diff --git a/panda/src/text/config_text.cxx b/panda/src/text/config_text.cxx
index 3195575245..92d5337814 100644
--- a/panda/src/text/config_text.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/text/config_text.cxx
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ const int text_page_y_size = config_text.GetInt("text-page-y-size", 256);
 const bool text_small_caps = config_text.GetBool("text-small-caps", false);
 const float text_small_caps_scale = config_text.GetFloat("text-small-caps-scale", 0.8f);
 const string text_default_font = config_text.GetString("text-default-font", "");
+const float text_tab_width = config_text.GetFloat("text-tab-width", 5.0f);
+
 
 // This is the decimal character number that, embedded in a string, is
 // identified as the soft-hyphen character.
diff --git a/panda/src/text/config_text.h b/panda/src/text/config_text.h
index 1b1f6bb575..1d3c31e723 100644
--- a/panda/src/text/config_text.h
+++ b/panda/src/text/config_text.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ extern const int text_page_y_size;
 extern const bool text_small_caps;
 extern const float text_small_caps_scale;
 extern const string text_default_font;
+extern const float text_tab_width;
 extern const int text_soft_hyphen_key;
 extern wstring *text_soft_hyphen_output;
 extern const float text_hyphen_ratio;
diff --git a/panda/src/text/textNode.I b/panda/src/text/textNode.I
index 35a6aa6fb4..4669d30ac4 100644
--- a/panda/src/text/textNode.I
+++ b/panda/src/text/textNode.I
@@ -643,11 +643,18 @@ get_frame_as_set() const {
 //               size of the current text; if the frame was set via
 //               set_frame_actual(), this returns the values
 //               actually set.
+//
+//               If the text has no frame at all, this returns the
+//               dimensions of the text itself, as if the frame were
+//               set with a margin of 0, 0, 0, 0.
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 INLINE LVecBase4f TextNode::
 get_frame_actual() const {
-  nassertr(has_frame(), LVecBase4f(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0));
-  if (is_frame_as_margin()) {
+  if (!has_frame()) {
+    check_measure();
+    return LVecBase4f(_ul2d[0], _lr2d[0], _lr2d[1], _ul2d[1]);
+
+  } else if (is_frame_as_margin()) {
     check_measure();
     return LVecBase4f(_ul2d[0] - _frame_ul[0],
                       _lr2d[0] + _frame_lr[0],
@@ -982,6 +989,29 @@ get_draw_order() const {
   return _draw_order;
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: TextNode::set_tab_width
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Sets the width of each tab stop, in screen units.  A
+//               tab character embedded in the text will advance the
+//               horizontal position to the next tab stop.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE void TextNode::
+set_tab_width(float tab_width) {
+  _tab_width = tab_width;
+  invalidate_with_measure();
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: TextNode::get_tab_width
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Returns the width set via set_tab_width().
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE float TextNode::
+get_tab_width() const {
+  return _tab_width;
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: TextNode::set_transform
 //       Access: Published
diff --git a/panda/src/text/textNode.cxx b/panda/src/text/textNode.cxx
index 671c804fa3..9cebc1853a 100644
--- a/panda/src/text/textNode.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/text/textNode.cxx
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ TextNode(const string &name) : PandaNode(name) {
   _shadow_offset.set(0.0f, 0.0f);
 
   _draw_order = 1;
+  _tab_width = text_tab_width;
 
   _transform = LMatrix4f::ident_mat();
   _coordinate_system = CS_default;
@@ -717,8 +718,12 @@ assemble_row(wstring::iterator &si, const wstring::iterator &send,
       // A space is a special case.
       xpos += font->get_space_advance();
 
+    } else if (character == '\t') {
+      // So is a tab character.
+      xpos = (floor(xpos / _tab_width) + 1.0f) * _tab_width;
+
     } else if (character == text_soft_hyphen_key) {
-      // So is the 'soft-hyphen' key character.
+      // And so is the 'soft-hyphen' key character.
 
     } else {
       // A printable character.
@@ -920,8 +925,12 @@ measure_row(wstring::iterator &si, const wstring::iterator &send,
       // A space is a special case.
       xpos += font->get_space_advance();
 
+    } else if (character == '\t') {
+      // So is a tab character.
+      xpos = (floor(xpos / _tab_width) + 1.0f) * _tab_width;
+
     } else if (character == text_soft_hyphen_key) {
-      // So is the 'soft-hyphen' key character.
+      // And so is the 'soft-hyphen' key character.
 
     } else {
       // A printable character.
diff --git a/panda/src/text/textNode.h b/panda/src/text/textNode.h
index c3cc6126e3..d32b392b8b 100644
--- a/panda/src/text/textNode.h
+++ b/panda/src/text/textNode.h
@@ -159,6 +159,9 @@ PUBLISHED:
   INLINE int set_draw_order(int draw_order);
   INLINE int get_draw_order() const;
 
+  INLINE void set_tab_width(float tab_width);
+  INLINE float get_tab_width() const;
+
   INLINE void set_transform(const LMatrix4f &transform);
   INLINE LMatrix4f get_transform() const;
 
@@ -338,6 +341,7 @@ private:
 
   string _bin;
   int _draw_order;
+  float _tab_width;
 
   LMatrix4f _transform;
   CoordinateSystem _coordinate_system;