diff --git a/include/SFML/Graphics/Text.hpp b/include/SFML/Graphics/Text.hpp
index 65f4f257..dae6ef2d 100644
--- a/include/SFML/Graphics/Text.hpp
+++ b/include/SFML/Graphics/Text.hpp
@@ -149,9 +149,9 @@ public:
     ///
     /// The default spacing between lines is defined by the font.
     /// This method enables you to set a factor for the spacing
-    /// between lines. By default the line spacing offset is 1.
+    /// between lines. By default the line spacing factor is 1.
     ///
-    /// \param spacing New line spacing factor
+    /// \param spacingFactor New line spacing factor
     ///
     /// \see getLineSpacing
     ///
@@ -162,10 +162,15 @@ public:
     /// \brief Set the letter spacing factor
     ///
     /// The default spacing between letters is defined by the font.
-    /// This method enables you to set a factor to the spacing
-    /// between letters. By default the letter spacing factor is 1.
+    /// This factor doesn't directly apply to the existing
+    /// spacing between each character, it rather adds a fixed
+    /// space between them which is calculated from the font
+    /// metrics and the character size.
+    /// Note that factors below 1 (including negative numbers) bring
+    /// characters closer to each other.
+    /// By default the letter spacing factor is 1.
     ///
-    /// \param spacing New letter spacing factor
+    /// \param spacingFactor New letter spacing factor
     ///
     /// \see getLetterSpacing
     ///
diff --git a/src/SFML/Graphics/Text.cpp b/src/SFML/Graphics/Text.cpp
index 643197dd..3773616d 100644
--- a/src/SFML/Graphics/Text.cpp
+++ b/src/SFML/Graphics/Text.cpp
@@ -317,7 +317,9 @@ Vector2f Text::findCharacterPos(std::size_t index) const
 
     // Precompute the variables needed by the algorithm
     bool  isBold          = m_style & Bold;
-    float whitespaceWidth = m_font->getGlyph(L' ', m_characterSize, isBold).advance * m_letterSpacingFactor;
+    float whitespaceWidth = m_font->getGlyph(L' ', m_characterSize, isBold).advance;
+    float letterSpacing   = ( whitespaceWidth / 3.f ) * ( m_letterSpacingFactor - 1.f );
+    whitespaceWidth      += letterSpacing;
     float lineSpacing     = m_font->getLineSpacing(m_characterSize) * m_lineSpacingFactor;
 
     // Compute the position
@@ -340,7 +342,7 @@ Vector2f Text::findCharacterPos(std::size_t index) const
         }
 
         // For regular characters, add the advance offset of the glyph
-        position.x += m_font->getGlyph(curChar, m_characterSize, isBold).advance * m_letterSpacingFactor;
+        position.x += m_font->getGlyph(curChar, m_characterSize, isBold).advance + letterSpacing;
     }
 
     // Transform the position to global coordinates
@@ -425,7 +427,9 @@ void Text::ensureGeometryUpdate() const
     float strikeThroughOffset = xBounds.top + xBounds.height / 2.f;
 
     // Precompute the variables needed by the algorithm
-    float whitespaceWidth = m_font->getGlyph(L' ', m_characterSize, isBold).advance * m_letterSpacingFactor;
+    float whitespaceWidth = m_font->getGlyph(L' ', m_characterSize, isBold).advance;
+    float letterSpacing   = ( whitespaceWidth / 3.f ) * ( m_letterSpacingFactor - 1.f );
+    whitespaceWidth      += letterSpacing;
     float lineSpacing     = m_font->getLineSpacing(m_characterSize) * m_lineSpacingFactor;
     float x               = 0.f;
     float y               = static_cast<float>(m_characterSize);
@@ -525,7 +529,7 @@ void Text::ensureGeometryUpdate() const
         }
 
         // Advance to the next character
-        x += glyph.advance * m_letterSpacingFactor;
+        x += glyph.advance + letterSpacing;
     }
 
     // If we're using the underlined style, add the last line