diff --git a/src/cairo-xlib-private.h b/src/cairo-xlib-private.h
index e381e584d..79cd6b56e 100644
--- a/src/cairo-xlib-private.h
+++ b/src/cairo-xlib-private.h
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ struct _cairo_xlib_screen_info {
     Screen *screen;
     cairo_bool_t has_render;
 
+    cairo_bool_t has_font_options;
     cairo_font_options_t font_options;
 
     GC gc[9];
@@ -151,6 +152,9 @@ _cairo_xlib_screen_get_gc (cairo_xlib_screen_info_t *info, int depth);
 cairo_private cairo_status_t
 _cairo_xlib_screen_put_gc (cairo_xlib_screen_info_t *info, int depth, GC gc, cairo_bool_t reset_clip);
 
+cairo_private cairo_font_options_t *
+_cairo_xlib_screen_get_font_options (cairo_xlib_screen_info_t *info);
+
 cairo_private cairo_status_t
 _cairo_xlib_screen_get_visual_info (cairo_xlib_screen_info_t *info,
 				    Visual *visual,
diff --git a/src/cairo-xlib-screen.c b/src/cairo-xlib-screen.c
index f670b8ae7..a864fec22 100644
--- a/src/cairo-xlib-screen.c
+++ b/src/cairo-xlib-screen.c
@@ -144,7 +144,8 @@ get_integer_default (Display    *dpy,
 #endif
 
 static void
-_cairo_xlib_init_screen_font_options (Display *dpy, cairo_xlib_screen_info_t *info)
+_cairo_xlib_init_screen_font_options (Display *dpy,
+				      cairo_xlib_screen_info_t *info)
 {
     cairo_bool_t xft_hinting;
     cairo_bool_t xft_antialias;
@@ -353,7 +354,7 @@ _cairo_xlib_screen_info_get (cairo_xlib_display_t *display, Screen *screen)
 	    info->display = _cairo_xlib_display_reference (display);
 	    info->screen = screen;
 	    info->has_render = FALSE;
-	    _cairo_font_options_init_default (&info->font_options);
+	    info->has_font_options = FALSE;
 	    memset (info->gc, 0, sizeof (info->gc));
 	    info->gc_needs_clip_reset = 0;
 
@@ -366,7 +367,6 @@ _cairo_xlib_screen_info_get (cairo_xlib_display_t *display, Screen *screen)
 
 		info->has_render = (XRenderQueryExtension (dpy, &event_base, &error_base) &&
 			(XRenderFindVisualFormat (dpy, DefaultVisual (dpy, DefaultScreen (dpy))) != 0));
-		_cairo_xlib_init_screen_font_options (dpy, info);
 	    }
 
 	    CAIRO_MUTEX_LOCK (display->mutex);
@@ -502,3 +502,25 @@ _cairo_xlib_screen_get_visual_info (cairo_xlib_screen_info_t *info,
     *out = ret;
     return CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS;
 }
+
+cairo_font_options_t *
+_cairo_xlib_screen_get_font_options (cairo_xlib_screen_info_t *info)
+{
+    if (info->has_font_options)
+	return &info->font_options;
+
+    CAIRO_MUTEX_LOCK (info->mutex);
+    if (! info->has_font_options) {
+	Display *dpy = info->display->display;
+
+	_cairo_font_options_init_default (&info->font_options);
+
+	if (info->screen != NULL)
+	    _cairo_xlib_init_screen_font_options (dpy, info);
+
+	info->has_font_options = TRUE;
+    }
+    CAIRO_MUTEX_UNLOCK (info->mutex);
+
+    return &info->font_options;
+}
diff --git a/src/cairo-xlib-surface.c b/src/cairo-xlib-surface.c
index 1d358436a..6439cb104 100644
--- a/src/cairo-xlib-surface.c
+++ b/src/cairo-xlib-surface.c
@@ -2348,7 +2348,7 @@ _cairo_xlib_surface_get_font_options (void                  *abstract_surface,
 {
     cairo_xlib_surface_t *surface = abstract_surface;
 
-    *options = surface->screen_info->font_options;
+    *options = *_cairo_xlib_screen_get_font_options (surface->screen_info);
 }
 
 static void