diff --git a/modules/ui/doom-modeline/autoload.el b/modules/ui/doom-modeline/autoload.el
index 7af38a44e..1c188ef9f 100644
--- a/modules/ui/doom-modeline/autoload.el
+++ b/modules/ui/doom-modeline/autoload.el
@@ -1,15 +1,18 @@
 ;;; ui/doom-modeline/autoload.el -*- lexical-binding: t; -*-
 
+(defvar +doom-modeline--old-bar-height nil)
 ;;;###autoload
 (defun +doom-modeline|resize-for-big-font ()
   "Adjust the modeline's height when `doom-big-font-mode' is enabled. This was
 made to be added to `doom-big-font-mode-hook'."
-  (let ((default-height (default-value '+doom-modeline-height)))
+  (unless +doom-modeline--old-bar-height
+    (setq +doom-modeline--old-bar-height +doom-modeline-height))
+  (let ((default-height +doom-modeline--old-bar-height))
     (if doom-big-font-mode
         (let* ((font-size (font-get doom-font :size))
                (big-size (font-get doom-big-font :size))
                (ratio (/ (float big-size) font-size)))
-          (setq +doom-modeline-height (ceiling (* default-height ratio))))
+          (setq +doom-modeline-height (ceiling (* default-height ratio 0.75))))
       (setq +doom-modeline-height default-height))
     ;; already has a variable watcher in Emacs 26+
     (unless EMACS26+ (+doom-modeline|refresh-bars))))