diff --git a/d2cli/main.go b/d2cli/main.go
index 8d718b3a0..8c5a4db78 100644
--- a/d2cli/main.go
+++ b/d2cli/main.go
@@ -286,7 +286,8 @@ func compile(ctx context.Context, ms *xmain.State, plugin d2plugin.Plugin, sketc
 	if !sketch {
 		fontFamily, err = d2fonts.AddFont(font)
 		if err != nil {
-			ms.Log.Error.Printf("failed to load font %v, rendering with default font.", font)
+			ms.Log.Error.Printf("failed to load font %v: %v.", font, err)
+			ms.Log.Info.Printf("rendering with default font.")
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/d2renderers/d2fonts/d2fonts.go b/d2renderers/d2fonts/d2fonts.go
index 28ddc303b..4b6cef096 100644
--- a/d2renderers/d2fonts/d2fonts.go
+++ b/d2renderers/d2fonts/d2fonts.go
@@ -222,14 +222,20 @@ func AddFont(fontLoc string) (FontFamily, error) {
 	if fontLoc == "" {
 		return "", nil
 	}
-	fontBuf, err := os.ReadFile(fontLoc)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to read font: %v", err)
-	}
-
 	splitFont := strings.Split(fontLoc, "/")
 	fontFileName := splitFont[len(splitFont)-1]
-	fontName := strings.TrimSuffix(fontFileName, filepath.Ext(fontFileName))
+
+	ext := filepath.Ext(fontFileName)
+	if ext != ".ttf" {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("cannot open non .ttf fonts")
+	}
+
+	fontBuf, err := os.ReadFile(fontLoc)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to read font at location %v", err)
+	}
+
+	fontName := strings.TrimSuffix(fontFileName, ext)
 	fontFamily := FontFamily(fontName)
 	woffFont, err := fontlib.Sfnt2Woff(fontBuf)
 	if err != nil {