diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/texmanager.py b/lib/matplotlib/texmanager.py
index c9960c8c14cd..88ac43bad56e 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/texmanager.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/texmanager.py
@@ -206,23 +206,27 @@ def make_tex(self, tex, fontsize):
         """
         basefile = self.get_basefile(tex, fontsize)
         texfile = '%s.tex' % basefile
-        fontcmd = {'sans-serif': r'{\sffamily %s}',
-                   'monospace': r'{\ttfamily %s}'}.get(self._font_family,
-                                                       r'{\rmfamily %s}')
-
-        Path(texfile).write_text(
-            r"""
-%s
+        fontcmd = (r'\sffamily' if self._font_family == 'sans-serif' else
+                   r'\ttfamily' if self._font_family == 'monospace' else
+                   r'\rmfamily')
+        tex_template = r"""
+%(preamble)s
 \pagestyle{empty}
 \begin{document}
 %% The empty hbox ensures that a page is printed even for empty inputs, except
 %% when using psfrag which gets confused by it.
-\fontsize{%f}{%f}%%
+\fontsize{%(fontsize)f}{%(baselineskip)f}%%
 \ifdefined\psfrag\else\hbox{}\fi%%
-%s
+{%(fontcmd)s %(tex)s}
 \end{document}
-""" % (self._get_preamble(), fontsize, fontsize * 1.25, fontcmd % tex),
-            encoding='utf-8')
+"""
+        Path(texfile).write_text(tex_template % {
+            "preamble": self._get_preamble(),
+            "fontsize": fontsize,
+            "baselineskip": fontsize * 1.25,
+            "fontcmd": fontcmd,
+            "tex": tex,
+        }, encoding="utf-8")
 
         return texfile