diff --git a/kitty/fonts.h b/kitty/fonts.h
index fd78c7e51..6a92aa761 100644
--- a/kitty/fonts.h
+++ b/kitty/fonts.h
@@ -23,5 +23,5 @@ bool render_glyphs_in_cells(PyObject *f, bool bold, bool italic, hb_glyph_info_t
 void render_line(Line *line);
 void sprite_tracker_set_limits(size_t max_texture_size, size_t max_array_len);
 void sprite_tracker_set_layout(unsigned int cell_width, unsigned int cell_height);
-
 typedef void (*free_extra_data_func)(void*);
+PyObject* ft_face_from_data(const uint8_t* data, size_t sz, void *extra_data, free_extra_data_func fed, PyObject *path, int hinting, int hintstyle, float size_in_pts, float xdpi, float ydpi);
diff --git a/kitty/freetype.c b/kitty/freetype.c
index 968f88b11..0261be443 100644
--- a/kitty/freetype.c
+++ b/kitty/freetype.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ typedef struct {
     void *extra_data;
     free_extra_data_func free_extra_data;
 } Face;
+PyTypeObject Face_Type;
 
 static PyObject* FreeType_Exception = NULL;
 
@@ -126,6 +127,17 @@ init_ft_face(Face *self, PyObject *path, int hinting, int hintstyle, float size_
     return true;
 }
 
+PyObject*
+ft_face_from_data(const uint8_t* data, size_t sz, void *extra_data, free_extra_data_func fed, PyObject *path, int hinting, int hintstyle, float size_in_pts, float xdpi, float ydpi) {
+    Face *ans = (Face*)Face_Type.tp_alloc(&Face_Type, 0);
+    if (ans == NULL) return NULL; 
+    int error = FT_New_Memory_Face(library, data, sz, 0, &ans->face);
+    if(error) { set_freetype_error("Failed to load memory face, with error:", error); Py_CLEAR(ans); return NULL; }
+    ans->extra_data = extra_data;
+    ans->free_extra_data = fed;
+    if (!init_ft_face(ans, path, hinting, hintstyle, size_in_pts, xdpi, ydpi)) Py_CLEAR(ans);
+    return (PyObject*)ans;
+}
 
 static PyObject*
 new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject UNUSED *kwds) {