diff --git a/dlls/gdi32/font.c b/dlls/gdi32/font.c
index 806ff0d1d91..c49186efb94 100644
--- a/dlls/gdi32/font.c
+++ b/dlls/gdi32/font.c
@@ -517,7 +517,7 @@ struct gdi_font_family *create_family( const WCHAR *name, const WCHAR *second_na
     }
     else family->second_name[0] = 0;
     list_init( &family->faces );
-    family->replacement = &family->faces;
+    family->replacement = NULL;
     list_add_tail( &font_list, &family->entry );
     return family;
 }
@@ -527,6 +527,7 @@ void release_family( struct gdi_font_family *family )
     if (--family->refcount) return;
     assert( list_empty( &family->faces ));
     list_remove( &family->entry );
+    if (family->replacement) release_family( family->replacement );
     HeapFree( GetProcessHeap(), 0, family );
 }
 
@@ -564,7 +565,8 @@ static BOOL add_family_replacement( const WCHAR *new_name, const WCHAR *replace
     }
 
     if (!(new_family = create_family( new_name, NULL ))) return FALSE;
-    new_family->replacement = &family->faces;
+    new_family->replacement = family;
+    family->refcount++;
     TRACE( "mapping %s to %s\n", debugstr_w(replace), debugstr_w(new_name) );
 
     /* also add replacement for vertical font if necessary */
diff --git a/dlls/gdi32/freetype.c b/dlls/gdi32/freetype.c
index afc9add629c..d4e593b1211 100644
--- a/dlls/gdi32/freetype.c
+++ b/dlls/gdi32/freetype.c
@@ -662,10 +662,8 @@ static BOOL is_subpixel_rendering_enabled( void )
 
 static const struct list *get_face_list_from_family(const Family *family)
 {
-    if (!list_empty(&family->faces))
-        return &family->faces;
-    else
-        return family->replacement;
+    if (family->replacement) return &family->replacement->faces;
+    return &family->faces;
 }
 
 static Face *find_face_from_filename(const WCHAR *file_name, const WCHAR *face_name)
diff --git a/dlls/gdi32/gdi_private.h b/dlls/gdi32/gdi_private.h
index 63e76e4df69..ab1b66b591c 100644
--- a/dlls/gdi32/gdi_private.h
+++ b/dlls/gdi32/gdi_private.h
@@ -307,12 +307,12 @@ struct glyph_metrics;
 
 struct gdi_font_family
 {
-    struct list  entry;
-    unsigned int refcount;
-    WCHAR        family_name[LF_FACESIZE];
-    WCHAR        second_name[LF_FACESIZE];
-    struct list  faces;
-    struct list *replacement;
+    struct list             entry;
+    unsigned int            refcount;
+    WCHAR                   family_name[LF_FACESIZE];
+    WCHAR                   second_name[LF_FACESIZE];
+    struct list             faces;
+    struct gdi_font_family *replacement;
 };
 
 struct bitmap_font_size