_menu.h
index 62de6e57..f9622bc9 100644
--- a/src/mn_menu.h
+++ b/src/mn_menu.h
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ void MN_SetupResetMenu(void);
 void MN_SetupResetMenuVideo(void);
 void MN_ResetTimeScale(void);
 void MN_DrawCredits(void); // killough 11/98
-void MN_SetMenuFontSpacing(void);
+void MN_SetHUFontKerning(void);
 void MN_DisableVoxelsRenderingItem(void);
 
 extern int traditional_menu; // display the menu traditional way
diff --git a/src/mn_setup.c b/src/mn_setup.c
index 97c8d465..0b8a778b 100644
--- a/src/mn_setup.c
+++ b/src/mn_setup.c
@@ -2630,7 +2630,7 @@ static int M_GetKeyString(int c, int offset)
     return offset;
 }
 
-static int menu_font_spacing = 0;
+static int kerning = 0;
 
 void MN_DrawStringCR(int cx, int cy, byte *cr1, byte *cr2, const char *ch)
 {
@@ -2686,7 +2686,7 @@ void MN_DrawStringCR(int cx, int cy, byte *cr1, byte *cr2, const char *ch)
 
         // The screen is cramped, so trim one unit from each
         // character so they butt up against each other.
-        cx += w + menu_font_spacing;
+        cx += w + kerning;
     }
 }
 
@@ -2755,10 +2755,9 @@ int MN_GetPixelWidth(const char *ch)
         }
 
         len += SHORT(hu_font[c]->width);
-        len += menu_font_spacing; // adjust so everything fits
+        len += kerning; // adjust so everything fits
     }
-    len -=
-        menu_font_spacing; // replace what you took away on the last char only
+    len -= kerning; // replace what you took away on the last char only
     return len;
 }
 
@@ -3684,11 +3683,11 @@ int MN_StringWidth(const char *string)
     return w;
 }
 
-void MN_SetMenuFontSpacing(void)
+void MN_SetHUFontKerning(void)
 {
     if (MN_StringWidth("abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz01234") > 230)
     {
-        menu_font_spacing = -1;
+        kerning = -1;
     }
 }