diff --git a/src/ftcrfont.c b/src/ftcrfont.c
index 39ea068556b..d5d3e440af6 100644
--- a/src/ftcrfont.c
+++ b/src/ftcrfont.c
@@ -568,7 +568,11 @@ ftcrhbfont_begin_hb_font (struct font *font, double *position_unit)
 
   ftcrfont_info->ft_size = ft_face->size;
   hb_font_t *hb_font = fthbfont_begin_hb_font (font, position_unit);
-  if (ftcrfont_info->bitmap_position_unit)
+  /* HarfBuzz 5 correctly scales bitmap-only fonts without position
+     unit adjustment.
+     (https://github.com/harfbuzz/harfbuzz/issues/489) */
+  if (!hb_version_atleast (5, 0, 0)
+      && ftcrfont_info->bitmap_position_unit)
     *position_unit = ftcrfont_info->bitmap_position_unit;
 
   return hb_font;