diff --git a/src/servo/text/font_library.rs b/src/servo/text/font_library.rs
index a67024fd0f7..fba25ee5c0e 100644
--- a/src/servo/text/font_library.rs
+++ b/src/servo/text/font_library.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,17 @@
-export FontLibrary;
+export FontLibrary, native;
 
 import font::Font;
 
 class FontLibrary {
-    let bogus: int;
+    let native_lib: native::NativeFontLibrary;
 
-    new() { self.bogus = 0; }
+    new() {
+        self.native_lib = native::create_native_lib();
+    }
+
+    drop {
+        native::destroy_native_lib(&self.native_lib);
+    }
 
     fn get_font() -> @Font {
         let f = Font(font::test_font_bin());
@@ -17,6 +23,37 @@ class FontLibrary {
     }
 }
 
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+mod native {
+    import ptr::{null, addr_of};
+    import azure::freetype;
+    import freetype::{FT_Library, FT_Error};
+    import freetype::bindgen::{FT_Init_FreeType, FT_Done_FreeType};
+
+    type NativeFontLibrary = FT_Library;
+
+    fn create_native_lib() -> NativeFontLibrary {
+        let lib: FT_Library = null();
+        let res = FT_Init_FreeType(addr_of(lib));
+        // FIXME: error handling
+        assert res == 0 as FT_Error;
+        return lib;
+    }
+
+    fn destroy_native_lib(native_lib: &NativeFontLibrary) {
+        assert native_lib.is_not_null();
+        FT_Done_FreeType(*native_lib);
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+mod native {
+    type NativeFontLibrary = ();
+
+    fn create_native_lib() -> NativeFontLibrary { () }
+    fn destroy_native_lib(_native_lib: &NativeFontLibrary) { }
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn should_get_fonts() {
     let lib = FontLibrary();