diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 19f0926e2..9a2d130d1 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+2015-09-17  Werner Lemberg  <wl@gnu.org>
+
+	[pcf] Use FT_ABS for some property values (#45893).
+
+	* src/pcf/pcfread.c (pcf_load_font): Take absolute values for
+	AVERAGE_WIDTH, POINT_SIZE, PIXEL_SIZE, RESOLUTION_X, and
+	RESOLUTION_Y.  In tracing mode, add warnings.
+
 2015-09-16  Werner Lemberg  <wl@gnu.org>
 
 	Minor fixes for some clang warnings.
diff --git a/src/pcf/pcfread.c b/src/pcf/pcfread.c
index 9da7e75e5..a17b62ed4 100644
--- a/src/pcf/pcfread.c
+++ b/src/pcf/pcfread.c
@@ -1278,28 +1278,62 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
         bsize->height = (FT_Short)( face->accel.fontAscent +
                                     face->accel.fontDescent );
 
+        /* for simplicity, we take absolute values of integer properties */
+
         prop = pcf_find_property( face, "AVERAGE_WIDTH" );
         if ( prop )
-          bsize->width = (FT_Short)( ( prop->value.l + 5 ) / 10 );
+        {
+#ifdef FT_DEBUG_LEVEL_TRACE
+          if ( prop->value.l < 0 )
+            FT_TRACE0(( "pcf_load_font: negative average width\n" ));
+#endif
+          bsize->width = (FT_Short)( ( FT_ABS( prop->value.l ) + 5 ) / 10 );
+        }
         else
-          bsize->width = (FT_Short)( bsize->height * 2/3 );
+          bsize->width = (FT_Short)( bsize->height * 2 / 3 );
 
         prop = pcf_find_property( face, "POINT_SIZE" );
         if ( prop )
+        {
+#ifdef FT_DEBUG_LEVEL_TRACE
+          if ( prop->value.l < 0 )
+            FT_TRACE0(( "pcf_load_font: negative point size\n" ));
+#endif
           /* convert from 722.7 decipoints to 72 points per inch */
-          bsize->size = FT_MulDiv( prop->value.l, 64 * 7200, 72270L );
+          bsize->size = FT_MulDiv( FT_ABS( prop->value.l ),
+                                   64 * 7200,
+                                   72270L );
+        }
 
         prop = pcf_find_property( face, "PIXEL_SIZE" );
         if ( prop )
-          bsize->y_ppem = (FT_Short)prop->value.l << 6;
+        {
+#ifdef FT_DEBUG_LEVEL_TRACE
+          if ( prop->value.l < 0 )
+            FT_TRACE0(( "pcf_load_font: negative pixel size\n" ));
+#endif
+          bsize->y_ppem = (FT_Short)FT_ABS( prop->value.l ) << 6;
+        }
 
         prop = pcf_find_property( face, "RESOLUTION_X" );
         if ( prop )
-          resolution_x = (FT_Short)prop->value.l;
+        {
+#ifdef FT_DEBUG_LEVEL_TRACE
+          if ( prop->value.l < 0 )
+            FT_TRACE0(( "pcf_load_font: negative X resolution\n" ));
+#endif
+          resolution_x = (FT_Short)FT_ABS( prop->value.l );
+        }
 
         prop = pcf_find_property( face, "RESOLUTION_Y" );
         if ( prop )
-          resolution_y = (FT_Short)prop->value.l;
+        {
+#ifdef FT_DEBUG_LEVEL_TRACE
+          if ( prop->value.l < 0 )
+            FT_TRACE0(( "pcf_load_font: negative Y resolution\n" ));
+#endif
+          resolution_y = (FT_Short)FT_ABS( prop->value.l );
+        }
 
         if ( bsize->y_ppem == 0 )
         {