diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index 0e3f02939..5f98093ff 100644
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ from .fast_data_types import (
     GLFW_REPEAT, GLFW_MOUSE_BUTTON_1, glfw_post_empty_event,
     GLFW_CURSOR_NORMAL, GLFW_CURSOR, GLFW_CURSOR_HIDDEN, drain_read
 )
-from .fonts import set_font_family
+from .fonts.render import set_font_family
 from .borders import BordersProgram
 from .char_grid import cursor_shader, cell_shader
 from .constants import is_key_pressed
diff --git a/kitty/fonts/__init__.py b/kitty/fonts/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/kitty/fonts/fontconfig.py b/kitty/fonts/fontconfig.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..81fadf24e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kitty/fonts/fontconfig.py
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# vim:fileencoding=utf-8
+# License: GPL v3 Copyright: 2016, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
+
+import re
+import subprocess
+from collections import namedtuple
+from functools import lru_cache
+from kitty.fast_data_types import Face
+
+
+def escape_family_name(name):
+    return re.sub(r'([-:,\\])', lambda m: '\\' + m.group(1), name)
+
+
+Font = namedtuple('Font', 'face hinting hintstyle bold italic')
+
+
+def get_font(query, bold, italic):
+    query += ':scalable=true:outline=true'
+    raw = subprocess.check_output(['fc-match', query, '-f', '%{file}\x1e%{hinting}\x1e%{hintstyle}']).decode('utf-8')
+    parts = raw.split('\x1e')
+    hintstyle, hinting = 1, 'True'
+    if len(parts) == 3:
+        path, hinting, hintstyle = parts
+    else:
+        path = parts[0]
+    hinting = hinting.lower() == 'true'
+    hintstyle = int(hintstyle)
+    return Font(path, hinting, hintstyle, bold, italic)
+
+
+@lru_cache(maxsize=4096)
+def find_font_for_character(family, char, bold=False, italic=False):
+    q = escape_family_name(family) + ':charset={}'.format(hex(ord(char[0]))[2:])
+    if bold:
+        q += ':weight=200'
+    if italic:
+        q += ':slant=100'
+    return get_font(q, bold, italic)
+
+
+@lru_cache(maxsize=64)
+def get_font_information(q, bold=False, italic=False):
+    q = escape_family_name(q)
+    if bold:
+        q += ':weight=200'
+    if italic:
+        q += ':slant=100'
+    return get_font(q, bold, italic)
+
+
+def get_font_files(family):
+    ans = {}
+    n = get_font_information(family)
+    ans['regular'] = Font(Face(n.face), n.hinting, n.hintstyle, n.bold, n.italic)
+
+    def do(key):
+        b = get_font_information(family, bold=key in ('bold', 'bi'), italic=key in ('italic', 'bi'))
+        if b.face != n.face:
+            ans[key] = Font(Face(b.face), b.hinting, b.hintstyle, b.bold, b.italic)
+    do('bold'), do('italic'), do('bi')
+    return ans
diff --git a/kitty/fonts.py b/kitty/fonts/freetype.py
similarity index 84%
rename from kitty/fonts.py
rename to kitty/fonts/freetype.py
index 9c59309d9..ba089448a 100644
--- a/kitty/fonts.py
+++ b/kitty/fonts/freetype.py
@@ -2,72 +2,17 @@
 # vim:fileencoding=utf-8
 # License: GPL v3 Copyright: 2016, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
 
-import subprocess
 import unicodedata
-import re
 import ctypes
 import math
 from collections import namedtuple
 from functools import lru_cache
 from threading import Lock
 
-from .fast_data_types import Face, FT_PIXEL_MODE_GRAY
+from kitty.fast_data_types import Face, FT_PIXEL_MODE_GRAY
+from .fontconfig import find_font_for_character, get_font_files
 
-from .utils import get_logical_dpi, wcwidth
-
-
-def escape_family_name(name):
-    return re.sub(r'([-:,\\])', lambda m: '\\' + m.group(1), name)
-
-
-Font = namedtuple('Font', 'face hinting hintstyle bold italic')
-
-
-def get_font(query, bold, italic):
-    query += ':scalable=true:outline=true'
-    raw = subprocess.check_output(['fc-match', query, '-f', '%{file}\x1e%{hinting}\x1e%{hintstyle}']).decode('utf-8')
-    parts = raw.split('\x1e')
-    hintstyle, hinting = 1, 'True'
-    if len(parts) == 3:
-        path, hinting, hintstyle = parts
-    else:
-        path = parts[0]
-    hinting = hinting.lower() == 'true'
-    hintstyle = int(hintstyle)
-    return Font(path, hinting, hintstyle, bold, italic)
-
-
-@lru_cache(maxsize=4096)
-def find_font_for_character(family, char, bold=False, italic=False):
-    q = escape_family_name(family) + ':charset={}'.format(hex(ord(char[0]))[2:])
-    if bold:
-        q += ':weight=200'
-    if italic:
-        q += ':slant=100'
-    return get_font(q, bold, italic)
-
-
-@lru_cache(maxsize=64)
-def get_font_information(q, bold=False, italic=False):
-    q = escape_family_name(q)
-    if bold:
-        q += ':weight=200'
-    if italic:
-        q += ':slant=100'
-    return get_font(q, bold, italic)
-
-
-def get_font_files(family):
-    ans = {}
-    n = get_font_information(family)
-    ans['regular'] = Font(Face(n.face), n.hinting, n.hintstyle, n.bold, n.italic)
-
-    def do(key):
-        b = get_font_information(family, bold=key in ('bold', 'bi'), italic=key in ('italic', 'bi'))
-        if b.face != n.face:
-            ans[key] = Font(Face(b.face), b.hinting, b.hintstyle, b.bold, b.italic)
-    do('bold'), do('italic'), do('bi')
-    return ans
+from kitty.utils import get_logical_dpi, wcwidth
 
 
 current_font_family = current_font_family_name = cff_size = cell_width = cell_height = baseline = None
diff --git a/kitty/fonts/render.py b/kitty/fonts/render.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f20600144
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kitty/fonts/render.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# vim:fileencoding=utf-8
+# License: GPL v3 Copyright: 2016, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
+
+from .freetype import set_font_family, render_cell  # noqa
diff --git a/kitty/shaders.py b/kitty/shaders.py
index d27355199..b1c932982 100644
--- a/kitty/shaders.py
+++ b/kitty/shaders.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from ctypes import addressof, sizeof
 from functools import lru_cache
 from threading import Lock
 
-from .fonts import render_cell
+from .fonts.render import render_cell
 from .fast_data_types import (
     glCreateProgram, glAttachShader, GL_FRAGMENT_SHADER, GL_VERTEX_SHADER,
     glLinkProgram, GL_TRUE, GL_LINK_STATUS, glGetProgramiv,