diff --git a/sc2/ChangeLog b/sc2/ChangeLog
index 9e4f32ab6..55ece5dc7 100644
--- a/sc2/ChangeLog
+++ b/sc2/ChangeLog
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 Changes towards version 0.7:
+- DrawTracedText abstraction (bug #1029), from Nic
 - Experimental support for Symbian S60 3rd edition - Mika & SvdB
 - Pthread support - Mika
 - Content Dirs completely reorganized; 3DO and PC segregation - Coredev
diff --git a/sc2/src/sc2code/comm.c b/sc2/src/sc2code/comm.c
index 212723eed..23ea5cc43 100644
--- a/sc2/src/sc2code/comm.c
+++ b/sc2/src/sc2code/comm.c
@@ -250,30 +250,8 @@ add_text (int status, TEXT *pTextIn)
 		else
 		{
 			// Alien speech
-
-			// Draw the background by drawing the same text in the
-			// background color one pixel shifted to all 4 directions.
-			SetContextForeGroundColor (CommData.AlienTextBColor);
-
-			--pText->baseline.x;
-			font_DrawText (pText);
-
-			++pText->baseline.x;
-			--pText->baseline.y;
-			font_DrawText (pText);
-
-			++pText->baseline.x;
-			++pText->baseline.y;
-			font_DrawText (pText);
-
-			--pText->baseline.x;
-			++pText->baseline.y;
-			font_DrawText (pText);
-
-			SetContextForeGroundColor (CommData.AlienTextFColor);
-
-			--pText->baseline.y;
-			font_DrawText (pText);
+			font_DrawTracedText (pText,
+					CommData.AlienTextFColor, CommData.AlienTextBColor);
 		}
 	} while (!eol && maxchars);
 	pText->pStr = pStr;
diff --git a/sc2/src/sc2code/intro.c b/sc2/src/sc2code/intro.c
index 1b2c5bd7c..ff9e26785 100644
--- a/sc2/src/sc2code/intro.c
+++ b/sc2/src/sc2code/intro.c
@@ -148,30 +148,12 @@ DoFadeScreen (PRESENTATION_INPUT_STATE* pPIS, const char *Src, BYTE FadeType)
 	return TRUE;
 }
 
-static void
-DrawTracedText (TEXT *pText, COLOR Fore, COLOR Back)
-{
-	SetContextForeGroundColor (Back);
-	pText->baseline.x--;
-	font_DrawText (pText);
-	pText->baseline.x += 2;
-	font_DrawText (pText);
-	pText->baseline.x--;
-	pText->baseline.y--;
-	font_DrawText (pText);
-	pText->baseline.y += 2;
-	font_DrawText (pText);
-	pText->baseline.y--;
-	SetContextForeGroundColor (Fore);
-	font_DrawText (pText);
-}
-
 static void
 DrawTextEffect (TEXT *pText, COLOR Fore, COLOR Back, int Effect)
 {
 	if (Effect == 'T')
 	{
-		DrawTracedText (pText, Fore, Back);
+		font_DrawTracedText (pText, Fore, Back);
 	}
 	else
 	{
diff --git a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/gfxlib.h b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/gfxlib.h
index 26740005b..3b8a32365 100644
--- a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/gfxlib.h
+++ b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/gfxlib.h
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ extern void DrawRectangle (RECT *pRect);
 extern void DrawFilledRectangle (RECT *pRect);
 extern void DrawLine (LINE *pLine);
 extern void font_DrawText (TEXT *pText);
+extern void font_DrawTracedText (TEXT *pText, COLOR text, COLOR trace);
 extern void DrawBatch (PRIMITIVE *pBasePrim, PRIM_LINKS PrimLinks,
 		BATCH_FLAGS BatchFlags);
 extern void BatchGraphics (void);
diff --git a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/font.c b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/font.c
index ac355e1fa..c3c2f4f06 100644
--- a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/font.c
+++ b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/font.c
@@ -62,6 +62,30 @@ font_DrawText (TEXT *lpText)
 	DrawBatch (&_locPrim, 0, BATCH_SINGLE);
 }
 
+ 
+/* Draw the stroke by drawing the same text in the
+ * background color one pixel shifted to all 4 directions.
+ */
+void
+font_DrawTracedText (TEXT *pText, COLOR text, COLOR trace)
+{
+	// Preserve current foreground color for full correctness
+	COLOR oldfg = SetContextForeGroundColor (trace);
+	pText->baseline.x--;
+	font_DrawText (pText);
+	pText->baseline.x += 2;
+	font_DrawText (pText);
+	pText->baseline.x--;
+	pText->baseline.y--;
+	font_DrawText (pText);
+	pText->baseline.y += 2;
+	font_DrawText (pText);
+	pText->baseline.y--;
+	SetContextForeGroundColor (text);
+	font_DrawText (pText);
+	SetContextForeGroundColor (oldfg);
+}
+
 BOOLEAN
 GetContextFontLeading (SIZE *pheight)
 {