diff --git a/home/dotfiles/config/fontconfig/fonts.conf b/home/dotfiles/config/fontconfig/fonts.conf
index 0c92bfe..0a3e11b 100644
--- a/home/dotfiles/config/fontconfig/fonts.conf
+++ b/home/dotfiles/config/fontconfig/fonts.conf
@@ -27,6 +27,19 @@
     </prefer>
   </alias>
 
+  <!-- by default fontconfig assumes any unrecognized font is sans-serif, so -->
+  <!-- the fonts above now have /both/ families.  fix this. -->
+  <!-- note that "delete" applies to the first match -->
+  <match>
+    <test compare="eq" name="family">
+        <string>sans-serif</string>
+    </test>
+    <test compare="eq" name="family">
+        <string>monospace</string>
+    </test>
+    <edit mode="delete" name="family"/>
+  </match>
+
   <!-- emoji support -->
   <match>
     <test name="family">