diff --git a/lib/help.c b/lib/help.c
--- a/lib/help.c
+++ b/lib/help.c
@@ -177,8 +177,12 @@
   for (i=0; i<17; i++)
   {
     if (!fonts[i])
       fonts[i] = XLoadQueryFont(display, i & STYLE_TT ? "fixed" : "variable");
+    if (!fonts[i])
+      fonts[i] = XLoadQueryFont(display, "fixed");
+    if (!fonts[i])
+      return;
     thin_space[i] = XTextWidth(fonts[i], " ", 1);
   }
   for (i=0; i<NTAGS; i++)
     tags[i].taglen = strlen(tags[i].tag);