diff --git a/src/training/pango_font_info.cpp b/src/training/pango_font_info.cpp
index ae09840d..0dd363ea 100644
--- a/src/training/pango_font_info.cpp
+++ b/src/training/pango_font_info.cpp
@@ -485,6 +485,10 @@ std::vector<std::string> FontUtils::available_fonts_;  // cache list
 // Until then, we are restricted to using a hack where we try to load the font
 // from the font_map, and then check what we loaded to see if it has the
 // description we expected. If it is not, then the font is deemed unavailable.
+//
+// TODO: This function reports also some not synthesized fonts as not available
+// e.g. 'Bitstream Charter Medium Italic', 'LMRoman17', so we need this hack
+// until  other solution is found.
 /* static */
 bool FontUtils::IsAvailableFont(const char* input_query_desc,
                                 std::string* best_match) {
@@ -505,6 +509,7 @@ bool FontUtils::IsAvailableFont(const char* input_query_desc,
   }
   if (selected_font == nullptr) {
     pango_font_description_free(desc);
+    tlog(4, "** Font '%s' failed to load from font map!\n", input_query_desc);
     return false;
   }
   PangoFontDescription* selected_desc = pango_font_describe(selected_font);
@@ -531,6 +536,9 @@ bool FontUtils::IsAvailableFont(const char* input_query_desc,
   pango_font_description_free(selected_desc);
   g_object_unref(selected_font);
   pango_font_description_free(desc);
+  if (!equal)
+    tlog(4, "** Font '%s' failed pango_font_description_equal!\n",
+         input_query_desc);
   return equal;
 }
 
@@ -581,7 +589,9 @@ const std::vector<std::string>& FontUtils::ListAvailableFonts() {
     for (int j = 0; j < n_faces; ++j) {
       PangoFontDescription* desc = pango_font_face_describe(faces[j]);
       char* desc_str = pango_font_description_to_string(desc);
-      if (IsAvailableFont(desc_str)) {
+      // "synthesized" font faces that are not truly loadable, so we skip it
+      if (!pango_font_face_is_synthesized(faces[j])
+            && IsAvailableFont(desc_str)) {
         available_fonts_.push_back(desc_str);
       }
       pango_font_description_free(desc);