diff --git a/src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xslf/usermodel/XSLFTextParagraph.java b/src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xslf/usermodel/XSLFTextParagraph.java
index e78acefb8..b2d595374 100644
--- a/src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xslf/usermodel/XSLFTextParagraph.java
+++ b/src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xslf/usermodel/XSLFTextParagraph.java
@@ -117,7 +117,8 @@ public class XSLFTextParagraph implements Iterable<XSLFTextRun>{
 
     public XSLFTextRun addNewTextRun(){
         CTRegularTextRun r = _p.addNewR();
-        r.addNewRPr();
+        CTTextCharacterProperties rPr = r.addNewRPr();
+        rPr.setLang("en-US");
         XSLFTextRun run = new XSLFTextRun(r, this);
         _runs.add(run);
         return run;
diff --git a/src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xslf/usermodel/XSLFTextRun.java b/src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xslf/usermodel/XSLFTextRun.java
index cd94cdd0b..ff54d5ceb 100644
--- a/src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xslf/usermodel/XSLFTextRun.java
+++ b/src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xslf/usermodel/XSLFTextRun.java
@@ -167,6 +167,10 @@ public class XSLFTextRun {
         if(fontSize == -1.0) {
             if(rPr.isSetSz()) rPr.unsetSz();
         } else {
+            if(fontSize < 1.0) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Minimum font size is 1pt but was " + fontSize);
+            }
+
             rPr.setSz((int)(100*fontSize));
         }
     }
@@ -212,6 +216,24 @@ public class XSLFTextRun {
         return fetcher.getValue() == null ? 0 : fetcher.getValue();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Set the spacing between characters within a text run.
+     * <p>
+     * The spacing is specified in points. Positive values will cause the text to expand,
+     * negative values to condense.
+     * </p>
+     *
+     * @param spc  character spacing in points.
+     */
+    public void setCharacterSpacing(double spc){
+        CTTextCharacterProperties rPr = getRpR();
+        if(spc == 0.0) {
+            if(rPr.isSetSpc()) rPr.unsetSpc();
+        } else {
+            rPr.setSpc((int)(100*spc));
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Specifies the typeface, or name of the font that is to be used for this text run.
      *
diff --git a/src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xslf/usermodel/TestXSLFTextParagraph.java b/src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xslf/usermodel/TestXSLFTextParagraph.java
index 50d4c812b..19eee771f 100644
--- a/src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xslf/usermodel/TestXSLFTextParagraph.java
+++ b/src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xslf/usermodel/TestXSLFTextParagraph.java
@@ -27,11 +27,7 @@ import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
 import java.util.List;
 
 /**
- * Created by IntelliJ IDEA.
- * User: yegor
- * Date: Nov 10, 2011
- * Time: 1:43:25 PM
- * To change this template use File | Settings | File Templates.
+ * @author Yegor Kozlov
  */
 public class TestXSLFTextParagraph extends TestCase {
     private static POILogger _logger = POILogFactory.getLogger(XSLFTextParagraph.class);
diff --git a/src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xslf/usermodel/TestXSLFTextRun.java b/src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xslf/usermodel/TestXSLFTextRun.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3ee2616b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xslf/usermodel/TestXSLFTextRun.java
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+/*
+ *  ====================================================================
+ *    Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one or more
+ *    contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file distributed with
+ *    this work for additional information regarding copyright ownership.
+ *    The ASF licenses this file to You under the Apache License, Version 2.0
+ *    (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with
+ *    the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *        http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ *    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ *    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ *    WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ *    See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ *    limitations under the License.
+ * ====================================================================
+ */
+package org.apache.poi.xslf.usermodel;
+
+import junit.framework.TestCase;
+import org.apache.poi.util.POILogFactory;
+import org.apache.poi.util.POILogger;
+import org.apache.poi.xslf.XSLFTestDataSamples;
+
+import java.awt.*;
+import java.awt.geom.Rectangle2D;
+import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
+import java.util.List;
+
+/**
+ * @author Yegor Kozlov
+ */
+public class TestXSLFTextRun extends TestCase {
+
+    public void testRunProperties(){
+        XMLSlideShow ppt = new XMLSlideShow();
+        XSLFSlide slide = ppt.createSlide();
+        XSLFTextShape sh = slide.createAutoShape();
+
+        XSLFTextRun r = sh.addNewTextParagraph().addNewTextRun();
+        assertEquals("en-US", r.getRpR().getLang());
+
+        assertEquals(0., r.getCharacterSpacing());
+        r.setCharacterSpacing(3);
+        assertEquals(3., r.getCharacterSpacing());
+        r.setCharacterSpacing(-3);
+        assertEquals(-3., r.getCharacterSpacing());
+        r.setCharacterSpacing(0);
+        assertEquals(0., r.getCharacterSpacing());
+        assertFalse(r.getRpR().isSetSpc());
+
+        assertEquals(Color.black, r.getFontColor());
+        r.setFontColor(Color.red);
+        assertEquals(Color.red, r.getFontColor());
+
+        assertEquals("Calibri", r.getFontFamily());
+        r.setFontFamily("Arial");
+        assertEquals("Arial", r.getFontFamily());
+
+        assertEquals(18.0, r.getFontSize());
+        r.setFontSize(13.0);
+        assertEquals(13.0, r.getFontSize());
+
+    }
+}