diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index b88bc3f3c1..cb16a3f4df 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -86,8 +86,8 @@ else (WIN32)
 	PKG_CHECK_MODULES(SPEEX REQUIRED speexdsp)
 endif (WIN32)
 
-# Include libdl for dlopen
 if (UNIX)
+	# Include libdl for dlopen
 	set(DLLIB dl)
 endif (UNIX)
 
@@ -113,6 +113,13 @@ if (APPLE)
 	TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(${PROJECT} ${ICONV_LIBRARIES})
 endif (APPLE)
 
+if (UNIX AND NOT APPLE)
+	# FontConfig for TrueType fonts.
+	PKG_CHECK_MODULES(FONTCONFIG REQUIRED fontconfig)
+	INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES(${FONTCONFIG_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+	TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(${PROJECT} ${FONTCONFIG_LIBRARIES})
+endif (UNIX AND NOT APPLE)
+
 # Handle creating the rct2 text and data files on OS X and Linux
 # See details in src/openrct2.c:openrct2_setup_rct2_segment for how the values
 # were derived.
diff --git a/distribution/changelog.txt b/distribution/changelog.txt
index 9e01dd71f8..b5d1f453c7 100644
--- a/distribution/changelog.txt
+++ b/distribution/changelog.txt
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 - Feature: Add displaying of frames per second (FPS).
 - Feature: Changing the number of trains no longer requires retesting.
 - Feature: Add SI units as a new measurement system for distance / speed.
+- Feature: Update alternative font selection mechanism for all platforms.
 - Fix: [#2126] Ferris Wheels set to "backward rotation" stop working (original
 bug)
 - Fix: [#2449] Turning off Day/Night Circle while it is night doesn't reset back to day
diff --git a/scripts/linux/install.sh b/scripts/linux/install.sh
index e56c80384e..466a7d44e0 100755
--- a/scripts/linux/install.sh
+++ b/scripts/linux/install.sh
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ elif [[ $(uname) == "Linux" ]]; then
 			"linux")
 				sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
 				sudo apt-get update
-				sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y --force-yes cmake libsdl2-dev:i386 libsdl2-ttf-dev:i386 gcc-4.8 pkg-config:i386 g++-4.8-multilib gcc-4.8-multilib libjansson-dev:i386 libspeex-dev:i386 libspeexdsp-dev:i386 libcurl4-openssl-dev:i386 libcrypto++-dev:i386 clang
+				sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y --force-yes cmake libsdl2-dev:i386 libsdl2-ttf-dev:i386 gcc-4.8 pkg-config:i386 g++-4.8-multilib gcc-4.8-multilib libjansson-dev:i386 libspeex-dev:i386 libspeexdsp-dev:i386 libcurl4-openssl-dev:i386 libcrypto++-dev:i386 clang libfontconfig1-dev:i386 libfreetype6-dev:i386 libpng-dev:i386
 				download https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+archive/primary/+files/libjansson4_2.7-1ubuntu1_i386.deb libjansson4_2.7-1ubuntu1_i386.deb
 				download https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+archive/primary/+files/libjansson-dev_2.7-1ubuntu1_i386.deb libjansson-dev_2.7-1ubuntu1_i386.deb
 				sudo dpkg -i libjansson4_2.7-1ubuntu1_i386.deb
diff --git a/src/drawing/font.h b/src/drawing/font.h
index de7abc298b..e680bb4322 100644
--- a/src/drawing/font.h
+++ b/src/drawing/font.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ enum {
 
 typedef struct {
 	const utf8 *filename;
+	const utf8 *font_name;
 	int ptSize;
 	int offset_x;
 	int offset_y;
diff --git a/src/drawing/string.c b/src/drawing/string.c
index f4241b4b4e..f12f0af0e0 100644
--- a/src/drawing/string.c
+++ b/src/drawing/string.c
@@ -888,8 +888,11 @@ bool ttf_initialise()
 		for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
 			TTFFontDescriptor *fontDesc = &(gCurrentTTFFontSet->size[i]);
 
-			utf8 fontPath[MAX_PATH] = "C:\\Windows\\Fonts\\";
-			strcat(fontPath, fontDesc->filename);
+			utf8 fontPath[MAX_PATH];
+			if (!platform_get_font_path(fontDesc, fontPath)) {
+				log_error("Unable to load font '%s'", fontDesc->font_name);
+				return false;
+			}
 
 			fontDesc->font = TTF_OpenFont(fontPath, fontDesc->ptSize);
 			if (fontDesc->font == NULL) {
diff --git a/src/localisation/language.cpp b/src/localisation/language.cpp
index 33adeb6e83..f9d36eb779 100644
--- a/src/localisation/language.cpp
+++ b/src/localisation/language.cpp
@@ -48,31 +48,31 @@ enum {
 };
 
