diff --git a/graphics/grMain.c b/graphics/grMain.c
index 404b4e30..8d98ef0b 100644
--- a/graphics/grMain.c
+++ b/graphics/grMain.c
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ void (*GrClosePtr)()		= NULL;
 void (*GrSetCMapPtr)()		= NULL;
 
 void (*GrSetCursorPtr)()	= NULL;
-void (*GrTextSizePtr)()		= NULL;
+int  (*GrTextSizePtr)()		= NULL;
 void (*GrDrawGlyphPtr)()	= NULL;
 void (*GrBitBltPtr)()		= NULL;
 int  (*GrReadPixelPtr)()	= NULL;
diff --git a/graphics/grNull.c b/graphics/grNull.c
index 7a30db4c..a4d64519 100644
--- a/graphics/grNull.c
+++ b/graphics/grNull.c
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ NullInit()
  *	Determine the size of a text string.
  *
  * Results:
- *	None.
+ *	Returns 0 indicating 'r' has been updated.
  *
  * Side effects:
  *	A rectangle is filled in that is the size of the text in pixels.
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ NullInit()
  * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 
-void
+int
 NullTextSize(text, size, r)
     char *text;
     int size;
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ NullTextSize(text, size, r)
     r->r_xtop = strlen(text);
     r->r_ybot = 0;
     r->r_ytop = 1;
+    return 0;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/graphics/grOGL3.c b/graphics/grOGL3.c
index e1b5b093..28b28c77 100644
--- a/graphics/grOGL3.c
+++ b/graphics/grOGL3.c
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ groglSetCharSize (size)
  *	Determine the size of a text string.
  *
  * Results:
- *	0 on success.  -1 on error (no side-effects).
+ *	Returns 0 when 'r' updated, otherwise -1 on error (no side-effects).
  *
  * Side effects:
  *	A rectangle is filled in that is the size of the text in pixels.
diff --git a/graphics/grOGLInt.h b/graphics/grOGLInt.h
index ff290aaf..7efa2cdb 100644
--- a/graphics/grOGLInt.h
+++ b/graphics/grOGLInt.h
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ extern void groglFontText();
 extern void groglDefineCursor();
 extern void GrOGLSetCursor();
 extern void GrOGLSetWindow();
-extern void GrOGLTextSize();
+extern int  GrOGLTextSize();
 extern void GrOGLDrawGlyph();
 extern void GrOGLBitBlt();
 extern void NullBitBlt();
diff --git a/graphics/grTCairo3.c b/graphics/grTCairo3.c
index 5ebfa8d2..c5bfc9e7 100644
--- a/graphics/grTCairo3.c
+++ b/graphics/grTCairo3.c
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ int size;       /* Width of characters, in pixels (6 or 8). */
  *  Determine the size of a text string.
  *
  * Results:
- *  None.
+ *  Return 0 when 'r' updated, otherwise -1 on error (no side-effects).
  *
  * Side effects:
  *  A rectangle is filled in that is the size of the text in pixels.
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ int size;       /* Width of characters, in pixels (6 or 8). */
  * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 
-void
+int
 GrTCairoTextSize(text, size, r)
 char *text;
 int size;
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ Rect *r;
 	/* Note:  size is ignored, as it is passed the current value;	*/
 	/* but the font size in cairo has already been set.		*/
 
-	if (tcairoCurrent.mw == 0) return;
+	if (tcairoCurrent.mw == 0) return -1;
 
 	tcairodata = (TCairoData *)tcairoCurrent.mw->w_grdata2;
 	cairo_text_extents(tcairodata->context, text, &extents);
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@ Rect *r;
 	r->r_ybot = -(extents.height + extents.y_bearing);
 	r->r_xtop = extents.width + extents.x_bearing;
 	r->r_xbot = extents.x_bearing;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 /* Cairo backing store functions (now removed from the X11-based ones) */
@@ -598,7 +599,7 @@ LinkedRect *obscure;    /* A list of obscuring rectangles */
 	float tscale;
 	TCairoData *tcairodata = (TCairoData *)tcairoCurrent.mw->w_grdata2;
 
