diff --git a/src/komap.conf b/src/komap.conf
index a395ffc..6a2bace 100644
--- a/src/komap.conf
+++ b/src/komap.conf
@@ -12,4 +12,5 @@ srtm_dem_path = /raid/srtm/srtmm.vrt
 cleantopo_hs_path = /raid/srtm/Full/CleanTOPO2merchs.tif
 srtm_hs_path = /raid/srtm/srtmhs.vrt
 default_font_family = DejaVu Sans Book
-max_char_angle_delta = 17
\ No newline at end of file
+max_char_angle_delta = 17
+font_tracking = 0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/komap.py b/src/komap.py
index 3871cdf..abc8e50 100755
--- a/src/komap.py
+++ b/src/komap.py
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ if options.renderer == "mapnik":
     libkomapnik.text_scale = options.textscale
     libkomapnik.default_font_family = config.get("mapnik", "default_font_family")
     libkomapnik.max_char_angle_delta = config.get("mapnik", "max_char_angle_delta")
+    libkomapnik.font_tracking = config.get("mapnik", "font_tracking")
 
     from libkomapnik import *
 
@@ -719,6 +720,7 @@ if options.renderer == "mapnik":
                                             ttransform = entry["style"].get("text-transform", "none")
                                             tspacing = entry["style"].get("text-spacing", "4096")
                                             tangle = entry["style"].get("-x-kot-text-angle", libkomapnik.max_char_angle_delta)
+                                            tcharspacing = entry["style"].get("-x-kot-font-tracking", libkomapnik.font_tracking)
 
                                             xml += xml_rule_start()
                                             xml += x_scale
@@ -732,7 +734,7 @@ if options.renderer == "mapnik":
                                                     ttext, tface, tsize, tcolor, thcolor, thradius, tplace,
                                                     toffset, toverlap, tdistance, twrap, talign, topacity, ttransform)
                                             else:
-                                                xml += xml_textsymbolizer(ttext, tface, tsize, tcolor, thcolor, thradius, tplace, toffset, toverlap, tdistance, twrap, talign, topacity, tpos, ttransform, tspacing, tangle)
+                                                xml += xml_textsymbolizer(ttext, tface, tsize, tcolor, thcolor, thradius, tcharspacing, tplace, toffset, toverlap, tdistance, twrap, talign, topacity, tpos, ttransform, tspacing, tangle)
                                             sql.add(entry["sql"])
                                             itags.update(entry["chooser"].get_interesting_tags(entry["type"], zoom))
                                             xml += xml_rule_end()
diff --git a/src/libkomapnik.py b/src/libkomapnik.py
index 1b1b36e..50eef84 100644
--- a/src/libkomapnik.py
+++ b/src/libkomapnik.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ srtm_hs_path = ""
 text_scale = 1
 default_font_family = ""
 max_char_angle_delta = ""
+font_tracking = 0
 
 substyles = []
 
@@ -134,7 +135,7 @@ def xml_linepatternsymbolizer(file=""):
 
 
 def xml_textsymbolizer(
-        text="name", face=default_font_family, size="10", color="#000000", halo_color="#ffffff", halo_radius="0", placement="line", offset="0", overlap="false", distance="26", wrap_width=256, align="center", opacity="1", pos="X", transform="none", spacing="4096", angle=max_char_angle_delta):
+        text="name", face=default_font_family, size="10", color="#000000", halo_color="#ffffff", halo_radius="0", character_spacing=font_tracking, placement="line", offset="0", overlap="false", distance="26", wrap_width=256, align="center", opacity="1", pos="X", transform="none", spacing="4096", angle=max_char_angle_delta):
     color = nicecolor(color)
     halo_color = nicecolor(halo_color)
     pos = pos.replace("exact", "X").replace("any", "S, E, X, N, W, NE, SE, NW, SW").split(",")
@@ -152,8 +153,8 @@ def xml_textsymbolizer(
         dy = 0
 
     return """
-    <TextSymbolizer fontset-name="%s" size="%s" fill="%s" halo-fill= "%s" halo-radius="%s" placement="%s" dx="%s" dy="%s" max-char-angle-delta="%s" allow-overlap="%s" wrap-width="%s" minimum-distance="%s" vertical-alignment="middle" horizontal-alignment="%s" opacity="%s" placement-type="simple" placements="%s" text-transform="%s" minimum-path-length="5" spacing="%s">[%s]</TextSymbolizer>
-    """ % (face, size, color, halo_color, halo_radius, placement, dx, dy, angle, overlap, wrap_width, distance, align, opacity, pos, transform, spacing, text)
+    <TextSymbolizer fontset-name="%s" size="%s" fill="%s" halo-fill= "%s" halo-radius="%s" halo-rasterizer="full" character_spacing="%s" placement="%s" dx="%s" dy="%s" max-char-angle-delta="%s" allow-overlap="%s" wrap-width="%s" minimum-distance="%s" vertical-alignment="middle" horizontal-alignment="%s" opacity="%s" placement-type="simple" placements="%s" text-transform="%s" minimum-path-length="5" spacing="%s">[%s]</TextSymbolizer>
+    """ % (face, size, color, halo_color, halo_radius, character_spacing, placement, dx, dy, angle, overlap, wrap_width, distance, align, opacity, pos, transform, spacing, text)
 
 def xml_shieldsymbolizer(path="", width="", height="",
                          text="name", face=default_font_family, size="10", color="#000000", halo_color="#ffffff", halo_radius="0", placement="line", offset="0", overlap="false", distance="26", wrap_width=256, align="center", opacity="1", transform="none", unlock_image='true', spacing='500'):