diff --git a/configure.ac.in b/configure.ac.in
index 90b96f7..4591960 100644
--- a/configure.ac.in
+++ b/configure.ac.in
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ dnl *** Check for required packages ***
 dnl ***********************************
 XDT_CHECK_PACKAGE([GLIB], [glib-2.0], [2.30.0])
 XDT_CHECK_PACKAGE([GTHREAD], [gthread-2.0], [2.30.0])
+XDT_CHECK_PACKAGE([XFCONF], [libxfconf-0], [4.12.0])
 
 dnl **********************
 dnl *** GTK+ 3 support ***
diff --git a/mousepad/Makefile.am b/mousepad/Makefile.am
index 888582d..24e06aa 100644
--- a/mousepad/Makefile.am
+++ b/mousepad/Makefile.am
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ mousepad_CFLAGS = \
 	$(GTHREAD_CFLAGS) \
 	$(GTKSOURCEVIEW_CFLAGS) \
 	$(PLATFORM_CFLAGS) \
+	$(XFCONF_CFLAGS) \
 	-DMOUSEPAD_GSETTINGS_SCHEMA_DIR=\""$(datadir)/glib-2.0/schemas"\"
 
 mousepad_LDFLAGS = \
@@ -82,7 +83,8 @@ mousepad_LDADD = \
 	$(GLIB_LIBS) \
 	$(GTK_LIBS)	\
 	$(GTHREAD_LIBS) \
-	$(GTKSOURCEVIEW_LIBS)
+	$(GTKSOURCEVIEW_LIBS) \
+	$(XFCONF_LIBS)
 
 if HAVE_DBUS
 mousepad_built_sources +=	\
diff --git a/mousepad/main.c b/mousepad/main.c
index da25e7a..47d31e9 100644
--- a/mousepad/main.c
+++ b/mousepad/main.c
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 #include <libintl.h>
 #endif
 
+#include <xfconf/xfconf.h>
+
 
 /* globals */
 static gchar    **filenames = NULL;
@@ -160,6 +162,15 @@ main (gint argc, gchar **argv)
   /* use the Mousepad icon as default for new windows */
   gtk_window_set_default_icon_name ("accessories-text-editor");
 
+  /* Initialize xfconf */
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (xfconf_init(&error) == FALSE))
+    {
+      g_error ("Failed to initialize xfconf");
+      g_error_free (error);
+
+      return EXIT_FAILURE;
+    }
+
   /* create a new mousepad application */
   application = mousepad_application_get ();
 
@@ -181,6 +192,9 @@ main (gint argc, gchar **argv)
       /* enter the main loop */
       gtk_main ();
 
+      /* Shutdown xfconf */
+      xfconf_shutdown();
+
 #ifdef HAVE_DBUS
       /* release dbus service reference */
       g_object_unref (G_OBJECT (dbus_service));
diff --git a/mousepad/mousepad-view.c b/mousepad/mousepad-view.c
index bd0e37c..b723537 100644
--- a/mousepad/mousepad-view.c
+++ b/mousepad/mousepad-view.c
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 #include <gtksourceview/gtksourcestylescheme.h>
 #include <gtksourceview/gtksourcestyleschememanager.h>
 
+#include <xfconf/xfconf.h>
+
 /* GTK+ 3 removed textview->im_context which is used for multi-selection and
  * nobody has re-written multi-selection feature to not use this field
  * so if building with GTK3 or with GSEAL_ENABLE disable the multi-select
@@ -35,7 +37,7 @@
 
 
 
-#define MOUSEPAD_VIEW_DEFAULT_FONT "Monospace"
+#define MOUSEPAD_VIEW_DEFAULT_FONT "Monospace 11"
 #define mousepad_view_get_buffer(view) (gtk_text_view_get_buffer (GTK_TEXT_VIEW (view)))
 
 
@@ -2686,8 +2688,15 @@ mousepad_view_update_font (MousepadView *view)
 
   if (use_default)
     {
+      XfconfChannel *channel = xfconf_channel_get("xsettings");
+      gchar * font = xfconf_channel_get_string(channel, "/Gtk/MonospaceFontName234", NULL);
       PangoFontDescription *font_desc;
-      font_desc = pango_font_description_from_string (MOUSEPAD_VIEW_DEFAULT_FONT);
+
+      if (G_LIKELY (font != NULL))
+          font_desc = pango_font_description_from_string (font);
+      else
+          font_desc = pango_font_description_from_string (MOUSEPAD_VIEW_DEFAULT_FONT);
+
       mousepad_view_override_font (view, font_desc);
       pango_font_description_free (font_desc);
     }