diff --git a/util/font-options.hh b/util/font-options.hh
index fd63a3ceb..84fe53634 100644
--- a/util/font-options.hh
+++ b/util/font-options.hh
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ struct font_options_t : face_options_t
 
   void add_options (option_parser_t *parser);
 
-  hb_font_t *get_font () const;
+  void post_parse (GError **error);
 
   hb_variation_t *variations = nullptr;
   unsigned int num_variations = 0;
@@ -64,8 +64,7 @@ struct font_options_t : face_options_t
   char *font_funcs = nullptr;
   int ft_load_flags = 2;
 
-  private:
-  mutable hb_font_t *font = nullptr;
+  hb_font_t *font = nullptr;
 };
 
 
@@ -80,12 +79,10 @@ static struct supported_font_funcs_t {
   {"ot",	hb_ot_font_set_funcs},
 };
 
-hb_font_t *
-font_options_t::get_font () const
-{
-  if (font)
-    return font;
 
+void
+font_options_t::post_parse (GError **error)
+{
   font = hb_font_create (face);
 
   if (font_size_x == FONT_SIZE_UPEM)
@@ -137,8 +134,6 @@ font_options_t::get_font () const
 #ifdef HAVE_FREETYPE
   hb_ft_font_set_load_flags (font, ft_load_flags);
 #endif
-
-  return font;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/util/hb-ot-shape-closure.cc b/util/hb-ot-shape-closure.cc
index 90f29d989..874ddd728 100644
--- a/util/hb-ot-shape-closure.cc
+++ b/util/hb-ot-shape-closure.cc
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ struct shape_closure_consumer_t
   void init (const font_options_t *font_opts)
   {
     glyphs = hb_set_create ();
-    font = hb_font_reference (font_opts->get_font ());
+    font = hb_font_reference (font_opts->font);
     failed = false;
     buffer = hb_buffer_create ();
   }
diff --git a/util/hb-shape.cc b/util/hb-shape.cc
index 62ed23346..06bb0adac 100644
--- a/util/hb-shape.cc
+++ b/util/hb-shape.cc
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ struct output_buffer_t : output_options_t
     get_file_handle ();
     gs = g_string_new (nullptr);
     line_no = 0;
-    font = hb_font_reference (font_opts->get_font ());
+    font = hb_font_reference (font_opts->font);
 
     if (!output_format)
       serialize_format = HB_BUFFER_SERIALIZE_FORMAT_TEXT;
diff --git a/util/helper-cairo.hh b/util/helper-cairo.hh
index 19651b23b..948747da5 100644
--- a/util/helper-cairo.hh
+++ b/util/helper-cairo.hh
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ void free_ft_library ()
 static inline cairo_scaled_font_t *
 helper_cairo_create_scaled_font (const font_options_t *font_opts)
 {
-  hb_font_t *font = hb_font_reference (font_opts->get_font ());
+  hb_font_t *font = hb_font_reference (font_opts->font);
 
   cairo_font_face_t *cairo_face;
   /* We cannot use the FT_Face from hb_font_t, as doing so will confuse hb_font_t because
diff --git a/util/shape-consumer.hh b/util/shape-consumer.hh
index 760756432..cbbac2202 100644
--- a/util/shape-consumer.hh
+++ b/util/shape-consumer.hh
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ struct shape_consumer_t : shape_options_t
 
   void init (const font_options_t *font_opts)
   {
-    font = hb_font_reference (font_opts->get_font ());
+    font = hb_font_reference (font_opts->font);
     failed = false;
     buffer = hb_buffer_create ();
 
diff --git a/util/view-cairo.hh b/util/view-cairo.hh
index bfe4e2a0c..6e85b927f 100644
--- a/util/view-cairo.hh
+++ b/util/view-cairo.hh
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ view_cairo_t::render (const font_options_t *font_opts)
   int x_sign = font_opts->font_size_x < 0 ? -1 : +1;
   int y_sign = font_opts->font_size_y < 0 ? -1 : +1;
 
-  hb_font_t *font = font_opts->get_font();
+  hb_font_t *font = font_opts->font;
 
   if (!have_font_extents)
   {