diff --git a/src/d_main.c b/src/d_main.c
index d26e15ba..2634d5e6 100644
--- a/src/d_main.c
+++ b/src/d_main.c
@@ -2430,6 +2430,7 @@ void D_DoomMain(void)
 
   puts("HU_Init: Setting up heads up display.");
   HU_Init();
+  M_SetMenuFontSpacing();
 
   puts("ST_Init: Init status bar.");
   ST_Init();
diff --git a/src/m_menu.c b/src/m_menu.c
index ef2bed9b..68cc3510 100644
--- a/src/m_menu.c
+++ b/src/m_menu.c
@@ -5019,6 +5019,8 @@ setup_menu_t helpstrings[] =  // HELP screen strings
 
 #define SPACEWIDTH 4
 
+static int menu_font_spacing = 0;
+
 // M_DrawMenuString() draws the string in menu_buffer[]
 
 void M_DrawStringCR(int cx, int cy, char *color, const char *ch)
@@ -5046,7 +5048,7 @@ void M_DrawStringCR(int cx, int cy, char *color, const char *ch)
 
       // The screen is cramped, so trim one unit from each
       // character so they butt up against each other.
-      cx += w - 1; 
+      cx += w + menu_font_spacing;
     }
 }
 
@@ -5088,9 +5090,9 @@ int M_GetPixelWidth(const char *ch)
 	  continue;
 	}
       len += SHORT (hu_font[c]->width);
-      len--; // adjust so everything fits
+      len += menu_font_spacing; // adjust so everything fits
     }
-  len++; // replace what you took away on the last char only
+  len -= menu_font_spacing; // replace what you took away on the last char only
   return len;
 }
 
@@ -7030,6 +7032,12 @@ void M_Init(void)
   }
 }
 
+void M_SetMenuFontSpacing(void)
+{
+  if (M_StringWidth("abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz01234") > 230)
+    menu_font_spacing = -1;
+}
+
 // killough 10/98: allow runtime changing of menu order
 
 void M_ResetMenu(void)
diff --git a/src/m_menu.h b/src/m_menu.h
index d0f0eed3..a5c0dbc6 100644
--- a/src/m_menu.h
+++ b/src/m_menu.h
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ void M_ResetTimeScale(void);
 
 void M_DrawCredits(void);    // killough 11/98
 
+void M_SetMenuFontSpacing(void);
+
 // killough 8/15/98: warn about changes not being committed until next game
 #define warn_about_changes(x) (warning_about_changes=(x), \
 			       print_warning_about_changes = 2)