diff --git a/piker/ui/_style.py b/piker/ui/_style.py
index 3764750a..eeeb6c9c 100644
--- a/piker/ui/_style.py
+++ b/piker/ui/_style.py
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ from ..log import get_logger
 log = get_logger(__name__)
 
 # chart-wide fonts specified in inches
-_default_font_inches_we_like = 0.0666
-_down_2_font_inches_we_like = 6 / 96
+_default_font_inches_we_like = 6 / 96
+_down_2_font_inches_we_like = 5 / 96
 
 
 class DpiAwareFont: