diff --git a/system/ui/lib/application.py b/system/ui/lib/application.py
index 54a18d96d3..2f749ba6a0 100644
--- a/system/ui/lib/application.py
+++ b/system/ui/lib/application.py
@@ -360,36 +360,53 @@ class GuiApplication:
     return self._height
 
   def _load_fonts(self):
-    # Create a character set from our keyboard layouts
+    # Create a minimal character set for Inter (base UI/keyboard)
     from openpilot.system.ui.widgets.keyboard import KEYBOARD_LAYOUTS
 
-    all_chars = set()
+    base_chars = set()
     for layout in KEYBOARD_LAYOUTS.values():
-      all_chars.update(key for row in layout for key in row)
-    all_chars |= set("–‑✓×°§•")
-
-    # Load only the characters used in translations
-    for language, code in multilang.languages.items():
-      all_chars |= set(language)
+      base_chars.update(key for row in layout for key in row)
+    base_chars |= set("–‑✓×°§•")
+
+    # Build extra glyphs only for the current language if it requires Unifont
+    unifont_chars = set()
+    if multilang.requires_unifont():
+      # Include language identifier text (e.g., zh-CHT)
+      unifont_chars |= set(multilang.language)
       try:
-        with open(os.path.join(TRANSLATIONS_DIR, f"app_{code}.po")) as f:
-          all_chars |= set(f.read())
+        with open(os.path.join(TRANSLATIONS_DIR, f"app_{multilang.language}.po"), encoding="utf-8") as f:
+          unifont_chars |= set(f.read())
       except FileNotFoundError:
-        cloudlog.warning(f"Translation file for language '{code}' not found when loading fonts.")
+        cloudlog.warning(
+          f"Translation file for current language '{multilang.language}' not found when loading fonts.")
+
+    base_chars_str = "".join(base_chars)
+    cloudlog.debug(f"Loading base fonts with {len(base_chars_str)} glyphs.")
 
-    all_chars = "".join(all_chars)
-    cloudlog.debug(f"Loading fonts with {len(all_chars)} glyphs.")
+    base_count = rl.ffi.new("int *", 1)
+    base_codepoints = rl.load_codepoints(base_chars_str, base_count)
 
-    codepoint_count = rl.ffi.new("int *", 1)
-    codepoints = rl.load_codepoints(all_chars, codepoint_count)
+    # Prepare Unifont codepoints only if needed; include base chars so UI symbols render
+    unifont_codepoints = None
+    unifont_count = rl.ffi.new("int *", 1)
+    if unifont_chars:
+      unifont_chars_str = "".join(base_chars | unifont_chars)
+      cloudlog.debug(f"Loading Unifont with {len(unifont_chars_str)} glyphs.")
+      unifont_codepoints = rl.load_codepoints(unifont_chars_str, unifont_count)
 
     for font_weight_file in FontWeight:
       with as_file(FONT_DIR.joinpath(font_weight_file)) as fspath:
-        font = rl.load_font_ex(fspath.as_posix(), 200, codepoints, codepoint_count[0])
+        if font_weight_file == FontWeight.UNIFONT and unifont_codepoints is not None:
+          font = rl.load_font_ex(fspath.as_posix(), 200, unifont_codepoints, unifont_count[0])
+        else:
+          # Keep Inter lean: only load base UI/keyboard glyphs
+          font = rl.load_font_ex(fspath.as_posix(), 200, base_codepoints, base_count[0])
         rl.set_texture_filter(font.texture, rl.TextureFilter.TEXTURE_FILTER_BILINEAR)
         self._fonts[font_weight_file] = font
 
-    rl.unload_codepoints(codepoints)
+    rl.unload_codepoints(base_codepoints)
+    if unifont_codepoints is not None:
+      rl.unload_codepoints(unifont_codepoints)
     rl.gui_set_font(self._fonts[FontWeight.NORMAL])
 
   def _set_styles(self):