diff -up mate-control-center-1.5.3/capplets/appearance/appearance-font.c.0017 mate-control-center-1.5.3/capplets/appearance/appearance-font.c
--- mate-control-center-1.5.3/capplets/appearance/appearance-font.c.0017	2013-01-19 13:55:36.437942972 +0100
+++ mate-control-center-1.5.3/capplets/appearance/appearance-font.c	2013-01-19 14:01:27.572150756 +0100
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ dpi_load (GSettings     *settings,
   if (value != 0)
     dpi = value;
   else
-    dpi = get_dpi_from_x_server ();
+    dpi = 96.0; /*get_dpi_from_x_server ();*/
 
   if (dpi < DPI_LOW_REASONABLE_VALUE)
     dpi = DPI_LOW_REASONABLE_VALUE;