diff --git a/src/base/ftmm.c b/src/base/ftmm.c
index e0131ece3..1f2be46f8 100644
--- a/src/base/ftmm.c
+++ b/src/base/ftmm.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include FT_SERVICE_MULTIPLE_MASTERS_H
 #include FT_SERVICE_METRICS_VARIATIONS_H
 
+#include <alloca.h>
 
   /*************************************************************************/
   /*                                                                       */
@@ -201,6 +202,25 @@
     if ( !error )
     {
       error = FT_ERR( Invalid_Argument );
+      if ( service_mm->get_var_design )
+        {
+          FT_Fixed *my_coords;
+          FT_UInt i;
+
+          my_coords = alloca (sizeof(FT_Fixed) * num_coords);
+
+          error = service_mm->get_var_design( face, num_coords, my_coords );
+          if (error)
+            return error;
+
+          for (i = 0; i < num_coords; i++)
+            {
+              if (coords[i] != my_coords[i])
+                break;
+            }
+          if (i == num_coords)
+            return 0;
+        }
       if ( service_mm->set_var_design )
         error = service_mm->set_var_design( face, num_coords, coords );
     }