diff --git a/browser/locales/en-US/os2/README.txt b/browser/locales/en-US/os2/README.txt
index b9e2fecb777..b8d799a5dbe 100755
--- a/browser/locales/en-US/os2/README.txt
+++ b/browser/locales/en-US/os2/README.txt
@@ -205,5 +205,13 @@ milestone release.
   editor, EPM, and applications running in VIO windows) cannot paste more
   than this.
 
+- Firefox cannot make use of OS/2 fonts like WarpSans and others which
+  are not available in Type1 or TrueType format. It is therefore
+  recommended to install the "Workplace Sans" font from
+     http://www.cs-club.org/~alex/creative/fonts/
+  or
+     http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/cgi-bin/h-search?key=wpsu_ttf
+  which Firefox will use as a replacement of WarpSans.
+
 Other known problems can be found by following the link "Current Open Warpzilla
 Bugs" on the OS/2 Mozilla page <http://www.mozilla.org/ports/os2/>.
diff --git a/gfx/thebes/src/gfxOS2Fonts.cpp b/gfx/thebes/src/gfxOS2Fonts.cpp
index 092fa062cb3..9f1d82c11d9 100644
--- a/gfx/thebes/src/gfxOS2Fonts.cpp
+++ b/gfx/thebes/src/gfxOS2Fonts.cpp
@@ -312,6 +312,11 @@ cairo_font_face_t *gfxOS2Font::CairoFontFace()
                (char *)str2, w2, i2, s2);
 #endif
         FcPatternDestroy(fcPattern);
+        if (mName == NS_LITERAL_STRING("Workplace Sans") && fcW >= FC_WEIGHT_DEMIBOLD) {
+            // if we are dealing with Workplace Sans and want a bold font, we
+            // need to artificially embolden it (no bold counterpart yet)
+            FcPatternAddBool(fcMatch, FC_EMBOLDEN, FcTrue);
+        }
         // and ask cairo to return a font face for this
         mFontFace = cairo_ft_font_face_create_for_pattern(fcMatch);
         FcPatternDestroy(fcMatch);
@@ -390,6 +395,13 @@ gfxOS2FontGroup::gfxOS2FontGroup(const nsAString& aFamilies,
            (unsigned)aStyle);
 #endif
 
+    // check for WarpSans and as we cannot display that (yet), replace
+    // it with Workplace Sans
+    int pos = 0;
+    if ((pos = mFamilies.Find("WarpSans", PR_FALSE, 0, -1)) > -1) {
+        mFamilies.Replace(pos, 8, NS_LITERAL_STRING("Workplace Sans"));
+    }
+
     nsStringArray familyArray;
     mFontCache.Init(15);
     ForEachFont(FontCallback, &familyArray);
@@ -405,10 +417,11 @@ gfxOS2FontGroup::gfxOS2FontGroup(const nsAString& aFamilies,
     gfxPlatform::GetPlatform()->GetPrefFonts("x-user-def", fontString, PR_FALSE);
     ForEachFont(fontString, NS_LITERAL_CSTRING("x-user-def"), FontCallback, &familyArray);
 
+    // Should append some default font if there are no available fonts.
+    // Let's use Helv which should be available on any OS/2 system; if
+    // it's not there, Fontconfig replaces it with something else...
     if (familyArray.Count() == 0) {
-        // Should append default GUI font if there are no available fonts.
-        // We use WarpSans as in the default case in nsSystemFontsOS2.
-        familyArray.AppendString(NS_LITERAL_STRING("WarpSans"));
+        familyArray.AppendString(NS_LITERAL_STRING("Helv"));
     }
 
     for (int i = 0; i < familyArray.Count(); i++) {