diff --git a/src/platformsupport/fontdatabases/fontconfig/qfontconfigdatabase.cpp b/src/platformsupport/fontdatabases/fontconfig/qfontconfigdatabase.cpp
index 9c28c9fa63..91472f9efb 100644
--- a/src/platformsupport/fontdatabases/fontconfig/qfontconfigdatabase.cpp
+++ b/src/platformsupport/fontdatabases/fontconfig/qfontconfigdatabase.cpp
@@ -47,11 +47,17 @@
 
 #include <QtCore/QElapsedTimer>
 
+#include <qpa/qplatformnativeinterface.h>
 #include <qpa/qplatformscreen.h>
+#include <qpa/qplatformintegration.h>
+#include <qpa/qplatformservices.h>
 
 #include <QtGui/private/qfontengine_ft_p.h>
 #include <QtGui/private/qfontengine_p.h>
 #include <QtGui/private/qfontengine_qpa_p.h>
+#include <QtGui/private/qguiapplication_p.h>
+
+#include <QtGui/qguiapplication.h>
 
 #include <ft2build.h>
 #include FT_TRUETYPE_TABLES_H
@@ -640,6 +646,19 @@ QFontEngine *QFontconfigDatabase::fontEngine(const QFontDef &f, QChar::Script sc
                 break;
             }
         }
+
+        if (f.hintingPreference == QFont::PreferDefaultHinting) {
+            QByteArray desktopEnvironment = QGuiApplicationPrivate::platformIntegration()->services()->desktopEnvironment();
+            if (desktopEnvironment == "GNOME" || desktopEnvironment == "UNITY") {
+                void *hintStyleResource =
+                        QGuiApplication::platformNativeInterface()->nativeResourceForScreen("hintstyle",
+                                                                                            QGuiApplication::primaryScreen());
+                int hintStyle = int(reinterpret_cast<qintptr>(hintStyleResource));
+                if (hintStyle > 0)
+                    default_hint_style = QFontEngine::HintStyle(hintStyle - 1);
+            }
+        }
+
         engine->setDefaultHintStyle(default_hint_style);
 
         if (antialias) {
diff --git a/src/plugins/platforms/xcb/qxcbnativeinterface.cpp b/src/plugins/platforms/xcb/qxcbnativeinterface.cpp
index 6241898462..6ac69a8335 100644
--- a/src/plugins/platforms/xcb/qxcbnativeinterface.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/platforms/xcb/qxcbnativeinterface.cpp
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ public:
         insert("glxcontext",QXcbNativeInterface::GLXContext);
         insert("apptime",QXcbNativeInterface::AppTime);
         insert("appusertime",QXcbNativeInterface::AppUserTime);
+        insert("hintstyle", QXcbNativeInterface::ScreenHintStyle);
     }
 };
 
@@ -139,6 +140,8 @@ void *QXcbNativeInterface::nativeResourceForScreen(const QByteArray &resource, Q
     case AppUserTime:
         result = appUserTime(xcbScreen);
         break;
+    case ScreenHintStyle:
+        result = reinterpret_cast<void *>(xcbScreen->hintStyle() + 1);
     default:
         break;
     }
diff --git a/src/plugins/platforms/xcb/qxcbnativeinterface.h b/src/plugins/platforms/xcb/qxcbnativeinterface.h
index db0fa3e2ca..919a21d00d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/platforms/xcb/qxcbnativeinterface.h
+++ b/src/plugins/platforms/xcb/qxcbnativeinterface.h
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ public:
         EglContext,
         GLXContext,
         AppTime,
-        AppUserTime
+        AppUserTime,
+        ScreenHintStyle
     };
 
     QXcbNativeInterface();
diff --git a/src/plugins/platforms/xcb/qxcbscreen.cpp b/src/plugins/platforms/xcb/qxcbscreen.cpp
index 7ae4e19dc3..38b4c873ad 100644
--- a/src/plugins/platforms/xcb/qxcbscreen.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/platforms/xcb/qxcbscreen.cpp
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ QXcbScreen::QXcbScreen(QXcbConnection *connection, xcb_screen_t *scr,
     , m_number(number)
     , m_refreshRate(60)
     , m_forcedDpi(-1)
+    , m_hintStyle(QFontEngine::HintStyle(-1))
 {
     if (connection->hasXRandr())
         xcb_randr_select_input(xcb_connection(), screen()->root, true);
@@ -481,6 +482,35 @@ QPixmap QXcbScreen::grabWindow(WId window, int x, int y, int width, int height)
     return result;
 }
 
+bool QXcbScreen::xResource(const QByteArray &identifier,
+                           const QByteArray &expectedIdentifier,
+                           int *value)
+{
+    Q_ASSERT(value != 0);
+    if (identifier.startsWith(expectedIdentifier)) {
+        QByteArray stringValue = identifier.mid(expectedIdentifier.size());
+
+        bool ok;
+        *value = stringValue.toInt(&ok);
+        if (!ok) {
+            if (stringValue == "hintfull")
+                *value = QFontEngine::HintFull;
+            else if (stringValue == "hintnone")
+                *value = QFontEngine::HintNone;
+            else if (stringValue == "hintmedium")
+                *value = QFontEngine::HintMedium;
+            else if (stringValue == "hintslight")
+                *value = QFontEngine::HintLight;
+
+            return *value != 0;
+        }
+
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
 void QXcbScreen::readXResources()
 {
     int offset = 0;
@@ -508,13 +538,11 @@ void QXcbScreen::readXResources()
     QList<QByteArray> split = resources.split('\n');
     for (int i = 0; i < split.size(); ++i) {
         const QByteArray &r = split.at(i);
-        if (r.startsWith("Xft.dpi:\t")) {
-            bool ok;
-            int dpi = r.mid(sizeof("Xft.dpi:")).toInt(&ok);
-            if (ok)
-                m_forcedDpi = dpi;
-            break;
-        }
+        int value;
+        if (xResource(r, "Xft.dpi:\t", &value))
+            m_forcedDpi = value;
+        else if (xResource(r, "Xft.hintstyle:\t", &value))
+            m_hintStyle = QFontEngine::HintStyle(value);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/platforms/xcb/qxcbscreen.h b/src/plugins/platforms/xcb/qxcbscreen.h
index 4c7d7f2c1c..c3b13fd1ea 100644
--- a/src/plugins/platforms/xcb/qxcbscreen.h
+++ b/src/plugins/platforms/xcb/qxcbscreen.h
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@
 
 #include "qxcbobject.h"
 
+#include <private/qfontengine_p.h>
+
 QT_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
 
 class QXcbConnection;
@@ -97,7 +99,13 @@ public:
     void updateRefreshRate();
 
     void readXResources();
+
+    QFontEngine::HintStyle hintStyle() const { return m_hintStyle; }
 private:
+    static bool xResource(const QByteArray &identifier,
+                         const QByteArray &expectedIdentifier,
+                         int *value);
+
     xcb_screen_t *m_screen;
     xcb_randr_crtc_t m_crtc;
     QString m_outputName;
@@ -116,6 +124,7 @@ private:
     QXcbCursor *m_cursor;
     int m_refreshRate;
     int m_forcedDpi;
+    QFontEngine::HintStyle m_hintStyle;
 };
 
 QT_END_NAMESPACE