--- src/rxvtfont.C.orig	2011-07-20 22:19:29.878012201 -0300
+++ src/rxvtfont.C	2011-07-20 22:19:33.634671723 -0300
@@ -1237,11 +1237,22 @@
 
       FT_Face face = XftLockFace (f);
 
+/*
+ * use ascent, descent and height from XftFont *f instead of FT_Face face.
+ * this somehow reproduces the behaviour of the line height as seen on xterm.
+
       ascent  = (face->size->metrics.ascender + 63) >> 6;
       descent = (-face->size->metrics.descender + 63) >> 6;
       height  = max (ascent + descent, (face->size->metrics.height + 63) >> 6);
       width   = 0;
 
+ */
+
+      ascent  = f->ascent;
+      descent = f->descent;
+      height  = max (ascent + descent, f->height);
+      width   = 0;
+
       bool scalable = face->face_flags & FT_FACE_FLAG_SCALABLE;
 
       XftUnlockFace (f);
@@ -1265,6 +1276,11 @@
           XGlyphInfo g;
           XftTextExtents16 (disp, f, &ch, 1, &g);
 
+/*
+ * don't use g.width/g.height as width/height of a character!
+ * instead use g.xOff/g.yOff.
+ * see e.g.: http://keithp.com/~keithp/render/Xft.tutorial
+
           g.width -= g.x;
 
           int wcw = WCWIDTH (ch);
@@ -1273,6 +1289,15 @@
           if (width    < g.width       ) width    = g.width;
           if (height   < g.height      ) height   = g.height;
           if (glheight < g.height - g.y) glheight = g.height - g.y;
+
+ */
+
+          int wcw = WCWIDTH (ch);
+          if (wcw > 1) g.xOff = g.xOff / wcw;
+
+          if (width    < g.xOff      ) width    = g.xOff;
+          if (height   < g.yOff      ) height   = g.yOff;
+          if (glheight < g.yOff - g.y) glheight = g.yOff - g.y;
         }
 
       if (!width)