--- a/libnemo-private/nemo-icon-canvas-item.c
+++ b/libnemo-private/nemo-icon-canvas-item.c
@@ -1557,14 +1557,18 @@ create_label_layout (NemoIconCanvasItem
 	pango_layout_set_wrap (layout, PANGO_WRAP_WORD_CHAR);
 
 	/* Create a font description */
-	if (container->details->font) {
+	if (container->details->font && g_strcmp0 (container->details->font, "") != 0) {
 		desc = pango_font_description_from_string (container->details->font);
 	} else {
 		desc = pango_font_description_copy (pango_context_get_font_description (context));
 	}
-    pango_font_description_set_size (desc,
-                                     pango_font_description_get_size (desc) +
-                                     container->details->font_size_table [container->details->zoom_level]);
+
+	if (pango_font_description_get_size (desc) > 0) {
+		pango_font_description_set_size (desc,
+		                                 pango_font_description_get_size (desc) +
+		                                   container->details->font_size_table [container->details->zoom_level]);
+	}
+
 	pango_layout_set_font_description (layout, desc);
 	pango_font_description_free (desc);
 	g_free (zeroified_text);
--- a/libnemo-private/nemo-icon-container.c
+++ b/libnemo-private/nemo-icon-container.c
@@ -7043,16 +7043,18 @@ nemo_icon_container_start_renaming_selec
 	} 
 
 	/* Set the right font */
-	if (details->font) {
+	if (details->font && g_strcmp0 (details->font, "") != 0) {
 		desc = pango_font_description_from_string (details->font);
 	} else {
 		context = gtk_widget_get_pango_context (GTK_WIDGET (container));
 		desc = pango_font_description_copy (pango_context_get_font_description (context));
 	}
 
-    pango_font_description_set_size (desc,
-                                     pango_font_description_get_size (desc) +
-                                     container->details->font_size_table [container->details->zoom_level]);
+	if (pango_font_description_get_size (desc) > 0) {
+		pango_font_description_set_size (desc,
+		                                 pango_font_description_get_size (desc) +
+		                                   container->details->font_size_table [container->details->zoom_level]);
+	}
 
 	eel_editable_label_set_font_description (EEL_EDITABLE_LABEL (details->rename_widget),
 						 desc);
--- a/src/nemo-icon-view-grid-container.c
+++ b/src/nemo-icon-view-grid-container.c
@@ -1356,6 +1356,7 @@ get_vertical_adjustment (NemoIconContain
                          gint               icon_size)
 {
     PangoLayout *layout;
+    PangoContext *context;
     PangoFontDescription *desc;
     gint ellipses_limit;
     gint height;
@@ -1364,10 +1365,18 @@ get_vertical_adjustment (NemoIconContain
 
     layout = gtk_widget_create_pango_layout (GTK_WIDGET (container), "Test");
 
-    desc = pango_font_description_from_string (container->details->font);
-    pango_font_description_set_size (desc,
-                                     pango_font_description_get_size (desc) +
-                                     container->details->font_size_table [container->details->zoom_level]);
+    if (container->details->font && g_strcmp0 (container->details->font, "") != 0) {
+        desc = pango_font_description_from_string (container->details->font);
+    } else {
+        context = gtk_widget_get_pango_context (GTK_WIDGET (container));
+        desc = pango_font_description_copy (pango_context_get_font_description (context));
+    }
+
+    if (pango_font_description_get_size (desc) > 0) {
+        pango_font_description_set_size (desc,
+                                         pango_font_description_get_size (desc) +
+                                           container->details->font_size_table [container->details->zoom_level]);
+    }
 
     pango_layout_set_font_description (layout, desc);
 
--- a/src/nemo-style-application.css
+++ b/src/nemo-style-application.css
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 
 .nemo-desktop.nemo-canvas-item {
     color: #eeeeee;
+    font-family: Noto Sans;
+    font-size: 10px;
     text-shadow: 1px 1px alpha(black, 0.8);
 }