diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests/text_edit.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests/text_edit.rs
index 17d0345d8..c07edf4aa 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests/text_edit.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests/text_edit.rs
@@ -930,7 +930,12 @@ fn fonts_lists_bundled_and_installed_families() {
     // The bundled face is Regular; the OS can also provide Bold, Italic, or other faces.
     // Compare against the independent directory inventory rather than assuming an empty OS.
     let mut expected_styles = std::collections::BTreeSet::from(["Regular".to_string()]);
-    expected_styles.extend(installed.iter().filter(|face| face.family.eq_ignore_ascii_case("Noto Serif")).map(|face| face.style.clone()));
+    expected_styles.extend(
+        installed
+            .iter()
+            .filter(|face| face.family.eq_ignore_ascii_case("Noto Serif"))
+            .flat_map(|face| std::iter::once(face.style.clone()).chain(face.instances.iter().map(|i| i.style.clone()))),
+    );
     let styles: Vec<String> = r["families"][0]["styles"].as_array().unwrap().iter().map(|style| style.as_str().unwrap().to_string()).collect();
     assert_eq!(styles.iter().cloned().collect::<std::collections::BTreeSet<_>>(), expected_styles);
     assert_eq!(styles.len(), expected_styles.len(), "style menu has no duplicates");
diff --git a/crates/text/src/fonts/tests.rs b/crates/text/src/fonts/tests.rs
index 079a001e0..ea47bdcc8 100644
--- a/crates/text/src/fonts/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/text/src/fonts/tests.rs
@@ -93,15 +93,19 @@ fn bundled_families_and_resolution() {
     assert!(!b.synth_bold);
     let faces = all_faces();
     assert!(faces.iter().any(|f| f.info.family == "Noto Serif" && f.info.style == "Regular" && f.info.origin == "bundled"));
-    // A real installed Bold Italic takes priority. Partial installed families can instead
-    // supply the nearest weight/slant, so neither synthesis flag is fixed by the OS.
+    // A real installed Bold Italic — the face's own style, or a named instance of a variable
+    // face — takes priority. Partial installed families can instead supply the nearest
+    // weight/slant, so neither synthesis flag is fixed by the OS.
     for family in ["Noto Serif", "Inter"] {
         let resolved = resolve(family, "Bold Italic");
         let selected = face(resolved.face);
         assert!(selected.info.family.eq_ignore_ascii_case(family));
         assert!(!resolved.missing);
         let candidates: Vec<_> = faces.iter().filter(|f| f.info.family.eq_ignore_ascii_case(family)).collect();
-        if let Some(exact) = candidates.iter().find(|f| f.info.style.eq_ignore_ascii_case("Bold Italic")) {
+        let exact = candidates
+            .iter()
+            .find(|f| f.info.style.eq_ignore_ascii_case("Bold Italic") || f.info.instances.iter().any(|i| i.style.eq_ignore_ascii_case("Bold Italic")));
+        if let Some(exact) = exact {
             assert_eq!(resolved.face, exact.id, "real style wins for {family}");
             assert!(!resolved.synth_bold && !resolved.synth_italic);
         } else {