diff --git a/kitty_tests/fonts.py b/kitty_tests/fonts.py
index e9a33d5a0..06a1d5b3a 100644
--- a/kitty_tests/fonts.py
+++ b/kitty_tests/fonts.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def s(family: str, *expected: str, alternate=None) -> None:
                     self.ae(expected, actual)
                 except AssertionError:
                     if alternate:
-                        self.ae(tuple(map(alternate, expected)), actual)
+                        self.ae(alternate, actual)
                     else:
                         raise
 
@@ -76,7 +76,10 @@ def t(family, psprefix, bold='Bold', italic='Italic', bi='', reg='Regular', allo
 
         t('Source Code Pro', 'SourceCodePro', 'Semibold', 'It')
         t('sourcecodeVf', 'SourceCodeVF', 'Semibold')
-        t('fira code', 'FiraCodeRoman', 'SemiBold', 'Regular', 'SemiBold')
+
+        # The Arch ttf-fira-code package excludes the variable fonts for some reason
+        t('fira code', 'FiraCodeRoman', 'SemiBold', 'Regular', 'SemiBold', alternate=(
+            'FiraCode-Regular', 'FiraCode-SemiBold', 'FiraCode-Retina', 'FiraCode-SemiBold'))
         t('hack', 'Hack')
         # some ubuntu systems (such as the build VM) have only the regular and
         # bold faces of DejaVu Sans Mono installed.