diff --git a/src/hb-font.cc b/src/hb-font.cc
index fd5df93ff..223b2b4f3 100644
--- a/src/hb-font.cc
+++ b/src/hb-font.cc
@@ -397,6 +397,12 @@ hb_face_get_table (hb_face_t *face,
   return blob;
 }
 
+unsigned int
+hb_face_get_upem (hb_face_t *face)
+{
+  return (face->head_table ? face->head_table : &Null(head))->get_upem ();
+}
+
 
 /*
  * hb_font_t
diff --git a/src/hb-font.h b/src/hb-font.h
index 7815985b9..934f17cae 100644
--- a/src/hb-font.h
+++ b/src/hb-font.h
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ hb_blob_t *
 hb_face_get_table (hb_face_t *face,
 		   hb_tag_t   tag);
 
+unsigned int
+hb_face_get_upem (hb_face_t *face);
+
 
 /*
  * hb_font_funcs_t