diff --git a/src/hb-ot-layout-gsub-table.hh b/src/hb-ot-layout-gsub-table.hh
index ae679441b..255a2827e 100644
--- a/src/hb-ot-layout-gsub-table.hh
+++ b/src/hb-ot-layout-gsub-table.hh
@@ -534,24 +534,26 @@ struct AlternateSet
 
     if (unlikely (!count)) return_trace (false);
 
-    if (c->random)
+    hb_mask_t glyph_mask = c->buffer->cur().mask;
+    hb_mask_t lookup_mask = c->lookup_mask;
+
+    /* Note: This breaks badly if two features enabled this lookup together. */
+    unsigned int shift = hb_ctz (lookup_mask);
+    unsigned int alt_index = ((lookup_mask & glyph_mask) >> shift);
+
+    if (unlikely (alt_index > count || alt_index == 0)) return_trace (false);
+
+    /* This is ugly...  If alt_index is 1, we take it as "on", and randomize
+     * feature if it is the rand feature.  If it's > 1, it's a user-set value
+     * for sure, so respect it.  So, user cannot set rand=1 and expect it to
+     * choose the first alternate... */
+    if (alt_index == 1 && c->random)
     {
       c->random_state = (0x5DEECE66Dull * c->random_state + 11) & (((uint64_t) 1 << 48) - 1);
-      c->replace_glyph (alternates[(c->random_state >> 32) % count]);
+      alt_index = (c->random_state >> 32) % count + 1;
     }
-    else
-    {
-      hb_mask_t glyph_mask = c->buffer->cur().mask;
-      hb_mask_t lookup_mask = c->lookup_mask;
 
-      /* Note: This breaks badly if two features enabled this lookup together. */
-      unsigned int shift = hb_ctz (lookup_mask);
-      unsigned int alt_index = ((lookup_mask & glyph_mask) >> shift);
-
-      if (unlikely (alt_index > count || alt_index == 0)) return_trace (false);
-
-      c->replace_glyph (alternates[alt_index - 1]);
-    }
+    c->replace_glyph (alternates[alt_index - 1]);
 
     return_trace (true);
   }