diff --git a/kivy/core/text/_text_sdl2.pyx b/kivy/core/text/_text_sdl2.pyx
index 9581bb7ed7..749edec541 100644
--- a/kivy/core/text/_text_sdl2.pyx
+++ b/kivy/core/text/_text_sdl2.pyx
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ cdef class _SurfaceContainer:
 
     def render(self, container, text, x, y):
         cdef TTF_Font *font = _get_font(container)
+        TTF_SetFontHinting(font, TTF_HINTING_LIGHT)
         cdef SDL_Color c
         cdef SDL_Surface *st
         cdef SDL_Rect r
diff --git a/kivy/lib/sdl2.pxi b/kivy/lib/sdl2.pxi
index f9c36f81c2..67d2746e93 100644
--- a/kivy/lib/sdl2.pxi
+++ b/kivy/lib/sdl2.pxi
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ cdef extern from "SDL_ttf.h":
 
     #Set and retrieve FreeType hinter settings */
     ##define TTF_HINTING_NORMAL    0
-    ##define TTF_HINTING_LIGHT     1
+    int TTF_HINTING_LIGHT
     ##define TTF_HINTING_MONO      2
     ##define TTF_HINTING_NONE      3
     cdef int  TTF_GetFontHinting( TTF_Font *font)