-	GrTCairoTextSize(text, tcairoCurrent.fontSize, &textrect);
+	if (GrTCairoTextSize(text, tcairoCurrent.fontSize, &textrect) < 0) return;
 
 	location.r_xbot = pos->p_x + textrect.r_xbot;
 	location.r_xtop = pos->p_x + textrect.r_xtop;
diff --git a/graphics/grTCairoInt.h b/graphics/grTCairoInt.h
index f613ab06..4188ffe6 100644
--- a/graphics/grTCairoInt.h
+++ b/graphics/grTCairoInt.h
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ extern void grtcairoPutText();
 extern void grtcairoFontText();
 #endif
 extern void GrTCairoSetCursor();
-extern void GrTCairoTextSize();
+extern int GrTCairoTextSize();
 extern void GrTCairoDrawGlyph();
 extern void GrTCairoBitBlt();
 extern void NullBitBlt();
diff --git a/graphics/grTOGL3.c b/graphics/grTOGL3.c
index 3414f3a4..877d2df3 100644
--- a/graphics/grTOGL3.c
+++ b/graphics/grTOGL3.c
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ grtoglSetCharSize (size)
  *	Determine the size of a text string.
  *
  * Results:
- *	None.
+ *	Returns 0 when 'r' updated, otherwise -1 on error (no side-effects).
  *
  * Side effects:
  *	A rectangle is filled in that is the size of the text in pixels.
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ grtoglSetCharSize (size)
  * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 
-void
+int
 GrTOGLTextSize(text, size, r)
     char *text;
     int size;
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ GrTOGLTextSize(text, size, r)
 		size );
 	break;
     }
-    if (font == NULL) return;
+    if (font == NULL) return -1;
     Tk_GetFontMetrics(font, &overall);
     width = Tk_TextWidth(font, text, strlen(text));
     /* Hack alert!  Tk_TextWidth returns values too small! */
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ GrTOGLTextSize(text, size, r)
     r->r_ybot = -overall.descent;
     r->r_xtop = width;
     r->r_xbot = 0;
+    return 0;
 }
 
 /* OpenGL backing store functions (now removed from the X11-based ones) */
@@ -682,7 +683,7 @@ grtoglPutText (text, pos, clip, obscure)
     int i;
     float tscale;
 
-    GrTOGLTextSize(text, toglCurrent.fontSize, &textrect);
+    if (GrTOGLTextSize(text, toglCurrent.fontSize, &textrect) < 0) return;
 
     location.r_xbot = pos->p_x + textrect.r_xbot;
     location.r_xtop = pos->p_x + textrect.r_xtop;
diff --git a/graphics/grTOGLInt.h b/graphics/grTOGLInt.h
index e67af2df..5292dea9 100644
--- a/graphics/grTOGLInt.h
+++ b/graphics/grTOGLInt.h
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ extern void grtoglPutText();
 extern void grtoglFontText();
 #endif
 extern void GrTOGLSetCursor();
-extern void GrTOGLTextSize();
+extern int  GrTOGLTextSize();
 extern void GrTOGLDrawGlyph();
 extern void GrTOGLBitBlt();
 extern void NullBitBlt();
diff --git a/graphics/grTk3.c b/graphics/grTk3.c
index 889ef98d..16c9f0b5 100644
--- a/graphics/grTk3.c
+++ b/graphics/grTk3.c
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ grtkSetCharSize (size)
  *	Determine the size of a text string.
  *
  * Results:
- *	None.
+ *	Returns 0 when 'r' updated, otherwise -1 on error (no side-effects).
  *
  * Side effects:
  *	A rectangle is filled in that is the size of the text in pixels.
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ grtkSetCharSize (size)
  * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 
-void
+int
 GrTkTextSize(text, size, r)
     char *text;
     int size;
@@ -206,13 +206,14 @@ GrTkTextSize(text, size, r)
 		size );
 	break;
     }
-    if (font == NULL) return;
+    if (font == NULL) return -1;
     Tk_GetFontMetrics(font, &overall);
     width = Tk_TextWidth(font, text, strlen(text));
     r->r_ytop = overall.ascent;
     r->r_ybot = -overall.descent;
     r->r_xtop = width;
     r->r_xbot = 0;
+    return 0;
 }
 
