diff --git a/src/utils/CharMeasure.ts b/src/utils/CharMeasure.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..60684a2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/CharMeasure.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+/**
+ * @module xterm/utils/CharMeasure
+ * @license MIT
+ */
+
+import { EventEmitter } from '../EventEmitter.js';
+
+/**
+ * Utility class that measures the size of a character.
+ */
+export class CharMeasure extends EventEmitter {
+  private _parentElement: HTMLElement;
+  private _measureElement: HTMLElement;
+  private _width: number;
+  private _height: number;
+
+  constructor(parentElement: HTMLElement) {
+    super();
+    this._parentElement = parentElement;
+  }
+
+  public get width(): number {
+    return this._width;
+  }
+
+  public get height(): number {
+    return this._height;
+  }
+
+  public measure(): void {
+    const oldWidth = this._width;
+    const oldHeight = this._height;
+
+    if (!this._measureElement) {
+      this._measureElement = document.createElement('span');
+      this._measureElement.style.position = 'absolute';
+      this._measureElement.style.top = '0';
+      this._measureElement.style.left = '-9999em';
+      this._measureElement.textContent = 'W';
+    }
+
+    this._parentElement.appendChild(this._measureElement);
+    const geometry = this._measureElement.getBoundingClientRect();
+    this._width = geometry.width;
+    this._height = geometry.height;
+    this._parentElement.removeChild(this._measureElement);
+
+    if (this._width !== oldWidth || this._height !== oldHeight) {
+      this.emit('charsizechanged');
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/xterm.js b/src/xterm.js
index fcb60bf5..826531e2 100644
--- a/src/xterm.js
+++ b/src/xterm.js
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import { EventEmitter } from './EventEmitter.js';
 import { Viewport } from './Viewport.js';
 import { rightClickHandler, pasteHandler, copyHandler } from './handlers/Clipboard.js';
 import { CircularList } from './utils/CircularList.js';
+import { CharMeasure } from './utils/CharMeasure.js';
 import * as Browser from './utils/Browser';
 import * as Keyboard from './utils/Keyboard';
 
@@ -583,6 +584,9 @@ Terminal.prototype.open = function(parent) {
   }
   this.parent.appendChild(this.element);
 
+  this.charMeasure = new CharMeasure(this.rowContainer);
+  this.charMeasure.measure();
+
   this.viewport = new Viewport(this, this.viewportElement, this.viewportScrollArea, this.charMeasureElement);
 
   // Draw the screen.
@@ -2951,6 +2955,8 @@ Terminal.prototype.resize = function(x, y) {
   this.scrollTop = 0;
   this.scrollBottom = y - 1;
 
+  this.charMeasure.measure();
+
   this.refresh(0, this.rows - 1);
 
   this.normal = null;