diff --git a/bindings/python/mapnik/__init__.py b/bindings/python/mapnik/__init__.py
index 49744a53e..cbddbd74e 100644
--- a/bindings/python/mapnik/__init__.py
+++ b/bindings/python/mapnik/__init__.py
@@ -655,6 +655,7 @@ __all__ = [
     'Feature',
     'Featureset',
     'FontEngine',
+    'FontSet',
     'Geometry2d',
     'GlyphSymbolizer',
     'Image',
diff --git a/bindings/python/mapnik_map.cpp b/bindings/python/mapnik_map.cpp
index 86a16d568..a947eeef8 100644
--- a/bindings/python/mapnik_map.cpp
+++ b/bindings/python/mapnik_map.cpp
@@ -122,7 +122,8 @@ std::vector<layer> const& (Map::*layers_const)() const =  &Map::layers;
 mapnik::parameters& (Map::*attr_nonconst)() =  &Map::get_extra_attributes;
 mapnik::parameters& (Map::*params_nonconst)() =  &Map::get_extra_parameters;
 
-mapnik::feature_type_style find_style (mapnik::Map const& m, std::string const& name)
+
+mapnik::feature_type_style find_style(mapnik::Map const& m, std::string const& name)
 {
     boost::optional<mapnik::feature_type_style const&> style = m.find_style(name);
     if (!style)
@@ -133,6 +134,17 @@ mapnik::feature_type_style find_style (mapnik::Map const& m, std::string const&
     return *style;
 }
 
+mapnik::font_set find_fontset(mapnik::Map const& m, std::string const& name)
+{
+    boost::optional<mapnik::font_set const&> fontset = m.find_fontset(name);
+    if (!fontset)
+    {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_KeyError, "Invalid font_set name");
+        boost::python::throw_error_already_set();
+    }
+    return *fontset;
+}
+
 bool has_metawriter(mapnik::Map const& m)
 {
     if (m.metawriters().size() >=1)
@@ -239,6 +251,11 @@ void export_map()
              "False # you can only append styles with unique names\n"
             )
 
+        .def("append_fontset",&Map::insert_fontset,
+             (arg("fontset")),
+             "Add a FontSet to the map."
+            )
+
         .def("buffered_envelope",
              &Map::get_buffered_extent,
              "Get the Box2d() of the Map given\n"
@@ -271,9 +288,14 @@ void export_map()
              "...'maxy', 'minx', 'miny', 'width'\n"
             )
 
+        .def("find_fontset",find_fontset,
+             (arg("name")),
+             "Find a fontset by name."
+            )
+
         .def("find_style",
              find_style,
-             (arg("style_name")),
+             (arg("name")),
              "Query the Map for a style by name and return\n"
              "a style object if found or raise KeyError\n"
              "style if not found.\n"
diff --git a/bindings/python/mapnik_python.cpp b/bindings/python/mapnik_python.cpp
index 768bb6686..52b846a8d 100644
--- a/bindings/python/mapnik_python.cpp
+++ b/bindings/python/mapnik_python.cpp
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ void export_style();
 void export_stroke();
 void export_feature();
 void export_featureset();
+void export_fontset();
 void export_datasource();
 void export_datasource_cache();
 void export_symbolizer();
@@ -397,6 +398,7 @@ BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(_mapnik)
     export_geometry();
     export_feature();
     export_featureset();
+    export_fontset();
     export_datasource();
     export_parameters();
     export_color();
diff --git a/include/mapnik/map.hpp b/include/mapnik/map.hpp
index bbc5d9432..3e24b540b 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/map.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/map.hpp
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ public:
      *  @param name The name of the fontset.
      *  @return The fontset if found. If not found return the default map fontset.
      */
-    font_set const& find_fontset(std::string const& name) const;
+    boost::optional<font_set const&> find_fontset(std::string const& name) const;
 
     /*! \brief Get all fontsets
      * @return Const reference to fontsets
diff --git a/src/map.cpp b/src/map.cpp
index 4b7af5513..e421998b8 100644
--- a/src/map.cpp
+++ b/src/map.cpp
@@ -204,14 +204,14 @@ bool Map::insert_fontset(std::string const& name, font_set const& fontset)
 {
     return fontsets_.insert(make_pair(name, fontset)).second;
 }
-         
-font_set const& Map::find_fontset(std::string const& name) const
+
+boost::optional<font_set const&>  Map::find_fontset(std::string const& name) const
 {
     std::map<std::string,font_set>::const_iterator itr = fontsets_.find(name);
-    if (itr!=fontsets_.end())
-        return itr->second;
-    static font_set default_fontset;
-    return default_fontset;
+    if (itr != fontsets_.end())
+        return boost::optional<font_set const&>(itr->second);
+    else
+        return boost::optional<font_set const&>() ;
 }
 
 std::map<std::string,font_set> const& Map::fontsets() const