diff --git a/include/cairo/context.hpp b/include/cairo/context.hpp
index d7899100..b1a7f748 100644
--- a/include/cairo/context.hpp
+++ b/include/cairo/context.hpp
@@ -172,8 +172,15 @@ namespace cairo {
       while (!chars.empty()) {
         auto remaining = chars.size();
         for (auto&& f : fns) {
-          auto matches = f->match(chars);
-          if (!matches) {
+          unsigned int matches;
+
+          // Match as many glyphs as possible if the default/preferred font
+          // is being tested. Otherwise test one glyph at a time against
+          // the remaining fonts. Roll back to the top of the font list
+          // when a glyph has been found.
+          if (f == fns.front() && (matches = f->match(chars)) == 0) {
+            continue;
+          } else if (f != fns.front() && (matches = f->match(chars.front())) == 0) {
             continue;
           }
 
diff --git a/include/cairo/font.hpp b/include/cairo/font.hpp
index 3029ea23..71f7e4f1 100644
--- a/include/cairo/font.hpp
+++ b/include/cairo/font.hpp
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ namespace cairo {
       cairo_set_font_face(m_cairo, cairo_font_face_reference(m_font_face));
     }
 
+    virtual size_t match(utils::unicode_character& character) = 0;
     virtual size_t match(utils::unicode_charlist& charlist) = 0;
     virtual size_t render(const string& text, double x = 0.0, double y = 0.0) = 0;
     virtual void textwidth(const string& text, cairo_text_extents_t* extents) = 0;
@@ -130,6 +131,12 @@ namespace cairo {
       cairo_set_scaled_font(m_cairo, m_scaled);
     }
 
+    size_t match(utils::unicode_character& character) override {
+      auto lock = make_unique<utils::ft_face_lock>(m_scaled);
+      auto face = static_cast<FT_Face>(*lock);
+      return FT_Get_Char_Index(face, character.codepoint) ? 1 : 0;
+    }
+
     size_t match(utils::unicode_charlist& charlist) override {
       auto lock = make_unique<utils::ft_face_lock>(m_scaled);
       auto face = static_cast<FT_Face>(*lock);