diff --git a/src/apps/terminal/TermView.cpp b/src/apps/terminal/TermView.cpp
index 6565a6f526..196e250a33 100644
--- a/src/apps/terminal/TermView.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/terminal/TermView.cpp
@@ -123,6 +123,13 @@ TermView::TermView(BRect frame, CodeConv *inCodeConv)
 	fViewThread = -1;
 	fMouseThread = -1;
 	fQuitting = 1;
+	
+	fFontHeight = 0;
+	fFontWidth = 0;
+
+	// Set fonts to some defaults
+	SetTermFont(be_plain_font, be_plain_font);	
+	
 	InitViewThread();
 
 	fDrawRect_p = 0;
@@ -213,7 +220,7 @@ TermView::SetTermColor()
 
 //! Sets half and full fonts for terminal
 void
-TermView::SetTermFont(BFont *halfFont, BFont *fullFont)
+TermView::SetTermFont(const BFont *halfFont, const BFont *fullFont)
 {
 	char buf[4];
 	int halfWidth = 0;
diff --git a/src/apps/terminal/TermView.h b/src/apps/terminal/TermView.h
index fcb7f31e7a..55eabe66f3 100644
--- a/src/apps/terminal/TermView.h
+++ b/src/apps/terminal/TermView.h
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ public:
   //
   // Initializer, Set function
   //
-  void	SetTermFont(BFont *halfFont, BFont *fullFont);
+  void	SetTermFont(const BFont *halfFont, const BFont *fullFont);
   void	GetFontSize (int *width, int *height);
   BRect	SetTermSize (int rows, int cols, bool flag);
   void	SetTermColor (void);