diff --git a/kitty/fonts.c b/kitty/fonts.c
index 6940a738a..90687ea1b 100644
--- a/kitty/fonts.c
+++ b/kitty/fonts.c
@@ -248,6 +248,11 @@ set_font_size(PyObject UNUSED *m, PyObject *args) {
     return update_cell_metrics();
 }
 
+static inline bool
+face_has_codepoint(PyObject* face, char_type cp) {
+    return glyph_id_for_codepoint(face, cp) > 0;
+}
+
 static inline bool 
 has_cell_text(Font *self, Cell *cell) {
     if (!face_has_codepoint(self->face, cell->ch)) return false;
diff --git a/kitty/fonts.h b/kitty/fonts.h
index 84b1e01c4..033b1b75d 100644
--- a/kitty/fonts.h
+++ b/kitty/fonts.h
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 
 
-bool face_has_codepoint(PyObject *, char_type);
+unsigned int glyph_id_for_codepoint(PyObject *, char_type);
 hb_font_t* harfbuzz_font_for_face(PyObject*);
 bool set_size_for_face(PyObject*, unsigned int, bool);
 void cell_metrics(PyObject*, unsigned int*, unsigned int*, unsigned int*, unsigned int*, unsigned int*); 
diff --git a/kitty/freetype.c b/kitty/freetype.c
index 48b9fde45..0d7f14777 100644
--- a/kitty/freetype.c
+++ b/kitty/freetype.c
@@ -301,9 +301,9 @@ cell_metrics(PyObject *s, unsigned int* cell_width, unsigned int* cell_height, u
     *underline_thickness = MAX(1, font_units_to_pixels(self, self->underline_thickness));
 }
 
-bool 
-face_has_codepoint(PyObject *s, char_type cp) {
-    return FT_Get_Char_Index(((Face*)s)->face, cp) > 0;
+unsigned int 
+glyph_id_for_codepoint(PyObject *s, char_type cp) {
+    return FT_Get_Char_Index(((Face*)s)->face, cp);
 }
 
 hb_font_t*