diff --git a/FL/fl_draw.H b/FL/fl_draw.H
index f10bcaa7c..ea2d315fb 100644
--- a/FL/fl_draw.H
+++ b/FL/fl_draw.H
@@ -203,14 +203,7 @@ inline Fl_Fontsize fl_size() {return fl_size_;}
   You can also use the value of \p size passed to fl_font()
 */
 FL_EXPORT int   fl_height();	// using "size" should work ok
-/**
-  Dummy passthru function called only in Fl_Text_Display that simply returns
-  the font height as given by the \p size parameter in the same call!
-
-  \todo Is fl_height(int, int size) required for Fl_Text_Dispay?
-        Why not use \p size parameter directly?
-*/
-inline int fl_height(int, int size) {return size;}
+FL_EXPORT int fl_height(int font, int size);
 /**
   Returns the recommended distance above the bottom of a fl_height() tall box to
   draw the text at so it looks centered vertically in that box.
diff --git a/src/fl_draw.cxx b/src/fl_draw.cxx
index 061b50e77..65f554f6b 100644
--- a/src/fl_draw.cxx
+++ b/src/fl_draw.cxx
@@ -422,6 +422,31 @@ void fl_measure(const char* str, int& w, int& h, int draw_symbols) {
   h = lines*h;
 }
 
+/**
+  This function returns the actual height of the specified \p font
+  and \p size. Normally the font height should always be 'size',
+  but with the advent of XFT, there are (currently) complexities
+  that seem to only be solved by asking the font what its actual
+  font height is. (See STR#2115)
+  
+  This function was originally undocumented in 1.1.x, and was used
+  only by Fl_Text_Display. We're now documenting it in 1.3.x so that
+  apps that need precise height info can get it with this function.
+
+  \returns the height of the font in pixels.
+  
+  \todo  In the future, when the XFT issues are resolved, this function
+         should simply return the 'size' value.
+*/
+int fl_height(int font, int size) {
+    if ( font == fl_font() && size == fl_size() ) return(fl_height());
+    int tf = fl_font(), ts = fl_size();   // save
+    fl_font(font,size);
+    int height = fl_height();
+    fl_font(tf,ts);                       // restore
+    return(height);
+}
+
 //
 // End of "$Id$".
 //