diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/font_manager.py b/lib/matplotlib/font_manager.py
index f9418dc5b4bd..373601875d22 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/font_manager.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/font_manager.py
@@ -777,7 +777,7 @@ def get_size_in_points(self):
                 return float(self._size)
             except ValueError:
                 pass
-        default_size = fontManager.get_default_size()
+        default_size = FontManager.get_default_size()
         return default_size * font_scalings.get(self._size)
 
     def get_file(self):
@@ -997,7 +997,10 @@ def __init__(self, size=None, weight='normal'):
         self.afmfiles = findSystemFonts(paths, fontext='afm') + \
             findSystemFonts(fontext='afm')
         self.afmlist = createFontList(self.afmfiles, fontext='afm')
-        self.defaultFont['afm'] = self.afmfiles[0]
+        if len(self.afmfiles):
+            self.defaultFont['afm'] = self.afmfiles[0]
+        else:
+            self.defaultFont['afm'] = None
 
         self.ttf_lookup_cache = {}
         self.afm_lookup_cache = {}
@@ -1008,7 +1011,8 @@ def get_default_weight(self):
         """
         return self.__default_weight
 
-    def get_default_size(self):
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_default_size():
         """
         Return the default font size.
         """