diff --git a/css/css.c b/css/css.c
index 2b4ad4d24..d5083a30f 100644
--- a/css/css.c
+++ b/css/css.c
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ const struct css_style css_base_style = {
 	CSS_DISPLAY_BLOCK,
 	CSS_EMPTY_CELLS_SHOW,
 	CSS_FLOAT_NONE,
-	CSS_FONT_FAMILY_INHERIT, /* Default font is user-defined */
+	CSS_FONT_FAMILY_SANS_SERIF,
 	{ CSS_FONT_SIZE_LENGTH, { { 10, CSS_UNIT_PT } } },
 	CSS_FONT_STYLE_NORMAL,
 	CSS_FONT_VARIANT_NORMAL,
diff --git a/desktop/options.c b/desktop/options.c
index ad8f17042..2310b3a27 100644
--- a/desktop/options.c
+++ b/desktop/options.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include "libxml/HTMLparser.h"
 #include "libxml/HTMLtree.h"
+#include "netsurf/css/css.h"
 #include "netsurf/desktop/options.h"
 #include "netsurf/desktop/tree.h"
 #include "netsurf/utils/log.h"
@@ -67,6 +68,8 @@ bool option_send_referer = true;
 bool option_animate_images = true;
 /** How many days to retain URL data for */
 int option_expire_url = 28;
+/** Default font family */
+int option_font_default = CSS_FONT_FAMILY_SANS_SERIF;
 
 EXTRA_OPTION_DEFINE
 
@@ -91,7 +94,8 @@ struct {
 	{ "minimum_gif_delay",      OPTION_INTEGER, &option_minimum_gif_delay },
 	{ "send_referer",    OPTION_BOOL,    &option_send_referer },
 	{ "animate_images",  OPTION_BOOL,    &option_animate_images },
-	{ "expire_url",	     OPTION_INTEGER, &option_expire_url }, \
+	{ "expire_url",	     OPTION_INTEGER, &option_expire_url },
+	{ "font_default",           OPTION_INTEGER, &option_font_default },
 	EXTRA_OPTION_TABLE
 };
 
diff --git a/desktop/options.h b/desktop/options.h
index ee9c48415..ffd8fb83f 100644
--- a/desktop/options.h
+++ b/desktop/options.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ extern int option_minimum_gif_delay;
 extern bool option_send_referer;
 extern bool option_animate_images;
 extern int option_expire_url;
+extern int option_font_default;		/* a css_font_family */
 
 void options_read(const char *path);
 void options_write(const char *path);
diff --git a/render/box_construct.c b/render/box_construct.c
index a66208a74..795caf8f0 100644
--- a/render/box_construct.c
+++ b/render/box_construct.c
@@ -177,6 +177,8 @@ bool xml_to_box(xmlNode *n, struct content *c)
 		return false;
 	c->data.html.style->font_size.value.length.value =
 			option_font_size * 0.1;
+	/* and get the default font family from the options */
+	c->data.html.style->font_family = option_font_default;
 
 	c->data.html.object_count = 0;
 	c->data.html.object = 0;
diff --git a/riscos/font.c b/riscos/font.c
index 622f713c2..4bbfcc8b0 100644
--- a/riscos/font.c
+++ b/riscos/font.c
@@ -452,26 +452,7 @@ void nsfont_read_style(const struct css_style *style,
 		*font_family = option_font_fantasy;
 		break;
 	default:
-		switch (option_font_default) {
-		case CSS_FONT_FAMILY_SANS_SERIF:
-			*font_family = option_font_sans;
-			break;
-		case CSS_FONT_FAMILY_SERIF:
-			*font_family = option_font_serif;
-			break;
-		case CSS_FONT_FAMILY_MONOSPACE:
-			*font_family = option_font_mono;
-			break;
-		case CSS_FONT_FAMILY_CURSIVE:
-			*font_family = option_font_cursive;
-			break;
-		case CSS_FONT_FAMILY_FANTASY:
-			*font_family = option_font_fantasy;
-			break;
-		default:
-			*font_family = option_font_sans;
-			break;
-		}
+		*font_family = option_font_sans;
 		break;
 	}
 
diff --git a/riscos/options.h b/riscos/options.h
index 4d55e0da9..1c153c088 100644
--- a/riscos/options.h
+++ b/riscos/options.h
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 #ifndef _NETSURF_RISCOS_OPTIONS_H_
 #define _NETSURF_RISCOS_OPTIONS_H_
 
-#include "netsurf/css/css.h"
 #include "netsurf/desktop/options.h"
 #include "netsurf/riscos/tinct.h"
 
@@ -53,7 +52,6 @@ extern char *option_font_serif;
 extern char *option_font_mono;
 extern char *option_font_cursive;
 extern char *option_font_fantasy;
-extern int option_font_default;		/* a css_font_family */
 extern bool option_block_popups;
 extern bool option_url_suggestion;
 extern int option_image_memory_direct;	/* -1 means auto-detect */
@@ -96,7 +94,6 @@ char *option_font_serif = 0; \
 char *option_font_mono = 0; \
 char *option_font_cursive = 0; \
 char *option_font_fantasy = 0; \
-int option_font_default = CSS_FONT_FAMILY_SANS_SERIF; \
 bool option_block_popups = false; \
 bool option_url_suggestion = true; \
 int option_image_memory_direct = -1; \
@@ -139,7 +136,6 @@ bool option_strip_extensions = true;
 { "font_mono",              OPTION_STRING,  &option_font_mono }, \
 { "font_cursive",           OPTION_STRING,  &option_font_cursive }, \
 { "font_fantasy",           OPTION_STRING,  &option_font_fantasy }, \
-{ "font_default",           OPTION_INTEGER, &option_font_default }, \
 { "block_popups",           OPTION_BOOL,    &option_block_popups }, \
 { "url_suggestion",         OPTION_BOOL,    &option_url_suggestion }, \
 { "image_memory_direct",    OPTION_INTEGER, &option_image_memory_direct }, \