diff --git a/FL/Fl_Widget.H b/FL/Fl_Widget.H
index cc616bcf0..7dc90069c 100644
--- a/FL/Fl_Widget.H
+++ b/FL/Fl_Widget.H
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ struct FL_EXPORT Fl_Label {
   Fl_Align align_;
   /** type of label. \see Fl_Labeltype */
   uchar type;
+  /** Spacing between an image and the label text */
+  uchar spacing;
 
   /** Draws the label aligned to the given box */
   void draw(int,int,int,int, Fl_Align) const ;
@@ -685,6 +687,17 @@ public:
    */
   void bind_deimage(int f) { if (f) set_flag(DEIMAGE_BOUND); else clear_flag(DEIMAGE_BOUND); }
 
+  /** Set the gap between the label and the image in pixels.
+   This value is limited to 0..255.
+   \param[in] gap spacing in pixels 
+   */
+  void label_image_spacing(int gap) { label_.spacing = (uchar)gap; }
+
+  /** Return the gap size between the label and the image.
+   \return spacing in pixels
+   */
+  int label_image_spacing() { return label_.spacing; }
+
   /** Gets the current tooltip text.
       \return a pointer to the tooltip text or NULL
       \see tooltip(const char*), copy_tooltip(const char*)
diff --git a/FL/fl_draw.H b/FL/fl_draw.H
index b158f7253..efb0b4d15 100644
--- a/FL/fl_draw.H
+++ b/FL/fl_draw.H
@@ -977,10 +977,10 @@ inline void fl_rtl_draw(const char *str, int n, int x, int y) {
 FL_EXPORT void fl_measure(const char *str, int &x, int &y, int draw_symbols = 1);
 FL_EXPORT void fl_draw(const char *str, int x, int y, int w, int h, 
                        Fl_Align align, Fl_Image *img = 0,
-                       int draw_symbols = 1, int gap = 0);
+                       int draw_symbols = 1, int spacing = 0);
 FL_EXPORT void fl_draw(const char *str, int x, int y, int w, int h, Fl_Align align,
                        void (*callthis)(const char *, int, int, int),
-                       Fl_Image *img = 0, int draw_symbols = 1, int gap = 0);
+                       Fl_Image *img = 0, int draw_symbols = 1, int spacing = 0);
 
 // boxtypes:
 
