diff --git a/src/chat_control_base.py b/src/chat_control_base.py
index d52ffb461..687819d28 100644
--- a/src/chat_control_base.py
+++ b/src/chat_control_base.py
@@ -343,8 +343,6 @@ class ChatControlBase(MessageControl, ChatCommandProcessor, CommandTools):
         self.msg_textview.drag_dest_set(Gtk.DestDefaults.MOTION |
             Gtk.DestDefaults.HIGHLIGHT, self.dnd_list, Gdk.DragAction.COPY)
 
-        self.update_font()
-
         # Hook up send button
         widget = self.xml.get_object('send_button')
         id_ = widget.connect('clicked', self._on_send_button_clicked)
@@ -896,11 +894,6 @@ class ChatControlBase(MessageControl, ChatCommandProcessor, CommandTools):
         gtkgui_helpers.popup_emoticons_under_button(menu, widget,
                 self.parent_win)
 
-    def update_font(self):
-        font = Pango.FontDescription(gajim.config.get('conversation_font'))
-        self.conv_textview.tv.override_font(font)
-        self.msg_textview.override_font(font)
-
     def update_tags(self):
         self.conv_textview.update_tags()
 
diff --git a/src/config.py b/src/config.py
index 56f12448a..ae41646aa 100644
--- a/src/config.py
+++ b/src/config.py
@@ -881,14 +881,7 @@ class PreferencesWindow:
         else:
             font = ''
         gajim.config.set(text, font)
-        self.update_text_font()
-
-    def update_text_font(self):
-        """
-        Update text font in opened chat windows
-        """
-        for ctrl in self._get_all_controls():
-            ctrl.update_font()
+        gtkgui_helpers.load_css()
 
     def on_incoming_nick_colorbutton_color_set(self, widget):
         self.on_preference_widget_color_set(widget, 'inmsgcolor')
diff --git a/src/conversation_textview.py b/src/conversation_textview.py
index 065f59119..753d3c2d1 100644
--- a/src/conversation_textview.py
+++ b/src/conversation_textview.py
@@ -238,8 +238,8 @@ class ConversationTextview(GObject.GObject):
         self.change_cursor = False
         self.last_time_printout = 0
 
-        font = Pango.FontDescription(gajim.config.get('conversation_font'))
-        self.tv.override_font(font)
+        style = self.tv.get_style_context()
+        style.add_class('font_custom')
         buffer_ = self.tv.get_buffer()
         end_iter = buffer_.get_end_iter()
         buffer_.create_mark('end', end_iter, False)
diff --git a/src/gtkgui_helpers.py b/src/gtkgui_helpers.py
index 19a2b7662..3771bfb91 100644
--- a/src/gtkgui_helpers.py
+++ b/src/gtkgui_helpers.py
@@ -1141,6 +1141,8 @@ def convert_config_to_css():
             css += '.theme_{cls} {node} {{ {attr}: {color}; }}\n'.format(
                 cls=key, node=node, attr=attr, color=value)
 
+    css += add_css_font()
+
     return css
 
 def add_css_class(widget, class_name):
@@ -1154,3 +1156,24 @@ def add_css_class(widget, class_name):
 def remove_css_class(widget, class_name):
     style = widget.get_style_context()
     style.remove_class('theme_' + class_name)
+
+def add_css_font():
+    conversation_font = gajim.config.get('conversation_font')
+    if not conversation_font:
+        return ''
+    font = Pango.FontDescription(conversation_font)
+    unit = "pt" if Gtk.check_version(3, 22, 0) is None else "px"
+    css = """
+    .font_custom {{
+      font-family: {family};
+      font-size: {size}{unit};
+      font-weight: {weight};
+    }}""".format(
+        family=font.get_family(),
+        size=int(round(font.get_size() / Pango.SCALE)),
+        unit=unit,
+        weight=int(font.get_weight()))
+    css = css.replace("font-size: 0{unit};".format(unit=unit), "")
+    css = css.replace("font-weight: 0;", "")
+    css = "\n".join(filter(lambda x: x.strip(), css.splitlines()))
+    return css