diff --git a/src/tuxpaint.c b/src/tuxpaint.c
index 68065cb0d..9486f7c08 100644
--- a/src/tuxpaint.c
+++ b/src/tuxpaint.c
@@ -764,6 +764,7 @@ static float render_scale;      /* Scale factor for the render */
 
 static int button_w;            /* was 48 */
 static int button_h;            /* was 48 */
+static int button_size_auto = 0;    /* if the size of buttons should be autocalculated */
 static float button_scale;      /* scale factor to be applied to the  size of buttons */
 static int color_button_w;      /* was 32 */
 static int color_button_h;      /* was 48 */
@@ -26576,12 +26577,18 @@ static void setup_config(char *argv[])
     }
   if (tmpcfg.button_size)
     {
-      if (strtof(tmpcfg.button_size, NULL) < 24 || strtof(tmpcfg.button_size, NULL) > 192)
-        {
-          fprintf(stderr, "Button size (now %s) must be between 24 and 192.\n", tmpcfg.button_size);
-          exit(1);
-        }
-      button_scale = strtof(tmpcfg.button_size, NULL) / ORIGINAL_BUTTON_SIZE;
+      if (strstr(tmpcfg.button_size, "auto"))
+	button_size_auto = 1;
+      else
+	{
+	  button_size_auto = 0; /* raw size */
+	  if (strtof(tmpcfg.button_size, NULL) < 24 || strtof(tmpcfg.button_size, NULL) > 192)
+	    {
+	      fprintf(stderr, "Button size (now %s) must be between 24 and 192.\n", tmpcfg.button_size);
+	      exit(1);
+	    }
+	  button_scale = strtof(tmpcfg.button_size, NULL) / ORIGINAL_BUTTON_SIZE;
+	}
     }
   else
     button_scale = 1;
@@ -27715,6 +27722,9 @@ static void setup(void)
 
   /* (Need to do this after native screen resolution is handled) */
 
+  if (button_size_auto) /* Automatic size of buttons, see https://sourceforge.net/p/tuxpaint/feature-requests/218/ */
+    button_scale = (float) min((48 * screen->w) / 800, (48 * screen->h) / 600) / ORIGINAL_BUTTON_SIZE;
+
   setup_screen_layout();
   set_color_picker_crosshair_size();