 static TTFFontSetDescriptor TTFFontMingLiu = {{
-	{ "msjh.ttc",		9,		-1,		-3,		6,		nullptr },
-	{ "mingliu.ttc",	11,		1,		1,		12,		nullptr },
-	{ "mingliu.ttc",	12,		1,		0,		12,		nullptr },
-	{ "mingliu.ttc",	13,		1,		0,		20,		nullptr },
+	{ "msjh.ttc",		"JhengHei",	9,		-1,		-3,		6,		nullptr },
+	{ "mingliu.ttc",	"MingLiU",	11,		1,		1,		12,		nullptr },
+	{ "mingliu.ttc",	"MingLiU",	12,		1,		0,		12,		nullptr },
+	{ "mingliu.ttc",	"MingLiU",	13,		1,		0,		20,		nullptr },
 }};
 
 static TTFFontSetDescriptor TTFFontSimSun = {{
-	{ "msyh.ttc",		9,		-1,		-3,		6,		nullptr },
-	{ "simsun.ttc",		11,		1,		-1,		14,		nullptr },
-	{ "simsun.ttc",		12,		1,		-2,		14,		nullptr },
-	{ "simsun.ttc",		13,		1,		0,		20,		nullptr },
+	{ "msyh.ttc",		"YaHei",	9,		-1,		-3,		6,		nullptr },
+	{ "simsun.ttc",		"SimSun",	11,		1,		-1,		14,		nullptr },
+	{ "simsun.ttc",		"SimSun",	12,		1,		-2,		14,		nullptr },
+	{ "simsun.ttc",		"SimSun",	13,		1,		0,		20,		nullptr },
 }};
 
 static TTFFontSetDescriptor TTFFontGulim = {{
-	{ "gulim.ttc",		11,		1,		0,		15,		nullptr },
-	{ "gulim.ttc",		12,		1,		0,		17,		nullptr },
-	{ "gulim.ttc",		12,		1,		0,		17,		nullptr },
-	{ "gulim.ttc",		13,		1,		0,		20,		nullptr },
+	{ "gulim.ttc",		"Gulim",	11,		1,		0,		15,		nullptr },
+	{ "gulim.ttc",		"Gulim",	12,		1,		0,		17,		nullptr },
+	{ "gulim.ttc",		"Gulim",	12,		1,		0,		17,		nullptr },
+	{ "gulim.ttc",		"Gulim",	13,		1,		0,		20,		nullptr },
 }};
 
 static TTFFontSetDescriptor TTFFontArial = {{
-	{ "arial.ttf",		8,		0,		-1,		6,		nullptr },
-	{ "arial.ttf",		10,		0,		-1,		12,		nullptr },
-	{ "arial.ttf",		11,		0,		-1,		12,		nullptr },
-	{ "arial.ttf",		12,		0,		-1,		20,		nullptr },
+	{ "arial.ttf",		"Arial",	8,		0,		-1,		6,		nullptr },
+	{ "arial.ttf",		"Arial",	10,		0,		-1,		12,		nullptr },
+	{ "arial.ttf",		"Arial",	11,		0,		-1,		12,		nullptr },
+	{ "arial.ttf",		"Arial",	12,		0,		-1,		20,		nullptr },
 }};
 
 const language_descriptor LanguagesDescriptors[LANGUAGE_COUNT] = {
@@ -173,10 +173,18 @@ int language_open(int id)
 			ttf_dispose();
 			gUseTrueTypeFont = true;
 			gCurrentTTFFontSet = LanguagesDescriptors[id].font;
-			if (!ttf_initialise()) {
-				log_warning("Unable to initialise TrueType fonts.");
+			bool font_initialised = ttf_initialise();
 
-				// Fall back to sprite font
+			// Have we tried Arial yet?
+			if (!font_initialised && gCurrentTTFFontSet != &TTFFontArial) {
+				log_warning("Unable to initialise prefered TrueType font -- falling back to Arial.");
+				gCurrentTTFFontSet = &TTFFontArial;
+				font_initialised = ttf_initialise();
+			}
+
+			// Fall back to sprite font.
+			if (!font_initialised) {
+				log_warning("Falling back to sprite font.");
 				gUseTrueTypeFont = false;
 				gCurrentTTFFontSet = nullptr;
 				return 0;
diff --git a/src/platform/linux.c b/src/platform/linux.c
index 3dc44da9b7..22e3245fcb 100644
--- a/src/platform/linux.c
+++ b/src/platform/linux.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include <dlfcn.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include "../util/util.h"
+#include "fontconfig/fontconfig.h"
 
 // See http://syprog.blogspot.ru/2011/12/listing-loaded-shared-objects-in-linux.html
 struct lmap {
@@ -163,4 +164,46 @@ int platform_open_common_file_dialog(int type, utf8 *title, utf8 *filename, utf8
 	return 0;
 }
 
