diff --git a/include/wx/motif/font.h b/include/wx/motif/font.h
index bb0d21e0b6..35e23e777f 100644
--- a/include/wx/motif/font.h
+++ b/include/wx/motif/font.h
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ public:
 
     wxFont(const wxFontInfo& info);
 
+    wxFont(const wxString& nativeFontInfoString);
+
     wxFont(const wxNativeFontInfo& info);
 
     wxFont(int size,
diff --git a/src/motif/font.cpp b/src/motif/font.cpp
index a1b1f6e606..724c56085d 100644
--- a/src/motif/font.cpp
+++ b/src/motif/font.cpp
@@ -213,6 +213,13 @@ wxFont::wxFont(const wxNativeFontInfo& info)
     (void)Create(info.GetXFontName());
 }
 
+wxFont::wxFont(const wxString& nativeFontInfoString)
+{
+    wxNativeFontInfo info;
+    if ( info.FromString(nativeFontInfoString) )
+        (void)Create(info.GetXFontName());
+}
+
 wxFont::wxFont(const wxFontInfo& info)
 {
     m_refData = new wxFontRefData(info);