diff --git a/src/util/alignment.cpp b/src/util/alignment.cpp
index 0b81fb44..6f1921e0 100644
--- a/src/util/alignment.cpp
+++ b/src/util/alignment.cpp
@@ -34,13 +34,23 @@ RealPoint align_in_rect(Alignment align, const RealSize& to_align, const RealRec
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Reflection stuff
 
 /// Convert a String to an Alignment
-Alignment fromString(const String& str) {
-	int al = 0;
+Alignment from_string(const String& s) {
+	int al = ALIGN_TOP_LEFT;
+	if (s.find(_("left"))           !=String::npos) al = ALIGN_LEFT				| (al & ALIGN_VERTICAL);
+	if (s.find(_("center"))         !=String::npos) al = ALIGN_CENTER			| (al & ALIGN_VERTICAL);
+	if (s.find(_("right"))          !=String::npos) al = ALIGN_RIGHT			| (al & ALIGN_VERTICAL);
+	if (s.find(_("justify"))        !=String::npos) al = ALIGN_JUSTIFY			| (al & ALIGN_VERTICAL);
+	if (s.find(_("justify-words"))  !=String::npos) al = ALIGN_JUSTIFY_WORDS	| (al & ALIGN_VERTICAL);
+	if (s.find(_("shrink-overflow"))!=String::npos) al = ALIGN_JUSTIFY_OVERFLOW	| (al & ~ALIGN_JUSTIFY_OVERFLOW);
+	if (s.find(_("top"))            !=String::npos) al = ALIGN_TOP				| (al & ALIGN_HORIZONTAL);
+	if (s.find(_("middle"))         !=String::npos) al = ALIGN_MIDDLE			| (al & ALIGN_HORIZONTAL);
+	if (s.find(_("bottom"))         !=String::npos) al = ALIGN_BOTTOM			| (al & ALIGN_HORIZONTAL);
+	if (s.find(_("stretch"))        !=String::npos) al = ALIGN_STRETCH;
 	return static_cast<Alignment>(al);
 }
 
 /// Convert an Alignment to a String
-String toString(Alignment align) {
+String to_string(Alignment align) {
 	String ret;
 	// vertical
 	if (align & ALIGN_TOP)				ret += _(" top");
@@ -61,11 +71,11 @@ String toString(Alignment align) {
 // we need custom io, because there can be both a horizontal and a vertical component
 
 template <> void Reader::handle(Alignment& align) {
-	align = fromString(value);
+	align = from_string(value);
 }
 template <> void Writer::handle(const Alignment& align) {
-	handle(toString(align));
+	handle(to_string(align));
 }
 template <> void GetDefaultMember::handle(const Alignment& align) {
-	handle(toString(align));
+	handle(to_string(align));
 }