diff --git a/src/gnome/top-level.c b/src/gnome/top-level.c
index cb29fc957c..ce846c8607 100644
--- a/src/gnome/top-level.c
+++ b/src/gnome/top-level.c
@@ -386,7 +386,8 @@ gnc_gui_init (SCM command_line)
                                           NULL, "Register",
                                           "Register hint font");
 
-    gnucash_style_init();
+    if (!gnucash_style_init())
+      gnc_shutdown(1);
     gnucash_color_init();
 
     gnc_html_register_url_handler (URL_TYPE_REGISTER,
diff --git a/src/gnome/window-main.c b/src/gnome/window-main.c
index f456c04dbd..8ba5ad39c5 100644
--- a/src/gnome/window-main.c
+++ b/src/gnome/window-main.c
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ gnc_main_window_get_mdi_child (void)
  * gnc_shutdown
  * close down gnucash from the C side...
  ********************************************************************/
-static void
+void
 gnc_shutdown (int exit_status)
 {
   /*SCM scm_shutdown = gnc_scm_lookup("gnucash bootstrap", "gnc:shutdown");*/
diff --git a/src/gnome/window-main.h b/src/gnome/window-main.h
index 9d722561c6..366ac675ac 100644
--- a/src/gnome/window-main.h
+++ b/src/gnome/window-main.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "gnc-mdi-utils.h"
 
 GNCMDIInfo * gnc_main_window_new (void);
+void gnc_shutdown(int);
 
 /*
  * Functions used as callbacks from multiple dialogs.
diff --git a/src/register/register-gnome/gnucash-style.c b/src/register/register-gnome/gnucash-style.c
index 8b39f8adbf..d3d1310d00 100644
--- a/src/register/register-gnome/gnucash-style.c
+++ b/src/register/register-gnome/gnucash-style.c
@@ -31,7 +31,11 @@
 #include "gnucash-item-edit.h"
 #include "gnucash-style.h"
 #include "messages.h"
+#include "gnc-engine-util.h"
 
+/** GLOBALS *********************************************************/
+/* This static indicates the debugging module that this .o belongs to.  */
+static short module = MOD_GUI;
 
 #define DEFAULT_STYLE_WIDTH 680
 
@@ -811,64 +815,69 @@ gnucash_style_get_default_register_hint_font_name (void)
 void
 gnucash_style_set_register_font_name (const char *name)
 {
-        g_free (register_font_name);
-        register_font_name = g_strdup (name);
+	GdkFont *new_font = NULL;
 
-        if (gnucash_register_font != NULL)
-        {
-                gdk_font_unref (gnucash_register_font);
-                gnucash_register_font = NULL;
-        }
+	if (name != NULL) {
+		new_font = gnucash_font_load (name);
+		if (new_font == NULL) {
+			PWARN("Cannot load font: %s\n", name);
+		}
+	}
 
-        if (register_font_name != NULL)
-                gnucash_register_font = gnucash_font_load (register_font_name);
+	if (new_font == NULL)
+	{
+		name = gnucash_style_get_default_register_font_name ();
+		new_font = gnucash_font_load (name);
+		if (new_font == NULL) {
+			FATAL("Cannot load fallback font: %s\n", name);
+			return;
+		}
+	}
 
-        if (gnucash_register_font == NULL)
-        {
-                const char *name =
-                        gnucash_style_get_default_register_font_name ();
+	if (gnucash_register_font != NULL)
+		gdk_font_unref (gnucash_register_font);
+	if (register_font_name != NULL)
+		g_free (register_font_name);
 
-                g_free (register_font_name);
-                register_font_name = NULL;
+	gnucash_register_font = new_font;
+	gdk_font_ref (gnucash_register_font);
+	register_font_name = g_strdup (name);
 
-                gnucash_register_font = gnucash_font_load (name);
-        }
-
-        g_assert (gnucash_register_font != NULL);
-
-        gdk_font_ref (gnucash_register_font);
+	g_assert (gnucash_register_font != NULL);
 }
 
 void
 gnucash_style_set_register_hint_font_name (const char *name)
 {
-        g_free (register_hint_font_name);
-        register_hint_font_name = g_strdup (name);
+	GdkFont *new_font = NULL;
 
-        if (gnucash_register_hint_font != NULL)
-        {
-                gdk_font_unref (gnucash_register_hint_font);
-                gnucash_register_hint_font = NULL;
-        }
+	if (name != NULL) {
+		new_font = gnucash_font_load (name);
+		if (new_font == NULL) {
+			PWARN("Cannot load font: %s\n", name);
+		}
+	}
 
-        if (register_hint_font_name != NULL)
-                gnucash_register_hint_font =
-                        gnucash_font_load (register_hint_font_name);
+	if (new_font == NULL)
+	{
+		name = gnucash_style_get_default_register_hint_font_name ();
+		new_font = gnucash_font_load (name);
+		if (new_font == NULL) {
+			FATAL("Cannot load fallback font: %s\n", name);
+			return;
+		}
+	}
 
-        if (gnucash_register_hint_font == NULL)
-        {
-                const char *name =
-                        gnucash_style_get_default_register_hint_font_name ();
+	if (gnucash_register_hint_font != NULL)
+		gdk_font_unref (gnucash_register_hint_font);
+	if (register_hint_font_name != NULL)
+		g_free (register_hint_font_name);
 
-                g_free (register_hint_font_name);
-                register_hint_font_name = NULL;
+	gnucash_register_hint_font = new_font;
+	gdk_font_ref (gnucash_register_hint_font);
+	register_hint_font_name = g_strdup (name);
 
-                gnucash_register_hint_font = gnucash_font_load (name);
-        }
-
-        g_assert (gnucash_register_hint_font != NULL);
-
-        gdk_font_ref (gnucash_register_hint_font);
+	g_assert (gnucash_register_hint_font != NULL);
 }
 
 typedef struct
@@ -1013,7 +1022,7 @@ gnucash_sheet_set_header_widths (GnucashSheet *sheet,
                 }
 }
 
-void
+gboolean
 gnucash_style_init (void)
 {
         if (gnucash_register_font == NULL)
@@ -1021,6 +1030,9 @@ gnucash_style_init (void)
 
         if (gnucash_register_hint_font == NULL)
                 gnucash_style_set_register_hint_font_name(NULL);
+
+	return ((gnucash_register_font != NULL) &&
+		(gnucash_register_hint_font != NULL));
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/register/register-gnome/gnucash-style.h b/src/register/register-gnome/gnucash-style.h
index eedee62e42..66ec5855c8 100644
--- a/src/register/register-gnome/gnucash-style.h
+++ b/src/register/register-gnome/gnucash-style.h
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ struct _SheetBlockStyle
 };
 
 
-void gnucash_style_init (void);
+gboolean gnucash_style_init (void);
 
 void gnucash_sheet_style_init(void);