diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 5c1bc3890dde..4e91d22dd53d 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ addons:
       - texlive-latex-recommended
       - texlive-xetex
       - texlive-luatex
+      - ttf-wqy-zenhei
 
 env:
   global:
@@ -85,8 +86,12 @@ matrix:
         - EXTRAREQS='-r requirements/testing/travis36.txt'
     - python: 3.7
       sudo: true
+      env:
+        - DELETE_FONT_CACHE=1
     - python: "nightly"
-      env: PRE=--pre
+      env:
+        - PRE=--pre
+        - DELETE_FONT_CACHE=1
     - os: osx
       language: generic  # https://github.com/travis-ci/travis-ci/issues/2312
       only: master
@@ -110,7 +115,7 @@ before_install: |
     ci/silence brew update
     brew uninstall numpy gdal postgis
     brew upgrade python
-    brew install ffmpeg imagemagick mplayer ccache
+    brew install ffmpeg imagemagick mplayer ccache font-wenquanyi-zen-hei
     hash -r
     which python
     python --version
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pdf.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pdf.py
index 8e2818f098e1..c5d61bf1e1a8 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pdf.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pdf.py
@@ -973,8 +973,13 @@ def get_char_width(charcode):
 
             # Make the charprocs array (using ttconv to generate the
             # actual outlines)
-            rawcharprocs = ttconv.get_pdf_charprocs(
-                os.fsencode(filename), glyph_ids)
+            try:
+                rawcharprocs = ttconv.get_pdf_charprocs(
+                    os.fsencode(filename), glyph_ids)
+            except RuntimeError:
+                _log.warning("The PDF backend does not currently support the "
+                             "selected font.")
+                raise
             charprocs = {}
             for charname in sorted(rawcharprocs):
                 stream = rawcharprocs[charname]
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_ps.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_ps.py
index 62edbb919fc2..3a01d9595602 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_ps.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_ps.py
@@ -1117,8 +1117,14 @@ def print_figure_impl(fh):
                                 "time; consider using the Cairo backend")
                         else:
                             fh.flush()
-                            convert_ttf_to_ps(os.fsencode(font_filename),
-                                              fh, fonttype, glyph_ids)
+                            try:
+                                convert_ttf_to_ps(os.fsencode(font_filename),
+                                                  fh, fonttype, glyph_ids)
+                            except RuntimeError:
+                                _log.warning("The PostScript backend does not "
+                                             "currently support the selected "
+                                             "font.")
+                                raise
             print("end", file=fh)
             print("%%EndProlog", file=fh)
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/font_manager.py b/lib/matplotlib/font_manager.py
index 827aa411125c..832a1f46a551 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/font_manager.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/font_manager.py
@@ -129,9 +129,12 @@ def get_fontext_synonyms(fontext):
     Return a list of file extensions extensions that are synonyms for
     the given file extension *fileext*.
     """
-    return {'ttf': ('ttf', 'otf'),
-            'otf': ('ttf', 'otf'),
-            'afm': ('afm',)}[fontext]
+    return {
+        'afm': ['afm'],
+        'otf': ['otf', 'ttc', 'ttf'],
+        'ttc': ['otf', 'ttc', 'ttf'],
+        'ttf': ['otf', 'ttc', 'ttf'],
+    }[fontext]
 
 
 def list_fonts(directory, extensions):
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_font_manager.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_font_manager.py
index 7ba02954ab05..abda945ad9fc 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_font_manager.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_font_manager.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from io import BytesIO
+import os
 from pathlib import Path
 import shutil
 import sys
@@ -9,7 +11,7 @@
 from matplotlib.font_manager import (
     findfont, FontProperties, fontManager, json_dump, json_load, get_font,
     get_fontconfig_fonts, is_opentype_cff_font)
-from matplotlib import rc_context
+from matplotlib import pyplot as plt, rc_context
 
 has_fclist = shutil.which('fc-list') is not None
 
@@ -91,7 +93,7 @@ def test_hinting_factor(factor):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(sys.platform != "win32",
-                   reason="Need Windows font to test against")
+                    reason="Need Windows font to test against")
 def test_utf16m_sfnt():
     segoe_ui_semibold = None
     for f in fontManager.ttflist:
@@ -105,3 +107,20 @@ def test_utf16m_sfnt():
     # Check that we successfully read the "semibold" from the font's
     # sfnt table and set its weight accordingly
     assert segoe_ui_semibold.weight == "semibold"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.xfail(not (os.environ.get("TRAVIS") and sys.platform == "linux"),
+                   reason="Font may be missing.")
+def test_find_ttc():
+    fp = FontProperties(family=["WenQuanYi Zen Hei"])
+    font = findfont(fp)
+    assert Path(font).name == "wqy-zenhei.ttc"
+
+    fig, ax = plt.subplots()
+    ax.text(.5, .5, "\N{KANGXI RADICAL DRAGON}", fontproperties=fp)
+    fig.savefig(BytesIO(), format="raw")
+    fig.savefig(BytesIO(), format="svg")
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
+        fig.savefig(BytesIO(), format="pdf")
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
+        fig.savefig(BytesIO(), format="ps")