diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 658da8c6d..b3609e1a0 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 /dependencies
 /tags
 /build/
+/fonts/
 /linux-package/
 /kitty.app/
 /glad/out/
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index b87709cb6..7fd30752e 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ Detailed list of changes
 
 - A new ``choose-fonts`` kitten that provides a UI with font previews to ease selection of fonts. Also has support for font features and variable fonts.
 
+- Add NERD fonts builtin so that users don't have to install them to use NERD symbols in kitty
+
 - Wayland: Allow fractional scales less than one (:pull:`7549`)
 
 - Wayland: Fix specifying the output name for the panel kitten not working (:iss:`7573`)
diff --git a/kitty/constants.py b/kitty/constants.py
index 9bbeaf564..74e91df17 100644
--- a/kitty/constants.py
+++ b/kitty/constants.py
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ terminfo_dir = os.path.join(kitty_base_dir, 'terminfo')
 logo_png_file = os.path.join(kitty_base_dir, 'logo', 'kitty.png')
 beam_cursor_data_file = os.path.join(kitty_base_dir, 'logo', 'beam-cursor.png')
 shell_integration_dir = os.path.join(kitty_base_dir, 'shell-integration')
+fonts_dir = os.path.join(kitty_base_dir, 'fonts')
 try:
     shell_path = pwd.getpwuid(os.geteuid()).pw_shell or '/bin/sh'
 except KeyError:
diff --git a/kitty/fonts/render.py b/kitty/fonts/render.py
index 74d477836..5e8d4342a 100644
--- a/kitty/fonts/render.py
+++ b/kitty/fonts/render.py
@@ -2,12 +2,13 @@
 # License: GPL v3 Copyright: 2016, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
 
 import ctypes
+import os
 import sys
 from functools import partial
 from math import ceil, cos, floor, pi
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Callable, Dict, Generator, List, Literal, Optional, Tuple, Union, cast
 
-from kitty.constants import is_macos
+from kitty.constants import fonts_dir, is_macos
 from kitty.fast_data_types import (
     NUM_UNDERLINE_STYLES,
     Screen,
@@ -197,6 +198,14 @@ def set_font_family(opts: Optional[Options] = None, override_font_size: Optional
     )
 
 
+def add_application_fonts() -> None:
+    for font in ('SymbolsNerdFontMono-Regular.ttf',):
+        path = os.path.join(fonts_dir, font)
+        if os.path.exists(path):
+            if not add_font_file(path):
+                log_error(f'Failed to add application font: {path}')
+
+
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     CBufType = ctypes.Array[ctypes.c_ubyte]
 else:
@@ -528,7 +537,6 @@ def test_fallback_font(qtext: Optional[str] = None, bold: bool = False, italic:
 
 
 def showcase() -> None:
-    add_font_file
     f = 'monospace' if is_macos else 'Liberation Mono'
     test_render_string('He\u0347\u0305llo\u0337, w\u0302or\u0306l\u0354d!', family=f)
     test_render_string('你好,世界', family=f)
diff --git a/kitty/main.py b/kitty/main.py
index 571f3de83..b07817eaf 100644
--- a/kitty/main.py
+++ b/kitty/main.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ from .fast_data_types import (
     set_options,
 )
 from .fonts.box_drawing import set_scale
-from .fonts.render import dump_font_debug, set_font_family
+from .fonts.render import add_application_fonts, dump_font_debug, set_font_family
 from .options.types import Options
 from .options.utils import DELETE_ENV_VAR
 from .os_window_size import edge_spacing, initial_window_size_func
@@ -249,6 +249,7 @@ class AppRunner:
         set_options(opts, is_wayland(), args.debug_rendering, args.debug_font_fallback)
         try:
             set_font_family(opts)
+            add_application_fonts()
             _run_app(opts, args, bad_lines, talk_fd)
         finally:
             set_options(None)