diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
index 19f3bb5caf..ec5ca7d6fe 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
@@ -1387,7 +1387,9 @@ def elided_text(text, font=None, width=300, pos='middle'):
     of the string with an ellipsis. Results in a string much closer to the
     limit than Qt's elidedText().'''
     from PyQt5.Qt import QFontMetrics, QApplication
-    fm = QApplication.fontMetrics() if font is None else (font if isinstance(font, QFontMetrics) else QFontMetrics(font))
+    if font is None:
+        font = QApplication.instance().font()
+    fm = (font if isinstance(font, QFontMetrics) else QFontMetrics(font))
     delta = 4
     ellipsis = '\u2026'