diff --git a/rootdir/init.rc b/rootdir/init.rc
index 19c00f98f..21a78c111 100644
--- a/rootdir/init.rc
+++ b/rootdir/init.rc
@@ -749,6 +749,11 @@ on post-fs-data
     mkdir /data/app 0771 system system encryption=Require
     mkdir /data/property 0700 root root encryption=Require
 
+    # create directory for updated font files.
+    mkdir /data/fonts/ 0771 root root encryption=Require
+    mkdir /data/fonts/files 0771 system system
+    mkdir /data/fonts/config 0770 system system
+
     # Create directories to push tests to for each linker namespace.
     # Create the subdirectories in case the first test is run as root
     # so it doesn't end up owned by root.