diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bb7f0d9..7fcd137 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -134,10 +134,11 @@ Strongly recommend to use
 ## Customize
 
 ``` emacs-lisp
-;; How tall the mode-line should be (only respected in GUI Emacs).
+;; How tall the mode-line should be. It's only respected in GUI.
+;; If the actual char height is larger, it respects the actual height.
 (setq doom-modeline-height 25)
 
-;; How wide the mode-line bar should be (only respected in GUI Emacs).
+;; How wide the mode-line bar should be. It's only respected in GUI.
 (setq doom-modeline-bar-width 3)
 
 ;; Determines the style used by `doom-modeline-buffer-file-name'.
diff --git a/doom-modeline-core.el b/doom-modeline-core.el
index 7acc8a1..7e0ed3e 100644
--- a/doom-modeline-core.el
+++ b/doom-modeline-core.el
@@ -131,14 +131,12 @@ It returns a file name which can be used directly as argument of
 ;; Variables
 ;;
 
-(defvar doom-modeline-height (let ((font (face-font 'mode-line)))
-                               (if (and font (fboundp 'font-info))
-                                   (* 2 (aref (font-info font) 2))
-                                 25))
-  "How tall the mode-line should be (only respected in GUI Emacs).")
+(defvar doom-modeline-height 25
+  "How tall the mode-line should be. It's only respected in GUI.
+If the actual char height is larger, it respects the actual char height.")
 
 (defvar doom-modeline-bar-width (if (eq system-type 'darwin) 3 6)
-  "How wide the mode-line bar should be (only respected in GUI Emacs).")
+  "How wide the mode-line bar should be. It's only respected in GUI.")
 
 (defvar doom-modeline-buffer-file-name-style 'truncate-upto-project
   "Determines the style used by `doom-modeline-buffer-file-name'.
@@ -488,6 +486,14 @@ It returns a file name which can be used directly as argument of
   "Whether is an active window."
   (eq (selected-window) doom-modeline-current-window))
 
+(defun doom-modeline--char-height ()
+  "Calculate the actual char height of the mode-line."
+  (or
+   (let ((font (face-font 'mode-line)))
+     (when (and font (fboundp 'font-info))
+       (* 2 (aref (font-info font) 2))))
+   (round (* 1.3 (frame-char-height)))))
+
 (defsubst doom-modeline-vspc ()
   "Text style with icons in mode-line."
   (propertize " " 'face (if (doom-modeline--active)
diff --git a/doom-modeline-segments.el b/doom-modeline-segments.el
index 2abba64..bfb2496 100644
--- a/doom-modeline-segments.el
+++ b/doom-modeline-segments.el
@@ -1226,12 +1226,12 @@ Returns \"\" to not break --no-window-system."
         (doom-modeline--make-xpm 'doom-modeline-bar
                                  (or width doom-modeline-bar-width)
                                  (max (or height doom-modeline-height)
-                                      (ceiling (* 1.3 (frame-char-height)))))
+                                      (doom-modeline--char-height)))
         doom-modeline--bar-inactive
         (doom-modeline--make-xpm 'doom-modeline-inactive-bar
                                  (or width doom-modeline-bar-width)
                                  (max (or height doom-modeline-height)
-                                      (ceiling (* 1.3 (frame-char-height)))))))
+                                      (doom-modeline--char-height)))))
 
 (when (>= emacs-major-version 26)
   (add-variable-watcher