diff --git a/lib/src/sugar-utils.c b/lib/src/sugar-utils.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7aa896eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/src/sugar-utils.c
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2006, Red Hat, Inc.
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the
+ * Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
+ * Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+ */
+
+#include <math.h>
+#include <gdk/gdkx.h>
+
+gint
+sugar_get_screen_dpi(void)
+{
+    char *val = XGetDefault (GDK_DISPLAY(), "Xft", "dpi");
+    if (val) {
+        char *e;
+        double d = strtod(val, &e);
+        if (e != val)
+            return round(d);
+    }
+
+    return 96;
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/sugar-utils.h b/lib/src/sugar-utils.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1b45d25a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/src/sugar-utils.h
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2006, Red Hat, Inc.
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the
+ * Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
+ * Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+ */
+
+#ifndef __SUGAR_UTILS_H__
+#define __SUGAR_UTILS_H__
+
+#include <glib.h>
+
+G_BEGIN_DECLS
+
+gint sugar_get_screen_dpi (void);
+
+G_END_DECLS
+
+#endif /* __SUGAR_UTILS_H__ */