diff --git a/src/apps/mail/Content.cpp b/src/apps/mail/Content.cpp
index ef75d1990d..4d76c79487 100644
--- a/src/apps/mail/Content.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/mail/Content.cpp
@@ -680,7 +680,7 @@ TContentView::MessageReceived(BMessage *msg)
 		{
 			BFont *font;
 			msg->FindPointer("font", (void **)&font);
-			fTextView->SetFontAndColor(0, LONG_MAX, font);
+			fTextView->UpdateFont(font);
 			fTextView->Invalidate(Bounds());
 			break;
 		}
@@ -919,6 +919,21 @@ TTextView::~TTextView()
 }
 
 
+void
+TTextView::UpdateFont(const BFont* newFont)
+{
+	fFont = *newFont;
+
+	// update the text run array safely with new font
+	text_run_array *runArray = RunArray(0, LONG_MAX);
+	for (int i = 0; i < runArray->count; i++)
+		runArray->runs[i].font = *newFont;
+
+	SetRunArray(0, LONG_MAX, runArray);
+	FreeRunArray(runArray);
+}
+
+
 void
 TTextView::AttachedToWindow()
 {
diff --git a/src/apps/mail/Content.h b/src/apps/mail/Content.h
index dd4f88b2c1..7317b4308f 100644
--- a/src/apps/mail/Content.h
+++ b/src/apps/mail/Content.h
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ class TTextView : public BTextView {
 
 		void AddQuote(int32 start, int32 finish);
 		void RemoveQuote(int32 start, int32 finish);
+		void UpdateFont(const BFont* newFont);
 
 		void	WindowActivated(bool flag);
 		void	Undo(BClipboard *clipboard);