diff --git a/src/hb-shape.c b/src/hb-shape.c
index c5e9d4707..197d4a038 100644
--- a/src/hb-shape.c
+++ b/src/hb-shape.c
@@ -33,8 +33,9 @@
 static inline hb_bool_t
 is_variation_selector (hb_codepoint_t unicode)
 {
-  return (unicode >=  0xFE00 && unicode <=  0xFE0F) ||
-	 (unicode >= 0xE0100 && unicode <= 0xE01EF);
+  return HB_UNLIKELY ((unicode >=  0x180B && unicode <=  0x180D) || /* MONGOLIAN FREE VARIATION SELECTOR ONE..THREE */
+		      (unicode >=  0xFE00 && unicode <=  0xFE0F) || /* VARIATION SELECTOR-1..16 */
+		      (unicode >= 0xE0100 && unicode <= 0xE01EF));  /* VARIATION SELECTOR-17..256 */
 }
 
 static void