diff --git a/include/SDL3/SDL_hints.h b/include/SDL3/SDL_hints.h
index 5b9f2f2fdbd69..1f7b7c014c8c5 100644
--- a/include/SDL3/SDL_hints.h
+++ b/include/SDL3/SDL_hints.h
@@ -3921,6 +3921,28 @@ extern "C" {
  */
 #define SDL_HINT_VIDEO_X11_XRANDR "SDL_VIDEO_X11_XRANDR"
 
+/**
+ * A variable for disabling Unicode font support in the X11 toolkit.
+ * 
+ * This hint should be set before creating a messagebox. 
+ *
+ * \since This hint is available since SDL 3.4.0.
+ */
+#define SDL_HINT_VIDEO_X11_TOOLKIT_FONT_USE_LATIN "SDL_VIDEO_X11_TOOLKIT_FONT_USE_LATIN"
+
+/**
+ * A variable forcing the font for the X11 toolkit.
+ * 
+ * Please note, the toolkit uses font metrics for calculating the size of UI elements.
+ * 
+ * Using this hint will cause Unicode font support to be disabled.
+ * 
+ * This hint should be set before creating a messagebox. 
+ *
+ * \since This hint is available since SDL 3.4.0.
+ */
+#define SDL_HINT_VIDEO_X11_TOOLKIT_FONT "SDL_VIDEO_X11_TOOLKIT_FONT"
+
 /**
  * A variable controlling whether touch should be enabled on the back panel of
  * the PlayStation Vita.
diff --git a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11toolkit.c b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11toolkit.c
index 05f78a4c749ff..8c2bc2538fc38 100644
--- a/src/video/x11/SDL_x11toolkit.c
+++ b/src/video/x11/SDL_x11toolkit.c
@@ -324,6 +324,22 @@ static void X11Toolkit_InitWindowPixmap(SDL_ToolkitWindowX11 *data) {
 
 static void X11Toolkit_InitWindowFonts(SDL_ToolkitWindowX11 *window)
 {
+    const char *custom_font;
+    
+    custom_font = SDL_GetHint(SDL_HINT_VIDEO_X11_TOOLKIT_FONT);
+    if (custom_font) {
+        window->utf8 = false;
+        window->font_set = NULL;
+        window->font_struct = X11_XLoadQueryFont(window->display, custom_font);
+        if (window->font_struct) {
+			return;
+		}	
+    }
+
+    if (SDL_GetHintBoolean(SDL_HINT_VIDEO_X11_TOOLKIT_FONT_USE_LATIN, false)) {
+        goto load_font_traditional;
+    }
+
 #ifdef X_HAVE_UTF8_STRING
     window->utf8 = true;
     window->font_set = NULL;
@@ -372,6 +388,9 @@ static void X11Toolkit_InitWindowFonts(SDL_ToolkitWindowX11 *window)
         char *font;
 
         load_font_traditional:
+#ifdef X_HAVE_UTF8_STRING
+        window->font_set = NULL;
+#endif
         window->utf8 = false;    
         SDL_asprintf(&font, g_ToolkitFontLatin1, G_TOOLKITFONT_SIZE * window->iscale);
         window->font_struct = X11_XLoadQueryFont(window->display, font);