diff --git a/doc/api.md b/doc/api.md
index b057f02..a2fbd32 100644
--- a/doc/api.md
+++ b/doc/api.md
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ dimensions as the screen.
 ##### love.graphics.newQuad(x, y, width, height)
 Creates and returns a new quad.
 
-##### love.graphics.newFont([filename [, ptsize]])
+##### love.graphics.newFont([filename ,] ptsize)
 Creates and returns a new font. `filename` should be the name of a ttf file and
 `ptsize` its size. If no `filename` is provided the built in font is used.
 
diff --git a/src/font.c b/src/font.c
index 9da8732..040aa3b 100644
--- a/src/font.c
+++ b/src/font.c
@@ -152,8 +152,15 @@ void font_blit(font_t *self, pixel_t *buf, int bufw, int bufh,
 
 
 int l_font_new(lua_State *L) {
-  const char *filename = lua_isnoneornil(L, 1) ? NULL : luaL_checkstring(L, 1);
-  int ptsize = luaL_optnumber(L, 2, 12);
+  const char *filename;
+  int ptsize = 12;
+  if ( lua_isnoneornil(L, 2) ) {
+    filename = NULL;
+    ptsize = luaL_optnumber(L, 1, ptsize);
+  } else {
+    filename = luaL_checkstring(L, 1);
+    ptsize = luaL_optnumber(L, 2, ptsize);
+  }
   font_t *self = luaobj_newudata(L, sizeof(*self));
   luaobj_setclass(L, CLASS_TYPE, CLASS_NAME);
   if (filename) {