+bool platform_get_font_path(TTFFontDescriptor *font, utf8 *buffer)
+{
+	assert(buffer != NULL);
+	assert(font != NULL);
+
+	log_verbose("Looking for font %s with FontConfig.", font->font_name);
+	FcConfig* config = FcInitLoadConfigAndFonts();
+	if (!config)
+	{
+		log_error("Failed to initialize FontConfig library");
+		FcFini();
+		return false;
+	}
+	FcPattern* pat = FcNameParse((const FcChar8*) font->font_name);
+
+	FcConfigSubstitute(config, pat, FcMatchPattern);
+	FcDefaultSubstitute(pat);
+
+	bool found = false;
+	FcResult result = FcResultNoMatch;
+	FcPattern* match = FcFontMatch(config, pat, &result);
+
+	if (match)
+	{
+		FcChar8* filename = NULL;
+		if (FcPatternGetString(match, FC_FILE, 0, &filename) == FcResultMatch)
+		{
+			found = true;
+			safe_strncpy(buffer, (utf8*) filename, MAX_PATH);
+			log_verbose("FontConfig provided font %s", filename);
+		}
+		FcPatternDestroy(match);
+	} else {
+		log_warning("Failed to find required font.");
+	}
+
+	FcPatternDestroy(pat);
+	FcConfigDestroy(config);
+	FcFini();
+	return found;
+}
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/platform/osx.m b/src/platform/osx.m
index 1052cad4b8..784a3d7aab 100644
--- a/src/platform/osx.m
+++ b/src/platform/osx.m
@@ -172,4 +172,20 @@ int platform_open_common_file_dialog(int type, utf8 *title, utf8 *filename, utf8
 	}
 }
 
+bool platform_get_font_path(TTFFontDescriptor *font, utf8 *buffer)
+{
+	@autoreleasepool
+	{
+		CTFontDescriptorRef fontRef = CTFontDescriptorCreateWithNameAndSize((CFStringRef)[NSString stringWithUTF8String:font->font_name], 0.0);
+		CFURLRef url = (CFURLRef)CTFontDescriptorCopyAttribute(fontRef, kCTFontURLAttribute);
+		if (url) {
+			NSString *fontPath = [NSString stringWithString:[(NSURL *)CFBridgingRelease(url) path]];
+			strcpy(buffer, fontPath.UTF8String);
+			return true;
+		} else {
+			return false;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/platform/platform.h b/src/platform/platform.h
index 0d65b6c566..c9e3eb23ad 100644
--- a/src/platform/platform.h
+++ b/src/platform/platform.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include <SDL.h>
 
 #include "../common.h"
+#include "../drawing/font.h"
 
 #ifndef MAX_PATH
 #define MAX_PATH 260
@@ -161,6 +162,7 @@ uint8 platform_get_locale_currency();
 uint16 platform_get_locale_language();
 uint8 platform_get_locale_measurement_format();
 uint8 platform_get_locale_temperature_format();
+bool platform_get_font_path(TTFFontDescriptor *font, utf8 *buffer);
 
 bool platform_check_steam_overlay_attached();
 
diff --git a/src/platform/windows.c b/src/platform/windows.c
index d07f765fcd..3a447571d3 100644
--- a/src/platform/windows.c
+++ b/src/platform/windows.c
@@ -897,4 +897,36 @@ void platform_get_exe_path(utf8 *outPath)
 	_wfullpath(exePath, tempPath, MAX_PATH);
 	WideCharToMultiByte(CP_UTF8, 0, exePath, countof(exePath), outPath, MAX_PATH, NULL, NULL);
 }
+
+bool platform_get_font_path(TTFFontDescriptor *font, utf8 *buffer)
+{
+#ifndef __MINGW32__
+	wchar_t *fontFolder;
+	if (SUCCEEDED(SHGetKnownFolderPath(&FOLDERID_Fonts, 0, NULL, &fontFolder)))
+	{
+		// Convert wchar to utf8, then copy the font folder path to the buffer.
+		utf8 *outPathTemp = widechar_to_utf8(fontFolder);
+		strcpy(buffer, outPathTemp);
+		free(outPathTemp);
+
+		CoTaskMemFree(fontFolder);
+
+		// Append the requested font's file name.
+		const char separator[2] = { platform_get_path_separator(), 0 };
+		strcat(buffer, separator);
+		strcat(buffer, font->filename);
+		return true;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		return false;
+	}
+#else
+	log_warning("MINGW-compatibility hack: falling back to C:\\Windows\\Fonts");
+	strcat(buffer, "C:\\Windows\\Fonts\\");
+	strcat(buffer, font->filename);
+	return true;
+#endif
+}
+
 #endif