diff --git a/ass_mp.c b/ass_mp.c
index 37e688d7f1..98602ace03 100644
--- a/ass_mp.c
+++ b/ass_mp.c
@@ -70,8 +70,6 @@ extern char *sub_cp;
 static char *sub_cp = 0;
 #endif
 
-void process_force_style(ASS_Track *track);
-
 ASS_Track *mp_ass_default_track(ASS_Library *library)
 {
     ASS_Track *track = ass_new_track(library);
@@ -85,13 +83,9 @@ ASS_Track *mp_ass_default_track(ASS_Library *library)
         ass_read_styles(track, ass_styles_file, sub_cp);
 
     if (track->n_styles == 0) {
-        ASS_Style *style;
-        int sid;
-        double fs;
-        uint32_t c1, c2;
-
-        sid = ass_alloc_style(track);
-        style = track->styles + sid;
+        track->Kerning = true;
+        int sid = ass_alloc_style(track);
+        ASS_Style *style = track->styles + sid;
         style->Name = strdup("Default");
         style->FontName = (font_fontconfig >= 0
                            && sub_font_name) ? strdup(sub_font_name)
@@ -99,30 +93,34 @@ ASS_Track *mp_ass_default_track(ASS_Library *library)
                && font_name) ? strdup(font_name) : strdup("Sans");
         style->treat_fontname_as_pattern = 1;
 
-        fs = track->PlayResY * text_font_scale_factor / 100.;
-        // approximate autoscale coefficients
+        double fs = track->PlayResY * text_font_scale_factor / 100.;
+        /* The font size is always proportional to video height only;
+         * real -subfont-autoscale behavior is not implemented.
+         * Apply a correction that corresponds to about 4:3 aspect ratio
+         * video to get a size somewhat closer to what non-libass rendering
+         * would produce with the same text_font_scale_factor
+         * and subtitle_autoscale.
+         */
         if (subtitle_autoscale == 2)
             fs *= 1.3;
         else if (subtitle_autoscale == 3)
-            fs *= 1.4;
-        style->FontSize = fs;
+            fs *= 1.7;
 
+        uint32_t c1 = 0xFFFFFF00;
+        uint32_t c2 = 0x00000000;
         if (ass_color)
             c1 = strtoll(ass_color, NULL, 16);
-        else
-            c1 = 0xFFFF0000;
         if (ass_border_color)
             c2 = strtoll(ass_border_color, NULL, 16);
-        else
-            c2 = 0x00000000;
 
+        style->FontSize = fs;
         style->PrimaryColour = c1;
         style->SecondaryColour = c1;
         style->OutlineColour = c2;
         style->BackColour = 0x00000000;
         style->BorderStyle = 1;
         style->Alignment = 2;
-        style->Outline = 2;
+        style->Outline = fs / 16;
         style->MarginL = 10;
         style->MarginR = 10;
         style->MarginV = 5;