diff --git a/src/hb-ft.c b/src/hb-ft.c
index 146fd3cae..8a062c767 100644
--- a/src/hb-ft.c
+++ b/src/hb-ft.c
@@ -178,6 +178,22 @@ hb_ft_face_create (FT_Face           ft_face,
   return face;
 }
 
+hb_face_t *
+hb_ft_face_create_cached (FT_Face ft_face)
+{
+  /* TODO: Not thread-safe */
+  if (HB_LIKELY (ft_face->generic.data && ft_face->generic.finalizer == (FT_Generic_Finalizer) hb_face_destroy))
+      return ft_face->generic.data;
+
+  if (ft_face->generic.finalizer)
+    ft_face->generic.finalizer (ft_face->generic.data);
+
+  ft_face->generic.data = hb_ft_face_create (ft_face, NULL);
+  ft_face->generic.finalizer = (FT_Generic_Finalizer) hb_face_destroy;
+
+  return ft_face->generic.data;
+}
+
 
 hb_font_t *
 hb_ft_font_create (FT_Face           ft_face,
diff --git a/src/hb-ft.h b/src/hb-ft.h
index e6a4f86b8..b73a02c5e 100644
--- a/src/hb-ft.h
+++ b/src/hb-ft.h
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ hb_face_t *
 hb_ft_face_create (FT_Face           ft_face,
 		   hb_destroy_func_t destroy);
 
+hb_face_t *
+hb_ft_face_create_cached (FT_Face ft_face);
+
 hb_font_t *
 hb_ft_font_create (FT_Face           ft_face,
 		   hb_destroy_func_t destroy);