diff --git a/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi b/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
index e69d7fa8..ad68c866 100644
--- a/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
+++ b/kitty/fast_data_types.pyi
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ class FontConfigPattern(TypedDict):
 
 def fc_list(
     spacing: int = -1,
-    allow_bitmapped_fonts: bool = False
+    allow_bitmapped_fonts: bool = True
 ) -> Tuple[FontConfigPattern, ...]:
     pass
 
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ def fc_match(
     bold: bool = False,
     italic: bool = False,
     spacing: int = FC_MONO,
-    allow_bitmapped_fonts: bool = False,
+    allow_bitmapped_fonts: bool = True,
     size_in_pts: float = 0.,
     dpi: float = 0.
 ) -> FontConfigPattern:
diff --git a/kitty/fontconfig.c b/kitty/fontconfig.c
index 7156d9ee..6444d6bc 100644
--- a/kitty/fontconfig.c
+++ b/kitty/fontconfig.c
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ font_set(FcFontSet *fs) {
 
 static PyObject*
 fc_list(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args) {
-    int allow_bitmapped_fonts = 0, spacing = -1;
+    int allow_bitmapped_fonts = 1, spacing = -1;
     PyObject *ans = NULL;
     FcObjectSet *os = NULL;
     FcPattern *pat = NULL;
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ end:
 static PyObject*
 fc_match(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args) {
     char *family = NULL;
-    int bold = 0, italic = 0, allow_bitmapped_fonts = 0, spacing = FC_MONO;
+    int bold = 0, italic = 0, allow_bitmapped_fonts = 1, spacing = FC_MONO;
     double size_in_pts = 0, dpi = 0;
     FcPattern *pat = NULL;
     PyObject *ans = NULL;