diff --git a/doc/x11.md b/doc/x11.md
index e68bb3a5..4a249dee 100644
--- a/doc/x11.md
+++ b/doc/x11.md
@@ -54,13 +54,16 @@ Default: 80
 
 ### normalFont
 
-The name of a fixed width font. Default: 7x13
+The name of a fixed width font. Defaults:
+- narrow: -misc-fixed-medium-r-normal--13-120-75-75-c-70-iso8859-1
+- wide: -misc-fixed-medium-r-normal--20-200-75-75-c-100-iso10646-1
 
 ### italicFont
 
 The name of a fixed width font to be used for characters with A_ITALIC
-attributes. Must have the same cell size as normalFont. Default: 7x13
-(obviously not an italic font)
+attributes. Must have the same cell size as normalFont. Defaults:
+- narrow: -misc-fixed-medium-o-normal--13-120-75-75-c-70-iso8859-1
+- wide: -misc-fixed-medium-o-normal--20-200-75-75-c-100-iso10646-1
 
 ### pointer
 
diff --git a/x11/x11.c b/x11/x11.c
index 1cf75e09..197a69f7 100644
--- a/x11/x11.c
+++ b/x11/x11.c
@@ -258,9 +258,11 @@ static char *program_name;
 /* Macros just for app_resources */
 
 #ifdef PDC_WIDE
-# define DEFFONT "-misc-fixed-medium-r-normal--20-200-75-75-c-100-iso10646-1"
+# define DEFNFONT "-misc-fixed-medium-r-normal--20-200-75-75-c-100-iso10646-1"
+# define DEFIFONT "-misc-fixed-medium-o-normal--20-200-75-75-c-100-iso10646-1"
 #else
-# define DEFFONT "7x13"
+# define DEFNFONT "-misc-fixed-medium-r-normal--13-120-75-75-c-70-iso8859-1"
+# define DEFIFONT "-misc-fixed-medium-o-normal--13-120-75-75-c-70-iso8859-1"
 #endif
 
 #define APPDATAOFF(n) XtOffsetOf(XCursesAppData, n)
@@ -324,8 +326,8 @@ static XtResource app_resources[] =
     RCOLOR(BoldCyan, cyan1),
     RCOLOR(BoldWhite, White),
 
-    RFONT(normalFont, NormalFont, DEFFONT),
-    RFONT(italicFont, ItalicFont, DEFFONT),
+    RFONT(normalFont, NormalFont, DEFNFONT),
+    RFONT(italicFont, ItalicFont, DEFIFONT),
 
     RSTRING(bitmap, Bitmap),
 #ifdef HAVE_XPM_H