diff --git a/help/help_mp-en.h b/help/help_mp-en.h
index dd585c0ee6..116537d33f 100644
--- a/help/help_mp-en.h
+++ b/help/help_mp-en.h
@@ -2049,3 +2049,5 @@ static char help_text[]=
 #define MSGTR_LIBASS_GlyphNotFoundReselectingFont "[ass] Glyph 0x%X not found, reselecting font for (%s, %d, %d)\n"
 #define MSGTR_LIBASS_GlyphNotFound "[ass] Glyph 0x%X not found in font for (%s, %d, %d)\n"
 #define MSGTR_LIBASS_ErrorOpeningMemoryFont "[ass] Error opening memory font: %s\n"
+#define MSGTR_LIBASS_NoCharmaps "[ass] font face with no charmaps\n"
+#define MSGTR_LIBASS_NoCharmapAutodetected "[ass] no charmap autodetected, trying the first one\n"
diff --git a/libass/ass_font.c b/libass/ass_font.c
index 1ae136bc1e..285ecde63a 100644
--- a/libass/ass_font.c
+++ b/libass/ass_font.c
@@ -47,9 +47,19 @@ static void charmap_magic(FT_Face face)
 		unsigned eid = cmap->encoding_id;
 		if (pid == 3 /*microsoft*/ && (eid == 1 /*unicode bmp*/ || eid == 10 /*full unicode*/)) {
 			FT_Set_Charmap(face, cmap);
-			break;
+			return;
 		}
 	}
+
+	if (!face->charmap) {
+		if (face->num_charmaps == 0) {
+			mp_msg(MSGT_ASS, MSGL_WARN, MSGTR_LIBASS_NoCharmaps);
+			return;
+		}
+		mp_msg(MSGT_ASS, MSGL_WARN, MSGTR_LIBASS_NoCharmapAutodetected);
+		FT_Set_Charmap(face, face->charmaps[0]);
+		return;
+	}
 }
 
 /**