diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9835a273267..6064c76b08f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 - Fixed issue with CairoMakie rendering scene backgrounds at the wrong position [#4425](https://github.com/MakieOrg/Makie.jl/pull/4425)
 - Fix incorrect inverse transformation in `position_on_plot` for lines, causing incorrect tooltip placement in DataInspector [#4402](https://github.com/MakieOrg/Makie.jl/pull/4402)
+- `PolarAxis` font size now defaults to global figure `fontsize` in the absence of specific `Axis` theming [#4314](https://github.com/MakieOrg/Makie.jl/pull/4314)
 - `MultiplesTicks` accepts new option `strip_zero=true`, allowing labels of the form `0x` to be `0` [#4372](https://github.com/MakieOrg/Makie.jl/pull/4372)
 
 ## [0.21.12] - 2024-09-28
diff --git a/src/makielayout/types.jl b/src/makielayout/types.jl
index 6a721cd7eff..a0f6ab3ddda 100644
--- a/src/makielayout/types.jl
+++ b/src/makielayout/types.jl
@@ -1880,7 +1880,7 @@ end
         "The formatter for the `r` ticks"
         rtickformat = Makie.automatic
         "The fontsize of the `r` tick labels."
-        rticklabelsize::Float32 = inherit(scene, (:Axis, :xticklabelsize), 16)
+        rticklabelsize::Float32 = inherit(scene, (:Axis, :yticklabelsize), inherit(scene, :fontsize, 16))
         "The font of the `r` tick labels."
         rticklabelfont = inherit(scene, (:Axis, :xticklabelfont), inherit(scene, :font, Makie.defaultfont()))
         "The color of the `r` tick labels."
@@ -1916,7 +1916,7 @@ end
         "The formatter for the `theta` ticks."
         thetatickformat = Makie.automatic
         "The fontsize of the `theta` tick labels."
-        thetaticklabelsize::Float32 = inherit(scene, (:Axis, :yticklabelsize), 16)
+        thetaticklabelsize::Float32 = inherit(scene, (:Axis, :xticklabelsize), inherit(scene, :fontsize, 16))
         "The font of the `theta` tick labels."
         thetaticklabelfont = inherit(scene, (:Axis, :yticklabelfont), inherit(scene, :font, Makie.defaultfont()))
         "The color of the `theta` tick labels."
diff --git a/test/PolarAxis.jl b/test/PolarAxis.jl
index fadd71beae5..c05b24c0289 100644
--- a/test/PolarAxis.jl
+++ b/test/PolarAxis.jl
@@ -149,4 +149,28 @@
         ax = PolarAxis(fig[1, 1], radius_at_origin = -1.0, rlimits = (0, 10))
         @test ax.scene.transformation.transform_func[].r0 == -1.0
     end
+
+    @testset "PolarAxis fontsize from Figure()" begin
+        fig = Figure(fontsize = 50)
+        ax = PolarAxis(fig[1, 1])
+        @test ax.rticklabelsize[] == 50
+        @test ax.thetaticklabelsize[] == 50
+    end
+
+    @testset "PolarAxis fontsize from :Axis" begin
+        fig = Figure(; Axis = (; xticklabelsize = 35, yticklabelsize = 65))
+        ax = PolarAxis(fig[1, 1])
+        @test ax.thetaticklabelsize[] == 35
+        @test ax.rticklabelsize[] == 65
+    end
+
+    @testset "PolarAxis fontsize from Theme()" begin
+        fontsize_theme = Theme(fontsize = 10)
+        with_theme(fontsize_theme) do
+            fig = Figure()
+            ax = PolarAxis(fig[1, 1])
+            @test ax.rticklabelsize[] == 10
+            @test ax.thetaticklabelsize[] == 10
+        end
+    end
 end
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