Index: plugins/io_eeschema/read.c
===================================================================
--- plugins/io_eeschema/read.c	(revision 11305)
+++ plugins/io_eeschema/read.c	(revision 11306)
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@
 	float page_top_margin;
 	float page_bottom_margin;
 	csch_cgrp_t* titleblock;
+	csch_coord_t font_height;
 
 	struct cache_sym_s* cur_libsym;
 	struct cache_sym_s* cur_libsym0; /* unit of the current libsym */
@@ -269,6 +270,36 @@
 	return xf;
 }
 
+static csch_coord_t eeschema_get_font_height(read_ctx_t* const ctx)
+{
+	csch_text_t* text;
+
+	if(ctx->font_height!=0)
+	{
+		return ctx->font_height;
+	}
+
+	text = csch_text_alloc(ctx->sheet, &ctx->sheet->direct,
+		csch_oid_new(ctx->sheet, &ctx->sheet->direct));
+
+	text->hdr.stroke_name = csch_comm_str(ctx->sheet, "sym-decor", 1);
+
+	text->spec_rot = 90;
+	text->text = (char*)"Mj";
+
+	/* update to get bbox ready */
+	csch_text_update(ctx->sheet, text, 1);
+
+	TODO("this is somehow different for vertical/horizontal texts (originally from: glob_label2.kicad_sch)");
+	ctx->font_height = text->hdr.bbox.x2 - text->hdr.bbox.x1;
+
+	text->text = NULL;
+
+	csch_text_free(text);
+
+	return ctx->font_height;
+}
+
 static csch_text_t* eeschema_find_attr_text(read_ctx_t* const ctx,
 	csch_cgrp_t* const grp, const char* const str)
 {
Index: plugins/io_eeschema/read_render.c
===================================================================
--- plugins/io_eeschema/read_render.c	(revision 11305)
+++ plugins/io_eeschema/read_render.c	(revision 11306)
@@ -638,25 +638,9 @@
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	{
-		char* const old_text = text->text;
-		const double old_rot = text->spec_rot;
-		text->spec_rot = 90;
+	font_height = eeschema_get_font_height(ctx);
+	dbg_printf("  font_height = %u\n", (unsigned int)font_height);
 
-		text->text = (char*)"Mj";
-
-		/* update to get bbox ready */
-		csch_text_update(ctx->sheet, text, 1);
-
-		TODO("this is somehow different for vertical/horizontal texts, see glob_label2.kicad_sch");
-		font_height = text->hdr.bbox.x2 - text->hdr.bbox.x1;
-		TODO("cache this value!");
-		dbg_printf("  font_height = %u\n", (unsigned int)font_height);
-
-		text->spec_rot = old_rot;
-		text->text = old_text;
-	}
-
 	/* update the object first to get access to bbox */
 
 	csch_text_update(ctx->sheet, text, 1);