diff --git a/tests/cpp_tests/font_registration_test.cpp b/tests/cpp_tests/font_registration_test.cpp
index 0079a290d..41908c21d 100644
--- a/tests/cpp_tests/font_registration_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/cpp_tests/font_registration_test.cpp
@@ -10,66 +10,74 @@ namespace sys = boost::system;
 
 int main( int, char*[] )
 {
-    std::string fontdir("fonts/");
+    try
+    {
+        std::string fontdir("fonts/");
 
-    BOOST_TEST( fs::exists( fontdir ) );
-    BOOST_TEST( fs::is_directory( fontdir ) );
+        BOOST_TEST( fs::exists( fontdir ) );
+        BOOST_TEST( fs::is_directory( fontdir ) );
 
-    std::vector<std::string> face_names;
+        std::vector<std::string> face_names;
 
-    std::string foo("foo");
+        std::string foo("foo");
 
-    // fake directories
-    BOOST_TEST( !mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts(foo , true ) );
-    face_names = mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names();
-    BOOST_TEST( face_names.size() == 0 );
-    BOOST_TEST( !mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts(foo) );
-    face_names = mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names();
-    BOOST_TEST( face_names.size() == 0 );
+        // fake directories
+        BOOST_TEST( !mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts(foo , true ) );
+        face_names = mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names();
+        BOOST_TEST( face_names.size() == 0 );
+        BOOST_TEST( !mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts(foo) );
+        face_names = mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names();
+        BOOST_TEST( face_names.size() == 0 );
 
-    // directories without fonts
-    std::string src("src");
-    // an empty directory will not return true
-    // we need to register at least one font and not fail on any
-    // to return true
-    BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font(src) == false );
-    BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts(src, true) == false );
-    BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names().size() == 0 );
+        // directories without fonts
+        std::string src("src");
+        // an empty directory will not return true
+        // we need to register at least one font and not fail on any
+        // to return true
+        BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font(src) == false );
+        BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts(src, true) == false );
+        BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names().size() == 0 );
 
-    // bogus, emtpy file that looks like font
-    BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font("tests/data/fonts/fake.ttf") == false );
-    BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts("tests/data/fonts/fake.ttf") == false );
-    BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names().size() == 0 );
+        // bogus, emtpy file that looks like font
+        BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font("tests/data/fonts/fake.ttf") == false );
+        BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts("tests/data/fonts/fake.ttf") == false );
+        BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names().size() == 0 );
 
-    BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font("tests/data/fonts/intentionally-broken.ttf") == false );
-    BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts("tests/data/fonts/intentionally-broken.ttf") == false );
-    BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names().size() == 0 );
+        BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font("tests/data/fonts/intentionally-broken.ttf") == false );
+        BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts("tests/data/fonts/intentionally-broken.ttf") == false );
+        BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names().size() == 0 );
 
-    // register unifont, since we know it sits in the root fonts/ dir
-    BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts(fontdir) );
-    face_names = mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names();
-    //std::clog << "number of registered fonts: " << face_names.size() << std::endl;
-    BOOST_TEST( face_names.size() > 0 );
-    BOOST_TEST( face_names.size() == 1 );
+        // register unifont, since we know it sits in the root fonts/ dir
+        BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts(fontdir) );
+        face_names = mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names();
+        //std::clog << "number of registered fonts: " << face_names.size() << std::endl;
+        BOOST_TEST( face_names.size() > 0 );
+        BOOST_TEST( face_names.size() == 1 );
 
-    // re-register unifont, should not have any affect
-    BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts(fontdir, false) );
-    face_names = mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names();
-    //std::clog << "number of registered fonts: " << face_names.size() << std::endl;
-    BOOST_TEST( face_names.size() == 1 );
+        // re-register unifont, should not have any affect
+        BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts(fontdir, false) );
+        face_names = mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names();
+        //std::clog << "number of registered fonts: " << face_names.size() << std::endl;
+        BOOST_TEST( face_names.size() == 1 );
 
-    // register a single dejavu font
-    std::string dejavu_bold_oblique("tests/data/fonts/DejaVuSansMono-BoldOblique.ttf");
-    BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font(dejavu_bold_oblique) );
-    face_names = mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names();
-    //std::clog << "number of registered fonts: " << face_names.size() << std::endl;
-    BOOST_TEST( face_names.size() == 2 );
+        // register a single dejavu font
+        std::string dejavu_bold_oblique("tests/data/fonts/DejaVuSansMono-BoldOblique.ttf");
+        BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font(dejavu_bold_oblique) );
+        face_names = mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names();
+        //std::clog << "number of registered fonts: " << face_names.size() << std::endl;
+        BOOST_TEST( face_names.size() == 2 );
 
-    // recurse to find all dejavu fonts
-    BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts(fontdir, true) );
-    face_names = mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names();
-    //std::clog << "number of registered fonts: " << face_names.size() << std::endl;
-    BOOST_TEST( face_names.size() == 22 );
+        // recurse to find all dejavu fonts
+        BOOST_TEST( mapnik::freetype_engine::register_fonts(fontdir, true) );
+        face_names = mapnik::freetype_engine::face_names();
+        //std::clog << "number of registered fonts: " << face_names.size() << std::endl;
+        BOOST_TEST( face_names.size() == 22 );
+    }
+    catch (std::exception const & ex)
+    {
+        std::clog << "C++ fonts registration problem: " << ex.what() << "\n";
+        BOOST_TEST(false);
+    }
 
     if (!::boost::detail::test_errors()) {
         std::clog << "C++ fonts registration: \x1b[1;32m✓ \x1b[0m\n";