diff --git a/kitty/fonts/common.py b/kitty/fonts/common.py
index a2a7a13e9..0af88524b 100644
--- a/kitty/fonts/common.py
+++ b/kitty/fonts/common.py
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ def pprint(*a: Any) -> None:
     pprint(*a)
 
 
-def find_medium_variant(font: Descriptor) -> Descriptor:
+def find_medium_variant(font: DescriptorVar) -> DescriptorVar:
     font = font.copy()
     vd = get_variable_data_for_descriptor(font)
     for i, ns in enumerate(vd['named_styles']):
diff --git a/kitty/fonts/core_text.py b/kitty/fonts/core_text.py
index 63613fe64..8cf20d7bf 100644
--- a/kitty/fonts/core_text.py
+++ b/kitty/fonts/core_text.py
@@ -183,6 +183,15 @@ def find_best_match(
             if possible != ignore_face:
                 return possible
 
+    # See if we have a variable font
+    if not bold and not italic and font_map['variable_map'].get(q):
+        candidates = font_map['variable_map'][q]
+        candidates = scorer.sorted_candidates(candidates)
+        possible = candidates[0]
+        if possible != ignore_face:
+            from .common import find_medium_variant
+            return find_medium_variant(possible)
+
     # Let CoreText choose the font if the family exists, otherwise
     # fallback to Menlo
     if q not in font_map['family_map']:
diff --git a/kitty_tests/fonts.py b/kitty_tests/fonts.py
index 0e7656e56..98195f7ad 100644
--- a/kitty_tests/fonts.py
+++ b/kitty_tests/fonts.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class Selection(BaseTest):
         names = set(fonts_map['family_map']) | set(fonts_map['variable_map'])
         del fonts_map
 
-        def s(family: str, *expected: str) -> None:
+        def s(family: str, *expected: str, alternate=None) -> None:
             opts.font_family = parse_font_spec(family)
             ff = get_font_files(opts)
             actual = tuple(face_from_descriptor(ff[x]).postscript_name() for x in ('medium', 'bold', 'italic', 'bi'))  # type: ignore
@@ -36,11 +36,17 @@ class Selection(BaseTest):
                 if '/' in x:  # Old FreeType failed to generate postscript name for a variable font probably
                     return
             with self.subTest(spec=family):
-                self.ae(expected, actual)
+                try:
+                    self.ae(expected, actual)
+                except AssertionError:
+                    if alternate:
+                        self.ae(tuple(map(alternate, expected)), actual)
+                    else:
+                        raise
 
-        def both(family: str, *expected: str) -> None:
+        def both(family: str, *expected: str, alternate=None) -> None:
             for family in (family, f'family="{family}"'):
-                s(family, *expected)
+                s(family, *expected, alternate=alternate)
 
         def has(family, allow_missing_in_ci=False):
             ans = family_name_to_key(family) in names
@@ -48,12 +54,12 @@ class Selection(BaseTest):
                 raise AssertionError(f'The family: {family} is not available')
             return ans
 
-        def t(family, psprefix, bold='Bold', italic='Italic', bi='', reg='Regular', allow_missing_in_ci=False):
+        def t(family, psprefix, bold='Bold', italic='Italic', bi='', reg='Regular', allow_missing_in_ci=False, alternate=None):
             if has(family, allow_missing_in_ci=allow_missing_in_ci):
                 bi = bi or bold + italic
                 if reg:
                     reg = '-' + reg
-                both(family, f'{psprefix}{reg}', f'{psprefix}-{bold}', f'{psprefix}-{italic}', f'{psprefix}-{bi}')
+                both(family, f'{psprefix}{reg}', f'{psprefix}-{bold}', f'{psprefix}-{italic}', f'{psprefix}-{bi}', alternate=alternate)
 
         t('Source Code Pro', 'SourceCodePro', 'Semibold', 'It')
         t('sourcecodeVf', 'SourceCodeVF', 'Semibold')