diff --git a/src/servo/gfx/renderer.rs b/src/servo/gfx/renderer.rs
index 9157209075c..ec285e123bb 100644
--- a/src/servo/gfx/renderer.rs
+++ b/src/servo/gfx/renderer.rs
@@ -135,15 +135,18 @@ fn draw_display_list(
         #debug["drawing %?", item];
 
         alt item.item_type {
-            dl::display_item_solid_color(r, g, b) {
-                draw_solid_color(draw_target, item, r, g, b);
-            }
-            dl::display_item_image(image) {
-                draw_image(draw_target, item, image);
-            }
-            dl::padding(*) {
-                fail "should never see padding";
-            }
+          dl::display_item_solid_color(r, g, b) {
+            draw_solid_color(draw_target, item, r, g, b);
+          }
+          dl::display_item_image(image) {
+            draw_image(draw_target, item, image);
+          }
+          dl::display_item_text(text_run) {
+            // FIXME
+          }
+          dl::padding(*) {
+            fail "should never see padding";
+          }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/servo/layout/display_list.rs b/src/servo/layout/display_list.rs
index c51d57d3ac7..3743f87055d 100644
--- a/src/servo/layout/display_list.rs
+++ b/src/servo/layout/display_list.rs
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 import gfx::geometry::*;
 import geom::rect::Rect;
 import image::base::image;
+import servo_text::text_run::text_run;
 
 enum item_type {
     display_item_solid_color(u8, u8, u8),
     display_item_image(~image),
+    display_item_text(text_run),
     // FIXME: Shape code does not understand the alignment without this
     padding(u8, u8, u8, u8)
 }
diff --git a/src/servo/layout/display_list_builder.rs b/src/servo/layout/display_list_builder.rs
index 7a212e139d3..a1f5223b021 100644
--- a/src/servo/layout/display_list_builder.rs
+++ b/src/servo/layout/display_list_builder.rs
@@ -2,11 +2,15 @@ export build_display_list;
 
 import dl = display_list;
 import dom::rcu::Scope;
+import dom::base::{Text, NodeScope};
 import gfx::geometry::{au, au_to_px, box, px_to_au};
 import gfx::renderer;
 import layout::base::*;
 import util::color::methods;
-
+import util::tree;
+import box_builder::box_builder_methods;
+import text::text_layout_methods;
+import geom::size::Size2D;
 import geom::point::Point2D;
 import geom::rect::Rect;
 
@@ -63,21 +67,29 @@ fn box_to_display_item(box: @Box, origin: Point2D<au>) -> dl::display_item {
 
     let bounds = Rect(origin, copy box.bounds.size);
 
-    alt (box.appearance.background_image, box.appearance.background_color) {
-      (some(image), some(*)) | (some(image), none) {
+    alt (box.kind, box.appearance.background_image, box.appearance.background_color) {
+      (TextBox(subbox), _, _) {
+        let run = copy subbox.run;
+        assert run.is_some();
+        item = dl::display_item({
+            item_type: dl::display_item_text(run.get()),
+            bounds: bounds
+        });
+      }
+      (_, some(image), some(*)) | (_, some(image), none) {
         item = dl::display_item({
             item_type: dl::display_item_image(~copy *image),
             bounds: bounds
         });
       }
-      (none, some(col)) {
+      (_, none, some(col)) {
         #debug("Assigning color %? to box with bounds %?", col, bounds);
         item = dl::display_item({
             item_type: dl::display_item_solid_color(col.red, col.green, col.blue),
             bounds: bounds
         });
       }
-      (none, none) {
+      (_, none, none) {
         let r = rand::rng();
         item = dl::display_item({
             item_type: dl::display_item_solid_color(r.next() as u8,
@@ -91,3 +103,40 @@ fn box_to_display_item(box: @Box, origin: Point2D<au>) -> dl::display_item {
     #debug("layout: display item: %?", item);
     ret item;
 }
+
+fn should_convert_text_boxes_to_text_items() {
+    #[test];
+
+    let s = Scope();
+    let n = s.new_node(Text("firecracker"));
+    let b = n.construct_boxes();
+    let subbox = alt check b.kind { TextBox(subbox) { subbox } };
+    b.reflow_text(px_to_au(800), subbox);
+    let di = box_to_display_item(b, Point2D(px_to_au(0), px_to_au(0)));
+
+    alt di.item_type {
+      dl::display_item_text(_) { }
+      _ { fail }
+    }
+}
+
+fn should_calculate_the_bounds_of_the_text_box() {
+    #[test];
+
+    let s = Scope();
+    let n = s.new_node(Text("firecracker"));
+    let b = n.construct_boxes();
+    let subbox = alt check b.kind { TextBox(subbox) { subbox } };
+    b.reflow_text(px_to_au(800), subbox);
+    let di = box_to_display_item(b, Point2D(px_to_au(0), px_to_au(0)));
+
+    let expected = Rect(
+        Point2D(px_to_au(0), px_to_au(0)),
+        Size2D(px_to_au(110), px_to_au(14))
+    );
+
+    #error("%?", di.bounds);
+    #error("%?", expected);
+
+    assert di.bounds == expected;
+}