diff --git a/src/gui/text/qtextengine_p.h b/src/gui/text/qtextengine_p.h
index 160daa0cfd1..dbe8e1ee2ba 100644
--- a/src/gui/text/qtextengine_p.h
+++ b/src/gui/text/qtextengine_p.h
@@ -367,8 +367,7 @@ struct Q_AUTOTEST_EXPORT QScriptLine
     uint leadingIncluded : 1;
     QFixed height() const { return ascent + descent
                             + (leadingIncluded?  qMax(QFixed(),leading) : QFixed()); }
-    QFixed base() const { return ascent
-                          + (leadingIncluded ? qMax(QFixed(),leading) : QFixed()); }
+    QFixed base() const { return ascent; }
     void setDefaultHeight(QTextEngine *eng);
     void operator+=(const QScriptLine &other);
 };
diff --git a/tests/auto/gui/text/qfontmetrics/tst_qfontmetrics.cpp b/tests/auto/gui/text/qfontmetrics/tst_qfontmetrics.cpp
index d8e98361120..ec62bafd6c0 100644
--- a/tests/auto/gui/text/qfontmetrics/tst_qfontmetrics.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/gui/text/qfontmetrics/tst_qfontmetrics.cpp
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ private slots:
     void inFontUcs4();
     void lineWidth();
     void mnemonicTextWidth();
+    void leadingBelowLine();
 };
 
 tst_QFontMetrics::tst_QFontMetrics()
@@ -343,5 +344,16 @@ void tst_QFontMetrics::mnemonicTextWidth()
     QCOMPARE(fm.size(Qt::TextShowMnemonic, f1), fm.size(Qt::TextShowMnemonic, f2));
     QCOMPARE(fm.size(Qt::TextHideMnemonic, f1), fm.size(Qt::TextHideMnemonic, f2));
 }
+
+void tst_QFontMetrics::leadingBelowLine()
+{
+    QScriptLine line;
+    line.leading = 10;
+    line.leadingIncluded = true;
+    line.ascent = 5;
+    QCOMPARE(line.height(), line.ascent + line.descent + line.leading);
+    QCOMPARE(line.base(), line.ascent);
+}
+
 QTEST_MAIN(tst_QFontMetrics)
 #include "tst_qfontmetrics.moc"