diff --git a/client/core/webtorrent.js b/client/core/webtorrent.js
index 07d10911..10c0f255 100644
--- a/client/core/webtorrent.js
+++ b/client/core/webtorrent.js
@@ -218,7 +218,8 @@ export default class TorrentClient extends WebTorrent {
     for (const file of Object.values(map)) {
       const data = await file.arrayBuffer()
       if (targetFile !== this.currentFile) return
-      this.dispatch('file', { data: new Uint8Array(data) }, [data])
+      // the renderer reads this as a binary string, same as embedded attachments send
+      this.dispatch('file', hex2bin(arr2hex(new Uint8Array(data))))
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/common/modules/subtitles.js b/common/modules/subtitles.js
index fbb7f060..88eb365e 100644
--- a/common/modules/subtitles.js
+++ b/common/modules/subtitles.js
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ export default class Subtitles {
     this.handleFile = (detail) => {
       if (this.selected) {
         const uint8 = hex2arr(bin2hex(detail))
+        // an empty font throw away.
+        if (!uint8.length) return console.warn('Discarded an empty font, subtitles may render with a fallback typeface.')
         this.fonts.push(uint8)
         this.renderer?.addFont(uint8)
       }