diff --git a/src/lgfx/v1/lgfx_fonts.cpp b/src/lgfx/v1/lgfx_fonts.cpp
index 76157177..5ed465d8 100644
--- a/src/lgfx/v1/lgfx_fonts.cpp
+++ b/src/lgfx/v1/lgfx_fonts.cpp
@@ -886,11 +886,14 @@ namespace lgfx
     int32_t sy = 65536 * style->size_y;
     y += (metrics->y_offset * sy) >> 16;
 
-    if (code == 0x20) {
+    if (!this->getUnicodeIndex(code, &gNum)) {
+      if (code != 0x20) {
+        return drawCharDummy(gfx, x, y, this->spaceWidth, metrics->height, style, filled_x);
+      }
+      // Some VLW exporters omit the space glyph; for such fonts, keep the
+      // guessed advance instead of rendering the missing-glyph box.
       gNum = 0xFFFF;
       buffer[2] = getSwap32(this->spaceWidth);
-    } else if (!this->getUnicodeIndex(code, &gNum)) {
-      return drawCharDummy(gfx, x, y, this->spaceWidth, metrics->height, style, filled_x);
     } else {
       file->preRead();
       file->seek(28 + gNum * 28);