diff --git a/src/apps/terminal/AppearPrefView.cpp b/src/apps/terminal/AppearPrefView.cpp
index 628f80a1ae..38ad7fd916 100644
--- a/src/apps/terminal/AppearPrefView.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/terminal/AppearPrefView.cpp
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ AppearancePrefView::AppearancePrefView(BRect frame, const char *name,
 
 	r.OffsetBy(r.Width() + 10, 0);
 	menu = _MakeSizeMenu(MSG_HALF_SIZE_CHANGED,
-		atoi(PrefHandler::Default()->getString(PREF_HALF_FONT_SIZE)));
+		PrefHandler::Default()->getInt32(PREF_HALF_FONT_SIZE));
 	fFontSize = new BMenuField(r, "size", "Size:", menu, B_WILL_DRAW);
 	fFontSize->SetDivider(sizeDividerSize);
 	AddChild(fFontSize);
diff --git a/src/apps/terminal/TermWindow.cpp b/src/apps/terminal/TermWindow.cpp
index f512f03397..accdbc10f7 100644
--- a/src/apps/terminal/TermWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/terminal/TermWindow.cpp
@@ -455,6 +455,7 @@ TermWindow::MessageReceived(BMessage *message)
 				
 			font.SetSize(size);	
 			view->SetTermFont(&font);
+			PrefHandler::Default()->setInt32(PREF_HALF_FONT_SIZE, size);
 			
 			_ResizeView(view);
 			break;