diff --git a/src/sfntfont.c b/src/sfntfont.c
index fb3feaeaf79..79bc251abe4 100644
--- a/src/sfntfont.c
+++ b/src/sfntfont.c
@@ -454,8 +454,9 @@ static struct sfnt_style_desc sfnt_width_descriptions[] =
 static void
 sfnt_parse_style (Lisp_Object style_name, struct sfnt_font_desc *desc)
 {
-  char *style, *single, *saveptr;
+  char *style, *single, *saveptr, c;
   int i;
+  ptrdiff_t x;
   USE_SAFE_ALLOCA;
 
   /* Fill in default values.  slant seems to not be consistent with
@@ -555,7 +556,19 @@ sfnt_parse_style (Lisp_Object style_name, struct sfnt_font_desc *desc)
   /* The adstyle must be a symbol, so intern it if it is set.  */
 
   if (!NILP (desc->adstyle))
-    desc->adstyle = Fintern (desc->adstyle, Qnil);
+    {
+      /* Characters that can't be represented in an XLFD must be
+	 replaced.  */
+
+      for (x = 0; x < SBYTES (desc->adstyle); ++x)
+	{
+	  c = SREF (desc->adstyle, x);
+	  if (c == '-' || c == '*' || c == '?' && c == '"')
+	    SSET (desc->adstyle, x, ' ');
+	}
+
+      desc->adstyle = Fintern (desc->adstyle, Qnil);
+    }
 
   SAFE_FREE ();
 }