diff --git a/SDL_ttf.c b/SDL_ttf.c
--- a/SDL_ttf.c
+++ b/SDL_ttf.c
@@ -2196,18 +2196,25 @@
     return TTF_initialized;
 }
 
-int TTF_GetFontKerningSize(TTF_Font *font, Uint16 previous_ch, Uint16 ch)
+int TTF_GetFontKerningSize( TTF_Font *font, Uint16 previous_ch, Uint16 ch,
+                            int* kerning )
 {
     int error;
     int glyph_index, prev_index;
     FT_Vector delta;
 
     if (ch == UNICODE_BOM_NATIVE || ch == UNICODE_BOM_SWAPPED) {
-        return 0;
+        if (kerning) {
+            *kerning = 0;
+        }
+        return 0; // Success!
     }
 
     if (previous_ch == UNICODE_BOM_NATIVE || previous_ch == UNICODE_BOM_SWAPPED) {
-        return 0;
+        if (kerning) {
+            *kerning = 0;
+        }
+        return 0; // Success!
     }
 
     error = Find_Glyph(font, ch, CACHED_METRICS);
@@ -2229,5 +2236,10 @@
         TTF_SetFTError("Couldn't get glyph kerning", error);
         return -1;
     }
-    return (delta.x >> 6);
+
+    if (kerning) {
+        *kerning = delta.x >> 6;
+    }
+
+    return 0; // Success!
 }
diff --git a/SDL_ttf.h b/SDL_ttf.h
--- a/SDL_ttf.h
+++ b/SDL_ttf.h
@@ -247,8 +247,15 @@
 /* Check if the TTF engine is initialized */
 extern DECLSPEC int SDLCALL TTF_WasInit(void);
 
-/* Get the kerning size of two glyphs */
-extern DECLSPEC int TTF_GetFontKerningSize(TTF_Font *font, Uint16 previous_ch, Uint16 ch);
+/*  Get the kerning size of two glyphs.
+
+    kerning A pointer filled in with the kerning pair size (in pixel units).
+
+    This function returns zero (0) on success, or a negative error code on
+    failure; call TTF_GetError() for more information.
+*/
+extern DECLSPEC int TTF_GetFontKerningSize( TTF_Font *font, Uint16 previous_ch,
+                                            Uint16 ch, int* kerning );
 
 /* We'll use SDL for reporting errors */
 #define TTF_SetError    SDL_SetError