diff --git a/quad/quadwriter/font.rkt b/quad/quadwriter/font.rkt
index 6f39b8c6..6fd221ab 100644
--- a/quad/quadwriter/font.rkt
+++ b/quad/quadwriter/font.rkt
@@ -41,51 +41,50 @@
          #:when (directory-exists? font-family-subdir)
          [font-path (in-directory font-family-subdir)]
          #:when (member (path-get-extension font-path) font-file-extensions))
-        (match-define (list font-path-string family-name)
-          (for/list ([x (list font-path font-family-subdir)])
-                    (path->string (find-relative-path fonts-dir x))))
-        (define path-parts (for/list ([part (in-list (explode-path (string->path (string-downcase font-path-string))))])
-                                     (path->string part)))
-        (define key
-          (cons (string-downcase family-name)
-                (cond
-                  [(member "bold-italic" path-parts) 'bi]
-                  [(member "bold" path-parts) 'b]
-                  [(member "italic" path-parts) 'i]
-                  [else 'r])))
-        ;; only set value if there's not one there already.
-        ;; this means that we only use the first eligible font we find.
-        (hash-ref! font-paths key font-path)))
+    (match-define (list font-path-string family-name)
+      (for/list ([x (list font-path font-family-subdir)])
+        (path->string (find-relative-path fonts-dir x))))
+    (define path-parts (for/list ([part (in-list (explode-path (string->path (string-downcase font-path-string))))])
+                         (path->string part)))
+    (define key
+      (cons (string-downcase family-name)
+            (cond
+              [(member "bold-italic" path-parts) 'bi]
+              [(member "bold" path-parts) 'b]
+              [(member "italic" path-parts) 'i]
+              [else 'r])))
+    ;; only set value if there's not one there already.
+    ;; this means that we only use the first eligible font we find.
+    (hash-ref! font-paths key font-path)))
+
+(define (make-key font-family [bold #f] [italic #f])
+  (cons (string-downcase font-family)
+        (cond
+          [(and bold italic) 'bi]
+          [bold 'b]
+          [italic 'i]
+          [else 'r])))
 
 (define (font-attrs->path font-family bold italic)
   ;; find the font-path corresponding to a certain family name and style.
-  (define (make-key font-family [bold #f] [italic #f])
-    (cons (string-downcase font-family)
-          (cond
-            [(and bold italic) 'bi]
-            [bold 'b]
-            [italic 'i]
-            [else 'r])))
-  (define key (make-key font-family bold italic))
   (define regular-key (make-key font-family))
+  
+  ;; if it's not already in font paths, it might be a system font
+  ;; we use `family->path` to try to resolve the ribbi styles
+  ;; if the font is a system font, we will end up with paths.
+  ;; if it's not, we will end up with #false for those entries in `font-paths`,
+  ;; and fall through to the default font when we do the `cond` below.
+  (unless (hash-has-key? font-paths regular-key)
+    (for* ([bold (in-list (list #false #true))]
+           [italic (in-list (list #false #true))])
+      (hash-set! font-paths
+                 (make-key font-family bold italic)
+                 (family->path font-family #:bold bold #:italic italic))))
   (cond
-    [(hash-ref font-paths key #false)]
-    [(hash-ref font-paths regular-key #false)]
-    ;; if it's not already in font paths, it might be a system font
-    ;; we use `family->path` to try to resolve the ribbi styles
-    ;; if the font is a system font, we will end up with paths.
-    ;; if it's not, we will end up with #false for those entries in `font-paths`,
-    ;; and fall through to the default font.
-    [(let ()
-       (unless (hash-has-key? font-paths regular-key)
-         (for* ([bold (in-list (list #false #true))]
-                [italic (in-list (list #false #true))])
-               (hash-set! font-paths
-                          (make-key font-family bold italic)
-                          (family->path font-family #:bold bold #:italic italic))))
-       (cond
-         [(hash-ref font-paths key #false)]
-         [else (hash-ref font-paths regular-key #false)]))]
+    [(hash-ref font-paths (make-key font-family bold italic) #false)]
+    ;; try regular style if style-specific key isn't there for b i or bi
+    [(or bold italic (hash-ref font-paths regular-key #false))]
+    ;; otherwise use default
     [else default-font-face]))
 
 (define (resolve-font-path! attrs)