diff --git a/libi3/font.c b/libi3/font.c
index 9cea83e4..4c064f2b 100644
--- a/libi3/font.c
+++ b/libi3/font.c
@@ -30,6 +30,21 @@ static double pango_font_red;
 static double pango_font_green;
 static double pango_font_blue;
 
+static PangoLayout *create_layout_with_dpi(cairo_t *cr) {
+    PangoLayout *layout;
+    PangoContext *context;
+
+    context = pango_cairo_create_context(cr);
+    const double dpi = (double)root_screen->height_in_pixels * 25.4 /
+                       (double)root_screen->height_in_millimeters;
+    LOG("X11 root window dictates %f DPI\n", dpi);
+    pango_cairo_context_set_resolution(context, dpi);
+    layout = pango_layout_new(context);
+    g_object_unref(context);
+
+    return layout;
+}
+
 /*
  * Loads a Pango font description into an i3Font structure. Returns true
  * on success, false otherwise.
@@ -56,10 +71,7 @@ static bool load_pango_font(i3Font *font, const char *desc) {
     /* Create a dummy Pango layout to compute the font height */
     cairo_surface_t *surface = cairo_xcb_surface_create(conn, root_screen->root, root_visual_type, 1, 1);
     cairo_t *cr = cairo_create(surface);
-    double ydpi = (double)root_screen->height_in_pixels * 25.4 / (double)root_screen->height_in_millimeters;
-    PangoContext *pc = pango_cairo_create_context(cr);
-    pango_cairo_context_set_resolution(pc, ydpi);
-    PangoLayout *layout = pango_layout_new(pc);
+    PangoLayout *layout = create_layout_with_dpi(cr);
     pango_layout_set_font_description(layout, font->specific.pango_desc);
 
     /* Get the font height */
@@ -69,7 +81,6 @@ static bool load_pango_font(i3Font *font, const char *desc) {
 
     /* Free resources */
     g_object_unref(layout);
-    g_object_unref(pc);
     cairo_destroy(cr);
     cairo_surface_destroy(surface);
 
@@ -89,10 +100,7 @@ static void draw_text_pango(const char *text, size_t text_len,
     cairo_surface_t *surface = cairo_xcb_surface_create(conn, drawable,
             root_visual_type, x + max_width, y + savedFont->height);
     cairo_t *cr = cairo_create(surface);
-    double ydpi = (double)root_screen->height_in_pixels * 25.4 / (double)root_screen->height_in_millimeters;
-    PangoContext *pc = pango_cairo_create_context(cr);
-    pango_cairo_context_set_resolution(pc, ydpi);
-    PangoLayout *layout = pango_layout_new(pc);
+    PangoLayout *layout = create_layout_with_dpi(cr);
     gint height;
 
     pango_layout_set_font_description(layout, savedFont->specific.pango_desc);
@@ -111,7 +119,6 @@ static void draw_text_pango(const char *text, size_t text_len,
 
     /* Free resources */
     g_object_unref(layout);
-    g_object_unref(pc);
     cairo_destroy(cr);
     cairo_surface_destroy(surface);
 }
@@ -125,10 +132,7 @@ static int predict_text_width_pango(const char *text, size_t text_len) {
     /* root_visual_type is cached in load_pango_font */
     cairo_surface_t *surface = cairo_xcb_surface_create(conn, root_screen->root, root_visual_type, 1, 1);
     cairo_t *cr = cairo_create(surface);
-    double ydpi = (double)root_screen->height_in_pixels * 25.4 / (double)root_screen->height_in_millimeters;
-    PangoContext *pc = pango_cairo_create_context(cr);
-    pango_cairo_context_set_resolution(pc, ydpi);
-    PangoLayout *layout = pango_layout_new(pc);
+    PangoLayout *layout = create_layout_with_dpi(cr);
 
     /* Get the font width */
     gint width;
@@ -139,7 +143,6 @@ static int predict_text_width_pango(const char *text, size_t text_len) {
 
     /* Free resources */
     g_object_unref(layout);
-    g_object_unref(pc);
     cairo_destroy(cr);
     cairo_surface_destroy(surface);