diff --git a/src/Fl_Choice.cxx b/src/Fl_Choice.cxx
index a4c6b0a2b..3ba0a2c7d 100644
--- a/src/Fl_Choice.cxx
+++ b/src/Fl_Choice.cxx
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ void Fl_Choice::draw() {
       l.font = m.labelsize_ || m.labelfont_ ? m.labelfont_ : textfont();
       l.size = m.labelsize_ ? m.labelsize_ : textsize();
       l.color= m.labelcolor_ ? m.labelcolor_ : textcolor();
+      l.spacing = 0;
       if (!m.active()) l.color = fl_inactive((Fl_Color)l.color);
       fl_draw_shortcut = 2; // hack value to make '&' disappear
       l.draw(xx+3, yy, ww>6 ? ww-6 : 0, hh, FL_ALIGN_LEFT);
diff --git a/src/Fl_Menu.cxx b/src/Fl_Menu.cxx
index 1d8ac502a..79228de80 100644
--- a/src/Fl_Menu.cxx
+++ b/src/Fl_Menu.cxx
@@ -261,6 +261,7 @@ int Fl_Menu_Item::measure(int* hp, const Fl_Menu_* m) const {
   l.font    = labelsize_ || labelfont_ ? labelfont_ : (m ? m->textfont() : FL_HELVETICA);
   l.size    = labelsize_ ? labelsize_ : m ? m->textsize() : FL_NORMAL_SIZE;
   l.color   = FL_FOREGROUND_COLOR; // this makes no difference?
+  l.spacing = 0;
   fl_draw_shortcut = 1;
   int w = 0; int h = 0;
   l.measure(w, hp ? *hp : h);
@@ -280,6 +281,7 @@ void Fl_Menu_Item::draw(int x, int y, int w, int h, const Fl_Menu_* m,
   l.font    = labelsize_ || labelfont_ ? labelfont_ : (m ? m->textfont() : FL_HELVETICA);
   l.size    = labelsize_ ? labelsize_ : m ? m->textsize() : FL_NORMAL_SIZE;
   l.color   = labelcolor_ ? labelcolor_ : m ? m->textcolor() : int(FL_FOREGROUND_COLOR);
+  l.spacing = 0;
   if (!active()) l.color = fl_inactive((Fl_Color)l.color);
   if (selected) {
     Fl_Color r = m ? m->selection_color() : FL_SELECTION_COLOR;
diff --git a/src/Fl_Widget.cxx b/src/Fl_Widget.cxx
index bf2ff03d0..d5adb5a08 100644
--- a/src/Fl_Widget.cxx
+++ b/src/Fl_Widget.cxx
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ Fl_Widget::Fl_Widget(int X, int Y, int W, int H, const char* L) {
   label_.size    = FL_NORMAL_SIZE;
   label_.color   = FL_FOREGROUND_COLOR;
   label_.align_  = FL_ALIGN_CENTER;
+  label_.spacing = 0;
   tooltip_       = 0;
   callback_      = default_callback;
   user_data_     = 0;
diff --git a/src/Fl_Window.cxx b/src/Fl_Window.cxx
index a8912f31f..20a39a68e 100644
--- a/src/Fl_Window.cxx
+++ b/src/Fl_Window.cxx
@@ -526,6 +526,7 @@ void Fl_Window::draw_backdrop() {
     l1.image = image();
     if (!active_r() && l1.image && l1.deimage) l1.image = l1.deimage;
     l1.type = labeltype();
+    l1.spacing = 0;
     l1.draw(0,0,w(),h(),align());
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/fl_draw.cxx b/src/fl_draw.cxx
index 49002aaca..0fb4bd5af 100644
--- a/src/fl_draw.cxx
+++ b/src/fl_draw.cxx
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ void fl_draw(
     int x, int y, int w, int h, // bounding box
     Fl_Align align,
     void (*callthis)(const char*,int,int,int),
-    Fl_Image* img, int draw_symbols, int gap)
+    Fl_Image* img, int draw_symbols, int spacing)
 {
   char *linebuf = NULL;       // Pointer to a buffer managed by expand_text_
   const char* p;              // Scratch pointer into text, multiple use
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ void fl_draw(
   // Width and height of both symbols combined
   symtotal = symwidth[0] + symwidth[1];
   // Image width if image is to the left or right of the text, else 0
-  imgtotal = (img && (align&FL_ALIGN_IMAGE_NEXT_TO_TEXT)) ? img->w() + gap : 0;
+  imgtotal = (img && (align&FL_ALIGN_IMAGE_NEXT_TO_TEXT)) ? img->w() + spacing : 0;
 
   int strw = 0;               // Width of text only without symbols
   int strh;                   // Height of text only without symbols
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ void fl_draw(
   // Figure out vertical position of the first element
   int xpos;                   // Position of image or text
   int ypos;                   // Position of image or text
-  int imgh = img && imgvert ? img->h() + gap : 0; // Height of image if image is above or below text
+  int imgh = img && imgvert ? img->h() + spacing : 0; // Height of image if image is above or below text
   int imgw[2] = {0, 0};       // Width of image on the left and right side of the text
 
   symoffset = 0;
@@ -316,14 +316,14 @@ void fl_draw(
     }
 
     img->draw(xpos, ypos - height);
-    ypos += img->h() + gap;
+    ypos += img->h() + spacing;
   }
 
   // Draw the image if either on the *left* or *right* side of the text
   if (img && !imgvert) {
     if (align & FL_ALIGN_TEXT_OVER_IMAGE) {
       // Image is to the right of the text
-      imgw[1] = img->w() + gap;
+      imgw[1] = img->w() + spacing;
       // Find the horizontal position of the image
       if (align & FL_ALIGN_LEFT) {
         xpos = x + symwidth[0] + strw + 1;
@@ -332,10 +332,10 @@ void fl_draw(
       } else {
         xpos = x + (w - strw - symtotal - imgw[1]) / 2 + symwidth[0] + strw + 1;
       }
-      xpos += gap;
+      xpos += spacing;
     } else {
       // Image is to the left of the text
-      imgw[0] = img->w() + gap;
+      imgw[0] = img->w() + spacing;
       // Find the horizontal position of the image
       if (align & FL_ALIGN_LEFT) {
         xpos = x + symwidth[0] - 1;
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ void fl_draw(
       xpos = x + (w - img->w() - symtotal) / 2 + symwidth[0];
     }
 