 
@@ -493,7 +494,7 @@ grtkPutText (text, pos, clip, obscure)
 
     if (grCurrent.font == NULL) return;
 
-    GrTkTextSize(text, grCurrent.fontSize, &textrect);
+    if (GrTkTextSize(text, grCurrent.fontSize, &textrect) < 0) return;
 
     location.r_xbot = pos->p_x + textrect.r_xbot;
     location.r_xtop = pos->p_x + textrect.r_xtop;
diff --git a/graphics/grTkInt.h b/graphics/grTkInt.h
index 3bee9f8a..9ffca5e8 100644
--- a/graphics/grTkInt.h
+++ b/graphics/grTkInt.h
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ extern void GrTkSetCMap();
 extern void grtkPutText();
 extern void grtkFontText();
 extern void GrTkSetCursor();
-extern void GrTkTextSize();
+extern int  GrTkTextSize();
 extern void GrTkDrawGlyph();
 extern void GrTkBitBlt();
 extern void NullBitBlt();
diff --git a/graphics/grX11Int.h b/graphics/grX11Int.h
index 51094c93..052eea79 100644
--- a/graphics/grX11Int.h
+++ b/graphics/grX11Int.h
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ extern void grx11PutText();
 extern void grx11FontText();
 extern void grx11DefineCursor();
 extern void GrX11SetCursor();
-extern void GrX11TextSize();
+extern int  GrX11TextSize();
 extern void GrX11DrawGlyph();
 extern void GrX11BitBlt();
 extern void NullBitBlt();
diff --git a/graphics/grX11su3.c b/graphics/grX11su3.c
index 7416bdd9..f46a2961 100644
--- a/graphics/grX11su3.c
+++ b/graphics/grX11su3.c
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ grx11SetCharSize (size)
  *	Determine the size of a text string.
  *
  * Results:
- *	None.
+ *	Returns 0 when 'r' updated, otherwise -1 on error (no side-effects).
  *
  * Side effects:
  *	A rectangle is filled in that is the size of the text in pixels.
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ grx11SetCharSize (size)
  * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 
-void
+int
 GrX11TextSize(text, size, r)
     char *text;
     int size;
@@ -266,12 +266,13 @@ GrX11TextSize(text, size, r)
 		size );
 	break;
     }
-    if (font == NULL) return;
+    if (font == NULL) return -1;
     XTextExtents(font, text, strlen(text), &dir, &fa, &fd, &overall);
     r->r_ytop = overall.ascent;
     r->r_ybot = -overall.descent;
     r->r_xtop = overall.width - overall.lbearing;
     r->r_xbot = -overall.lbearing - 1;
+    return 0;
 }
 
 
@@ -790,7 +791,7 @@ grx11PutText (text, pos, clip, obscure)
 
     if (grCurrent.font == NULL) return;
 
-    GrX11TextSize(text, grCurrent.fontSize, &textrect);
+    if (GrX11TextSize(text, grCurrent.fontSize, &textrect) < 0) return;
 
     location.r_xbot = pos->p_x + textrect.r_xbot;
     location.r_xtop = pos->p_x + textrect.r_xtop;
diff --git a/graphics/graphics.h b/graphics/graphics.h
index 474f9fb2..1dc8486b 100644
--- a/graphics/graphics.h
+++ b/graphics/graphics.h
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ typedef struct {	/* Colormap table entry */
 /* Housekeeping and initialization routines */
 extern bool (*GrInitPtr)();
 extern void (*GrClosePtr)();
-extern void (*GrTextSizePtr)();
+extern int (*GrTextSizePtr)();
 
 /*
  * Display painting and text routines