diff --git a/gadgets/config.mk b/gadgets/config.mk
index b6fc39f..097b238 100644
--- a/gadgets/config.mk
+++ b/gadgets/config.mk
@@ -8,9 +8,22 @@ X11INC = /usr/X11R6/include
 INCS = -I. -I/usr/include -I${X11INC}
 
 X11LIB = /usr/X11R6/lib
-LIBS = -L/usr/lib 
 
-CFLAGS = -Os ${INCS} 
+# Configure the features you want to be supported
+# Only one of the following options has to be uncommented,
+# all others must be commented!
+#
+# Uncomment: Remove # from the beginning of respective lines
+# Comment  : Add # to the beginning of the respective lines
+
+## Option 1: No XFT
+#LIBS = -L/usr/lib
+#CFLAGS = -Os ${INCS}
+
+## Option 2: With XFT
+LIBS = -L/usr/lib `pkg-config --libs xft`
+CFLAGS = -Os ${INCS} -DDZEN_XFT `pkg-config --cflags xft`
+
 LDFLAGS = ${LIBS}
 
 # compiler and linker
diff --git a/gadgets/textwidth.c b/gadgets/textwidth.c
index 6f95f35..521bc0c 100644
--- a/gadgets/textwidth.c
+++ b/gadgets/textwidth.c
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
 #include<stdlib.h>
 #include<string.h>
 #include<X11/Xlib.h>
+#ifdef DZEN_XFT
+#include<X11/Xft/Xft.h>
+#endif
 
 typedef struct _Fnt {
 	XFontStruct *xfont;
@@ -34,6 +37,11 @@ typedef struct _Fnt {
 	int ascent;
 	int descent;
 	int height;
+#ifdef DZEN_XFT
+	XftFont *xftfont;
+	XGlyphInfo *extents;
+	int width;
+#endif
 } Fnt;
 
 Fnt font;
@@ -42,19 +50,25 @@ Display *dpy;
 unsigned int
 textw(const char *text, unsigned int len) {
 	XRectangle r;
-
+#ifndef DZEN_XFT
 	if(font.set) {
 		XmbTextExtents(font.set, text, len, NULL, &r);
 		return r.width;
 	}
 	return XTextWidth(font.xfont, text, len);
+#else
+	XftTextExtentsUtf8(dpy, font.xftfont, (unsigned const char *) text, strlen(text), font.extents);
+	if(font.extents->height > font.height)
+		font.height = font.extents->height;
+	return font.extents->xOff;
+#endif
 }
 
 void
 setfont(const char *fontstr) {
+#ifndef DZEN_XFT
 	char *def, **missing;
 	int i, n;
-
 	missing = NULL;
 	if(font.set)
 		XFreeFontSet(dpy, font.set);
@@ -88,6 +102,21 @@ setfont(const char *fontstr) {
 		font.descent = font.xfont->descent;
 	}
 	font.height = font.ascent + font.descent;
+#else
+	if(font.xftfont)
+		XftFontClose(dpy, font.xftfont);
+	font.xftfont = XftFontOpenXlfd(dpy, DefaultScreen(dpy), fontstr);
+	if(!font.xftfont)
+		font.xftfont = XftFontOpenName(dpy, DefaultScreen(dpy), fontstr);
+	if(!font.xftfont) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "error, cannot load font: '%s'\n", fontstr);
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+	font.extents = malloc(sizeof(XGlyphInfo));
+	XftTextExtentsUtf8(dpy, font.xftfont, (unsigned const char *) fontstr, strlen(fontstr), font.extents);
+	font.height = font.xftfont->ascent + font.xftfont->descent;
+	font.width = (font.extents->width)/strlen(fontstr);
+#endif
 }
 
 int