diff --git a/zathura/page-widget.c b/zathura/page-widget.c
index a0d59ae..2be205a 100644
--- a/zathura/page-widget.c
+++ b/zathura/page-widget.c
@@ -297,12 +297,90 @@ zathura_page_widget_finalize(GObject* object)
   G_OBJECT_CLASS(zathura_page_widget_parent_class)->finalize(object);
 }
 
+static void
+set_font_from_property(cairo_t* cairo, zathura_t* zathura, cairo_font_weight_t weight)
+{
+  if (zathura == NULL) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  /* get user font description */
+  char* font = NULL;
+  girara_setting_get(zathura->ui.session, "font", &font);
+  if (font == NULL) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  /* use pango to extract font family and size */
+  PangoFontDescription* descr = pango_font_description_from_string(font);
+
+  const char* family = pango_font_description_get_family(descr);
+
+  /* get font size: can be points or absolute.
+   * absolute units: value = 10*PANGO_SCALE = 10 (unscaled) device units (logical pixels)
+   * point units:    value = 10*PANGO_SCALE = 10 points = 10*(font dpi config / 72) device units */
+  double size = pango_font_description_get_size(descr) / PANGO_SCALE;
+
+  /* convert point size to device units */
+  if (!pango_font_description_get_size_is_absolute(descr)) {
+    double font_dpi = 96.0;
+    if (zathura->ui.session != NULL) {
+      if (gtk_widget_has_screen(zathura->ui.session->gtk.view)) {
+        GdkScreen* screen = gtk_widget_get_screen(zathura->ui.session->gtk.view);
+        font_dpi = gdk_screen_get_resolution(screen);
+      }
+    }
+    size = size * font_dpi / 72;
+  }
+
+  cairo_select_font_face(cairo, family, CAIRO_FONT_SLANT_NORMAL, weight);
+  cairo_set_font_size(cairo, size);
+
+  pango_font_description_free(descr);
+  g_free(font);
+}
+
+static cairo_text_extents_t
+get_text_extents(const char* string, zathura_t* zathura, cairo_font_weight_t weight) {
+  cairo_text_extents_t text = {0,};
+
+  if (zathura == NULL) {
+    return text;
+  }
+
+  /* make dummy surface to satisfy API requirements */
+  cairo_surface_t* surface = cairo_image_surface_create(CAIRO_FORMAT_RGB24, 0, 0);
+  if (cairo_surface_status(surface) != CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
+    return text;
+  }
+
+  cairo_t* cairo = cairo_create(surface);
+  if (cairo_status(cairo) != CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
+    cairo_surface_destroy(surface);
+    return text;
+  }
+
+  set_font_from_property(cairo, zathura, weight);
+  cairo_text_extents(cairo, string, &text);
+
+  /* add some margin (for some reason the reported extents can be a bit short) */
+  text.width += 6;
+  text.height += 2;
+
+  cairo_destroy(cairo);
+  cairo_surface_destroy(surface);
+
+  return text;
+}
+
 static void
 zathura_page_widget_set_property(GObject* object, guint prop_id, const GValue* value, GParamSpec* pspec)
 {
   ZathuraPage* pageview = ZATHURA_PAGE(object);
   zathura_page_widget_private_t* priv = ZATHURA_PAGE_GET_PRIVATE(pageview);
 
+  cairo_text_extents_t text;
+
   switch (prop_id) {
     case PROP_PAGE:
       priv->page = g_value_get_pointer(value);
@@ -320,10 +398,19 @@ zathura_page_widget_set_property(GObject* object, guint prop_id, const GValue* v
       }
 
       if (priv->links.retrieved == TRUE && priv->links.list != NULL) {
+        /* get size of text that should be large enough for every link hint */
+        text = get_text_extents("888", priv->zathura, CAIRO_FONT_WEIGHT_BOLD);
+
         GIRARA_LIST_FOREACH(priv->links.list, zathura_link_t*, iter, link)
         if (link != NULL) {
+          /* redraw link area */
           zathura_rectangle_t rectangle = recalc_rectangle(priv->page, zathura_link_get_position(link));
           redraw_rect(pageview, &rectangle);
+
+          /* also redraw area for link hint */
+          rectangle.x2 = rectangle.x1 + text.width;
+          rectangle.y1 = rectangle.y2 - text.height;
+          redraw_rect(pageview, &rectangle);
         }
         GIRARA_LIST_FOREACH_END(priv->links.list, zathura_link_t*, iter, link);
       }
@@ -494,20 +581,12 @@ zathura_page_widget_draw(GtkWidget* widget, cairo_t* cairo)
       return FALSE;
     }
 
-    /* draw rectangles */
-    char* font = NULL;
-    girara_setting_get(priv->zathura->ui.session, "font", &font);
+    /* draw links */
+    set_font_from_property(cairo, priv->zathura, CAIRO_FONT_WEIGHT_BOLD);
 
     float transparency = 0.5;
     girara_setting_get(priv->zathura->ui.session, "highlight-transparency", &transparency);
 
-    if (font != NULL) {
-      cairo_select_font_face(cairo, font, CAIRO_FONT_SLANT_NORMAL, CAIRO_FONT_WEIGHT_BOLD);
-    }
-
-    g_free(font);
-
-    /* draw links */
     if (priv->links.draw == true && priv->links.n != 0) {
       unsigned int link_counter = 0;
       GIRARA_LIST_FOREACH(priv->links.list, zathura_link_t*, iter, link)
@@ -523,7 +602,6 @@ zathura_page_widget_draw(GtkWidget* widget, cairo_t* cairo)
 
         /* draw text */
         cairo_set_source_rgba(cairo, 0, 0, 0, 1);
-        cairo_set_font_size(cairo, 10);
         cairo_move_to(cairo, rectangle.x1 + 1, rectangle.y2 - 1);
         char* link_number = g_strdup_printf("%i", priv->links.offset + ++link_counter);
         cairo_show_text(cairo, link_number);