diff --git a/src/OT/Layout/GDEF/GDEF.hh b/src/OT/Layout/GDEF/GDEF.hh
index 62e0fb847..dd025c128 100644
--- a/src/OT/Layout/GDEF/GDEF.hh
+++ b/src/OT/Layout/GDEF/GDEF.hh
@@ -204,17 +204,19 @@ struct CaretValueFormat3
     if (!c->serializer->embed (coordinate)) return_trace (false);
 
     unsigned varidx = (this+deviceTable).get_variation_index ();
-    if (c->plan->layout_variation_idx_delta_map.has (varidx))
+    hb_pair_t<unsigned, int> *new_varidx_delta;
+    if (!c->plan->layout_variation_idx_delta_map.has (varidx, &new_varidx_delta))
+      return_trace (false);
+
+    uint32_t new_varidx = hb_first (*new_varidx_delta);
+    int delta = hb_second (*new_varidx_delta);
+    if (delta != 0)
     {
-      int delta = hb_second (c->plan->layout_variation_idx_delta_map.get (varidx));
-      if (delta != 0)
-      {
-        if (!c->serializer->check_assign (out->coordinate, coordinate + delta, HB_SERIALIZE_ERROR_INT_OVERFLOW))
-          return_trace (false);
-      }
+      if (!c->serializer->check_assign (out->coordinate, coordinate + delta, HB_SERIALIZE_ERROR_INT_OVERFLOW))
+        return_trace (false);
     }
 
-    if (c->plan->all_axes_pinned)
+    if (new_varidx == HB_OT_LAYOUT_NO_VARIATIONS_INDEX)
       return_trace (c->serializer->check_assign (out->caretValueFormat, 1, HB_SERIALIZE_ERROR_INT_OVERFLOW));
 
     if (!c->serializer->embed (deviceTable))
diff --git a/src/OT/Layout/GPOS/AnchorFormat3.hh b/src/OT/Layout/GPOS/AnchorFormat3.hh
index 8684f60ca..56eda4a57 100644
--- a/src/OT/Layout/GPOS/AnchorFormat3.hh
+++ b/src/OT/Layout/GPOS/AnchorFormat3.hh
@@ -52,9 +52,14 @@ struct AnchorFormat3
     if (unlikely (!c->serializer->embed (yCoordinate))) return_trace (false);
 
     unsigned x_varidx = xDeviceTable ? (this+xDeviceTable).get_variation_index () : HB_OT_LAYOUT_NO_VARIATIONS_INDEX;
-    if (c->plan->layout_variation_idx_delta_map.has (x_varidx))
+    if (x_varidx != HB_OT_LAYOUT_NO_VARIATIONS_INDEX)
     {
-      int delta = hb_second (c->plan->layout_variation_idx_delta_map.get (x_varidx));
+      hb_pair_t<unsigned, int> *new_varidx_delta;
+      if (!c->plan->layout_variation_idx_delta_map.has (x_varidx, &new_varidx_delta))
+        return_trace (false);
+     
+      x_varidx = hb_first (*new_varidx_delta);
+      int delta = hb_second (*new_varidx_delta);
       if (delta != 0)
       {
         if (!c->serializer->check_assign (out->xCoordinate, xCoordinate + delta,
@@ -64,9 +69,14 @@ struct AnchorFormat3
     }
 
     unsigned y_varidx = yDeviceTable ? (this+yDeviceTable).get_variation_index () : HB_OT_LAYOUT_NO_VARIATIONS_INDEX;
-    if (c->plan->layout_variation_idx_delta_map.has (y_varidx))
+    if (y_varidx != HB_OT_LAYOUT_NO_VARIATIONS_INDEX)
     {
-      int delta = hb_second (c->plan->layout_variation_idx_delta_map.get (y_varidx));
+      hb_pair_t<unsigned, int> *new_varidx_delta;
+      if (!c->plan->layout_variation_idx_delta_map.has (y_varidx, &new_varidx_delta))
+        return_trace (false);
+
+      y_varidx = hb_first (*new_varidx_delta);
+      int delta = hb_second (*new_varidx_delta);
       if (delta != 0)
       {
         if (!c->serializer->check_assign (out->yCoordinate, yCoordinate + delta,
@@ -75,7 +85,10 @@ struct AnchorFormat3
       }
     }
 
-    if (c->plan->all_axes_pinned)
+    /* in case that all axes are pinned or no variations after instantiation,
+     * both var_idxes will be mapped to HB_OT_LAYOUT_NO_VARIATIONS_INDEX */
+    if (x_varidx == HB_OT_LAYOUT_NO_VARIATIONS_INDEX &&
+        y_varidx == HB_OT_LAYOUT_NO_VARIATIONS_INDEX)
       return_trace (c->serializer->check_assign (out->format, 1, HB_SERIALIZE_ERROR_INT_OVERFLOW));
 
     if (!c->serializer->embed (xDeviceTable)) return_trace (false);
diff --git a/src/hb-ot-layout-common.hh b/src/hb-ot-layout-common.hh
index 2146a1726..7125e99e4 100644
--- a/src/hb-ot-layout-common.hh
+++ b/src/hb-ot-layout-common.hh
@@ -3966,8 +3966,8 @@ struct VariationDevice
     auto *out = c->embed (this);
     if (unlikely (!out)) return_trace (nullptr);
 
-    unsigned new_idx = hb_first (*v);
-    out->varIdx = new_idx;
+    if (!c->check_assign (out->varIdx, hb_first (*v), HB_SERIALIZE_ERROR_INT_OVERFLOW))
+      return_trace (nullptr);
     return_trace (out);
   }