diff --git a/common/plotters/SVG_plotter.cpp b/common/plotters/SVG_plotter.cpp
index e46e9c3577..83e88cf1e4 100644
--- a/common/plotters/SVG_plotter.cpp
+++ b/common/plotters/SVG_plotter.cpp
@@ -777,8 +777,10 @@ void SVG_PLOTTER::Text( const wxPoint&              aPos,
     }
 
     wxSize text_size;
-    text_size.x = GraphicTextWidth( aText, aSize, aItalic, width );
-    text_size.y = aSize.x * 4/3; // Hershey font height to em size conversion
+    // aSize.x or aSize.y is < 0 for mirrored texts.
+    // The actual text size value is the absolue value
+    text_size.x = std::abs( GraphicTextWidth( aText, aSize, aItalic, width ) );
+    text_size.y = std::abs( aSize.x * 4/3 ); // Hershey font height to em size conversion
     DPOINT anchor_pos_dev = userToDeviceCoordinates( aPos );
     DPOINT text_pos_dev = userToDeviceCoordinates( text_pos );
     DPOINT sz_dev = userToDeviceSize( text_size );