diff --git a/include/mapnik/font_engine_freetype.hpp b/include/mapnik/font_engine_freetype.hpp
index b1d7b340a..6b776317a 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/font_engine_freetype.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/font_engine_freetype.hpp
@@ -242,7 +242,18 @@ class MAPNIK_DECL freetype_engine
 {
 public:
     static bool is_font_file(std::string const& file_name);
+
+    /*! \brief register a font file
+     *  @param file_name path to a font file.
+     *  @return bool - true if at least one face was successfully registered in the file.
+     */
     static bool register_font(std::string const& file_name);
+
+    /*! \brief register a font file
+     *  @param file_name - path to a directory containing fonts or subdirectories.
+     *  @param recurse - default false, whether to search for fonts in sub directories.
+     *  @return bool - true if at least one face was successfully registered.
+     */
     static bool register_fonts(std::string const& dir, bool recurse = false);
     static std::vector<std::string> face_names();
     static std::map<std::string,std::pair<int,std::string> > const& get_mapping();
diff --git a/src/font_engine_freetype.cpp b/src/font_engine_freetype.cpp
index 94eb77248..a6bf45cea 100644
--- a/src/font_engine_freetype.cpp
+++ b/src/font_engine_freetype.cpp
@@ -134,13 +134,14 @@ bool freetype_engine::register_font(std::string const& file_name)
 bool freetype_engine::register_fonts(std::string const& dir, bool recurse)
 {
     boost::filesystem::path path(dir);
-
     if (!boost::filesystem::exists(path))
+    {
         return false;
-
+    }
     if (!boost::filesystem::is_directory(path))
+    {
         return mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font(dir);
-
+    }
     boost::filesystem::directory_iterator end_itr;
     bool success = false;
     for (boost::filesystem::directory_iterator itr(dir); itr != end_itr; ++itr)
@@ -152,7 +153,10 @@ bool freetype_engine::register_fonts(std::string const& dir, bool recurse)
 #endif
         if (boost::filesystem::is_directory(*itr) && recurse)
         {
-            success = register_fonts(file_name, true);
+            if (register_fonts(file_name, true))
+            {
+                success = true;
+            }
         }
         else
         {
@@ -165,7 +169,10 @@ bool freetype_engine::register_fonts(std::string const& dir, bool recurse)
                      boost::filesystem::is_regular_file(file_name) &&
                      is_font_file(file_name))
             {
-                success = mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font(file_name);
+                if (mapnik::freetype_engine::register_font(file_name))
+                {
+                    success = true;
+                }
             }
         }
     }