diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 553fcb92..f6ad6b77 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ noinst_PROGRAMS = \
 
 render_rendertest_CPPFLAGS = \
 	$(PANGO_CFLAGS) \
+	$(XFT_CFLAGS) \
 	$(GLIB_CFLAGS) \
 	-DG_LOG_DOMAIN=\"RenderTest\"
 render_rendertest_LDADD = \
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ render_rendertest_LDADD = \
 	render/libobrender.la \
 	$(GLIB_LIBS) \
 	$(PANGO_LIBS) \
+	$(XFT_LIBS) \
 	$(XML_LIBS) \
 	$(X_LIBS)
 render_rendertest_SOURCES = render/test.c
@@ -58,6 +60,7 @@ render_libobrender_la_CPPFLAGS = \
 	$(GLIB_CFLAGS) \
 	$(XML_CFLAGS) \
 	$(PANGO_CFLAGS) \
+	$(XFT_CFLAGS) \
 	-DG_LOG_DOMAIN=\"ObRender\" \
 	-DDEFAULT_THEME=\"$(theme)\"
 render_libobrender_la_LDFLAGS = \
@@ -66,6 +69,7 @@ render_libobrender_la_LIBADD = \
 	parser/libobparser.la \
 	$(X_LIBS) \
 	$(PANGO_LIBS) \
+	$(XFT_LIBS) \
 	$(GLIB_LIBS) \
 	$(XML_LIBS)
 render_libobrender_la_SOURCES = \
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index b6c7803f..f683a362 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -78,6 +78,10 @@ PKG_CHECK_MODULES(PANGO, [pango >= 1.8.0 pangoxft >= 1.8.0])
 AC_SUBST(PANGO_CFLAGS)
 AC_SUBST(PANGO_LIBS)
 
+PKG_CHECK_MODULES(XFT, [xft])
+AC_SUBST(XFT_CFLAGS)
+AC_SUBST(XFT_LIBS)
+
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES(XML, [libxml-2.0])
 AC_SUBST(XML_CFLAGS)
 AC_SUBST(XML_LIBS)
diff --git a/render/render.c b/render/render.c
index d34ddccb..ecb07ada 100644
--- a/render/render.c
+++ b/render/render.c
@@ -18,9 +18,6 @@
    See the COPYING file for a copy of the GNU General Public License.
 */
 
-#include <X11/Xlib.h>
-#include <X11/Xutil.h>
-
 #include "render.h"
 #include "gradient.h"
 #include "font.h"
@@ -30,6 +27,9 @@
 #include "theme.h"
 
 #include <glib.h>
+#include <X11/Xlib.h>
+#include <X11/Xutil.h>
+#include <X11/Xft/Xft.h>
 
 #ifdef HAVE_STDLIB_H
 #  include <stdlib.h>