-    img->draw(xpos, ypos + gap);
+    img->draw(xpos, ypos + spacing);
   }
 
   // Draw the symbols, if any...
@@ -476,13 +476,13 @@ void fl_draw(
   Fl_Align align,
   Fl_Image* img,
   int draw_symbols,
-  int gap)
+  int spacing)
 {
   if ((!str || !*str) && !img) return;
   if (w && h && !fl_not_clipped(x, y, w, h) && (align & FL_ALIGN_INSIDE)) return;
   if (align & FL_ALIGN_CLIP)
     fl_push_clip(x, y, w, h);
-  fl_draw(str, x, y, w, h, align, fl_draw, img, draw_symbols, gap);
+  fl_draw(str, x, y, w, h, align, fl_draw, img, draw_symbols, spacing);
   if (align & FL_ALIGN_CLIP)
     fl_pop_clip();
 }
diff --git a/src/fl_labeltype.cxx b/src/fl_labeltype.cxx
index 8698c277b..9f5c5f20e 100644
--- a/src/fl_labeltype.cxx
+++ b/src/fl_labeltype.cxx
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ fl_normal_label(const Fl_Label* o, int X, int Y, int W, int H, Fl_Align align)
 {
   fl_font(o->font, o->size);
   fl_color((Fl_Color)o->color);
-  fl_draw(o->value, X, Y, W, H, align, o->image);
+  fl_draw(o->value, X, Y, W, H, align, o->image, 1, o->spacing);
 }
 
 void
@@ -44,11 +44,11 @@ fl_normal_measure(const Fl_Label* o, int& W, int& H) {
     if (o->align_ & FL_ALIGN_IMAGE_BACKDROP) {          // backdrop: ignore
       // ignore backdrop image for calculation
     } else if (o->align_ & FL_ALIGN_IMAGE_NEXT_TO_TEXT) { // text and image side by side
-      W += iw;
+      W += iw + o->spacing;
       if (ih > H) H = ih;
     } else {
       if (iw > W) W = iw;
-      H += ih;
+      H += ih + o->spacing;
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/label.cxx b/test/label.cxx
index 7ae739bc4..de88b976b 100644
--- a/test/label.cxx
+++ b/test/label.cxx
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ Fl_Box *text;
 Fl_Input *input;
 Fl_Hor_Value_Slider *fonts;
 Fl_Hor_Value_Slider *sizes;
+Fl_Hor_Value_Slider *spacing;
 Fl_Double_Window *window;
 Fl_Pixmap *img;
 
@@ -64,6 +65,11 @@ void font_cb(Fl_Widget *,void *) {
   window->redraw();
 }
 
+void spacing_cb(Fl_Widget *,void *) {
+  text->label_image_spacing(int(spacing->value()));
+  window->redraw();
+}
+
 void size_cb(Fl_Widget *,void *) {
   text->labelsize(int(sizes->value()));
   window->redraw();
@@ -114,9 +120,9 @@ Fl_Menu_Item choices[] = {
 int main(int argc, char **argv) {
   img = new Fl_Pixmap(blast_xpm);
 
-  window = new Fl_Double_Window(440,420);
+  window = new Fl_Double_Window(440,445);
 
-  input = new Fl_Input(70,375,350,25,"Label:");
+  input = new Fl_Input(70,400,350,25,"Label:");
   input->static_value("The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.");
   input->when(FL_WHEN_CHANGED);
   input->callback(input_cb);
@@ -136,6 +142,13 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
   fonts->value(0);
   fonts->callback(font_cb);
 
+  spacing=new Fl_Hor_Value_Slider(70,375,350,25,"Spacing:");
+  spacing->align(FL_ALIGN_LEFT);
+  spacing->bounds(0,100);
+  spacing->step(1);
+  spacing->value(0);
+  spacing->callback(spacing_cb);
+
   Fl_Group *g = new Fl_Group(70,275,350,50);
   imageb = new Fl_Toggle_Button(70,275,50,25,"image");
   imageb->callback(image_cb);