--- a/src/xfaces.c
+++ b/src/xfaces.c
@@ -3570,15 +3570,18 @@ the result will be absolute, otherwise it will be relative.  */)
 DEFUN ("internal-get-lisp-face-attribute", Finternal_get_lisp_face_attribute,
        Sinternal_get_lisp_face_attribute,
        2, 3, 0,
-       doc: /* Return face attribute KEYWORD of face SYMBOL.
-If SYMBOL does not name a valid Lisp face or KEYWORD isn't a valid
+       doc: /* Return face attribute KEYWORD of face FACE.
+FACE should be a symbol or string.
+If FACE does not name a valid Lisp face or KEYWORD isn't a valid
 face attribute name, signal an error.
-If the optional argument FRAME is given, report on face SYMBOL in that
-frame.  If FRAME is t, report on the defaults for face SYMBOL (for new
+If the optional argument FRAME is given, report on face FACE in that
+frame.  If FRAME is t, report on the defaults for face FACE (for new
 frames).  If FRAME is omitted or nil, use the selected frame.  */)
-  (Lisp_Object symbol, Lisp_Object keyword, Lisp_Object frame)
+  (Lisp_Object face, Lisp_Object keyword, Lisp_Object frame)
 {
   struct frame *f = EQ (frame, Qt) ? NULL : decode_live_frame (frame);
+  Lisp_Object symbol = (STRINGP (face) ? intern (SSDATA (face))
+			: face);
   Lisp_Object lface = lface_from_face_name (f, symbol, true), value = Qnil;
 
   CHECK_SYMBOL (symbol);