diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
index 57ca2a1880..f96c64080d 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ from PyQt4.Qt import QVariant, QFileInfo, QObject, SIGNAL, QBuffer, Qt, \
                          QByteArray, QTranslator, QCoreApplication, QThread, \
                          QEvent, QTimer, pyqtSignal, QDate, QDesktopServices, \
                          QFileDialog, QMessageBox, QPixmap, QFileIconProvider, \
-                         QIcon, QApplication, QDialog, QPushButton, QUrl
+                         QIcon, QApplication, QDialog, QPushButton, QUrl, QFont
 
 ORG_NAME = 'KovidsBrain'
 APP_UID  = 'libprs500'
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ gprefs.defaults['show_splash_screen'] = True
 gprefs.defaults['toolbar_icon_size'] = 'medium'
 gprefs.defaults['toolbar_text'] = 'auto'
 gprefs.defaults['show_child_bar'] = False
+gprefs.defaults['font'] = None
 
 # }}}
 
@@ -613,6 +614,10 @@ class Application(QApplication):
         qt_app = self
         self._file_open_paths = []
         self._file_open_lock = RLock()
+        self.original_font = QFont(QApplication.font())
+        fi = gprefs['font']
+        if fi is not None:
+            QApplication.setFont(QFont(*fi))
 
     def _send_file_open_events(self):
         with self._file_open_lock:
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.py b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.py
index 10c2fcfe95..b2ba87d1e0 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.py
@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@ __license__   = 'GPL v3'
 __copyright__ = '2010, Kovid Goyal <kovid@kovidgoyal.net>'
 __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
+from PyQt4.Qt import QApplication, QFont, QFontInfo, QFontDialog
 
 from calibre.gui2.preferences import ConfigWidgetBase, test_widget
 from calibre.gui2.preferences.look_feel_ui import Ui_Form
-from calibre.gui2 import config, gprefs
+from calibre.gui2 import config, gprefs, qt_app
 from calibre.utils.localization import available_translations, \
     get_language, get_lang
 from calibre.utils.config import prefs
@@ -56,12 +57,64 @@ class ConfigWidget(ConfigWidgetBase, Ui_Form):
             (_('Never'), 'never')]
         r('toolbar_text', gprefs, choices=choices)
 
+        self.current_font = None
+        self.change_font_button.clicked.connect(self.change_font)
+
+
+    def initialize(self):
+        ConfigWidgetBase.initialize(self)
+        self.current_font = gprefs['font']
+        self.update_font_display()
+
+    def restore_defaults(self):
+        ConfigWidgetBase.restore_defaults(self)
+        ofont = self.current_font
+        self.current_font = None
+        if ofont is not None:
+            self.changed_signal.emit()
+            self.update_font_display()
+
+    def build_font_obj(self):
+        font_info = self.current_font
+        if font_info is not None:
+            font = QFont(*font_info)
+        else:
+            font = qt_app.original_font
+        return font
+
+    def update_font_display(self):
+        font = self.build_font_obj()
+        fi = QFontInfo(font)
+        name = unicode(fi.family())
+
+        self.font_display.setFont(font)
+        self.font_display.setText(_('Current font:') + ' ' + name +
+                ' [%dpt]'%fi.pointSize())
+
+    def change_font(self, *args):
+        fd = QFontDialog(self.build_font_obj(), self)
+        if fd.exec_() == fd.Accepted:
+            font = fd.selectedFont()
+            fi = QFontInfo(font)
+            self.current_font = (unicode(fi.family()), fi.pointSize(),
+                    fi.weight(), fi.italic())
+            self.update_font_display()
+            self.changed_signal.emit()
+
+    def commit(self, *args):
+        rr = ConfigWidgetBase.commit(self, *args)
+        if self.current_font != gprefs['font']:
+            gprefs['font'] = self.current_font
+            QApplication.setFont(self.font_display.font())
+            rr = True
+        return rr
+
+
     def refresh_gui(self, gui):
         gui.search.search_as_you_type(config['search_as_you_type'])
-
+        self.update_font_display()
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    from PyQt4.Qt import QApplication
     app = QApplication([])
     test_widget('Interface', 'Look & Feel')
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.ui b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.ui
index 1de55d51ef..91f45a155f 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.ui
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.ui
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@
      </layout>
     </widget>
    </item>
-   <item row="8" column="0" colspan="2">
+   <item row="9" column="0" colspan="2">
     <spacer name="verticalSpacer">
      <property name="orientation">
       <enum>Qt::Vertical</enum>
@@ -196,6 +196,20 @@
      </property>
     </spacer>
    </item>
+   <item row="8" column="0">
+    <widget class="QLineEdit" name="font_display">
+     <property name="readOnly">
+      <bool>true</bool>
+     </property>
+    </widget>
+   </item>
+   <item row="8" column="1">
+    <widget class="QPushButton" name="change_font_button">
+     <property name="text">
+      <string>Change &amp;font (needs restart)</string>
+     </property>
+    </widget>
+   </item>
   </layout>
  </widget>
  <resources/>
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/__init__.py b/src/calibre/library/__init__.py
index 8ff23c0a0a..177c5063ac 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/__init__.py
@@ -19,12 +19,15 @@ def generate_test_db(library_path,
         max_tags=10
         ):
     import random, string, os, sys, time
+    from calibre.constants import preferred_encoding
 
     if not os.path.exists(library_path):
         os.makedirs(library_path)
 
+    letters = string.letters.decode(preferred_encoding)
+
     def randstr(length):
-        return ''.join(random.choice(string.letters) for i in
+        return ''.join(random.choice(letters) for i in
                 xrange(length))
 
     all_tags = [randstr(tag_length) for j in xrange(num_of_tags)]