diff --git a/src/Gui/DlgSettingsNavigation.cpp b/src/Gui/DlgSettingsNavigation.cpp
index 29c2b1c5d4..f01380a236 100644
--- a/src/Gui/DlgSettingsNavigation.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/DlgSettingsNavigation.cpp
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ void DlgSettingsNavigation::loadSettings()
 
     ParameterGrp::handle hGrp = App::GetApplication().GetParameterGroupByPath
         ("User parameter:BaseApp/Preferences/View");
-    std::string model = hGrp->GetASCII("NavigationStyle",CADNavigationStyle::getClassTypeId().getName());
+    std::string model = hGrp->GetASCII("NavigationStyle", CADNavigationStyle::getClassTypeId().getName());
     int index = ui->comboNavigationStyle->findData(QByteArray(model.c_str()));
     if (index > -1) ui->comboNavigationStyle->setCurrentIndex(index);
 
@@ -196,11 +196,25 @@ void DlgSettingsNavigation::loadSettings()
     QStringList familyNames = QFontDatabase::families(QFontDatabase::Any);
 #endif
     ui->naviCubeFontName->addItems(familyNames);
+
+    // if the parameter has not yet been set, do so immediately
+    // this assures it is set even if the user cancels the dialog
+    if (hGrp->GetASCII("FontString", "").empty())
+        hGrp->SetASCII("FontString", defaultSansserifFont.constData());
     int indexFamilyNames = familyNames.indexOf(
-        QString::fromLatin1(hGrp->GetASCII("FontString", defaultSansserifFont).c_str()));
+        QString::fromStdString(hGrp->GetASCII("FontString", defaultSansserifFont)));
     if (indexFamilyNames < 0)
         indexFamilyNames = 0;
     ui->naviCubeFontName->setCurrentIndex(indexFamilyNames);
+
+    // if the FontSize parameter does not yet exist, set the default value
+    // the default is defined in NaviCubeImplementation::getDefaultFontSize()
+    // but not accessible if there is no cube yet drawn
+    if (hGrp->GetInt("FontSize", 0) == 0) {
+        // the "4" is the hardcoded m_OverSample from getDefaultFontSize()
+        hGrp->SetInt("FontSize", int(0.18 * 4 * ui->prefCubeSize->value()));
+        ui->naviCubeFontSize->onRestore();
+    }
 }
 
 void DlgSettingsNavigation::onMouseButtonClicked()
diff --git a/src/Gui/NaviCube.cpp b/src/Gui/NaviCube.cpp
index e489e8c6f0..9c384540f9 100644
--- a/src/Gui/NaviCube.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/NaviCube.cpp
@@ -296,24 +296,18 @@ void NaviCube::setFontSize(int size)
 // the Helvetica font is a good start for most OSes
 QFont NaviCube::getDefaultSansserifFont()
 {
-    QFont font(QString::fromLatin1("Helvetica"));
-    if (font.styleHint() & QFont::SansSerif)
+    // Windows versions since 2017 have the 'Bahnschrift' font (a condensed
+    // sans serif font, optimized for readability despite being condensed),
+    // we first check for that.
+    QFont font(QString::fromLatin1("Bahnschrift"));
+    if (font.exactMatch())
         return font;
-    // on Windows 10 or newer there is no Helvetica font
-    // therefore if we didn't find a Helvetica font check
-    // for the Bahnschrift font (in all Windows since 2017)
-    // if this too is unavailable (on Win 7), we check for the
-    // DejaVu Sans fonts
-    font.setFamily(QString::fromLatin1("Bahnschrift"));
-    // on Windows 11 sansserif fonts like Bahnschrift do not have the
-    // styleHint QFont::SansSerif but QFont::AnyStyle
-    // however, in future they might have, thus allow both
-    if (font.styleHint() == QFont::SansSerif || font.styleHint() == QFont::AnyStyle)
-        return font;
-    font.setFamily(QString::fromLatin1("DejaVu Sans"));
-    if (font.styleHint() == QFont::SansSerif || font.styleHint() == QFont::AnyStyle)
-        return font;
-    return font; // We failed, but return whatever we have anyway
+
+    // On systems without 'Bahnschrift' we check for 'Helvetica' or its closest match
+    // as default sans serif font. (For Windows 7 this will e.g. result in 'Arial'.)
+    font = QString::fromLatin1("Helvetica");
+    font.setStyleHint(QFont::SansSerif);
+    return font;
 }
 
 int NaviCube::getDefaultFontSize()