diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/fonts/subset.py b/src/calibre/utils/fonts/subset.py
index 3aac7aae79..e41570e664 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/fonts/subset.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/fonts/subset.py
@@ -1,29 +1,46 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 # License: GPLv3 Copyright: 2023, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
 
-import sys, os
-from fontTools.subset import Subsetter, load_font, save_font
+import os
+import sys
+from logging.handlers import QueueHandler
+from queue import Empty, SimpleQueue
+
+from fontTools.subset import Subsetter, load_font, log, save_font
 
 
 def subset(input_file_object_or_path, output_file_object_or_path, container_type, chars_or_text=''):
-    s = Subsetter()
-    s.options.recommended_glyphs = True
-    container_type = container_type.lower()
-    if 'woff' in container_type:
-        s.options.flavor = 'woff2'
-    font = load_font(input_file_object_or_path, s.options, dontLoadGlyphNames=False)
-    unicodes = {ord(x) for x in chars_or_text}
-    unicodes.add(ord(' '))
-    s.populate(unicodes=unicodes)
-    s.subset(font)
-    save_font(font, output_file_object_or_path, s.options)
+    log_messages = SimpleQueue()
+    log_handler = QueueHandler(log_messages)
+    log.addHandler(log_handler)
+    try:
+        s = Subsetter()
+        s.options.recommended_glyphs = True
+        container_type = container_type.lower()
+        if 'woff' in container_type:
+            s.options.flavor = 'woff2'
+        font = load_font(input_file_object_or_path, s.options, dontLoadGlyphNames=False)
+        unicodes = {ord(x) for x in chars_or_text}
+        unicodes.add(ord(' '))
+        s.populate(unicodes=unicodes)
+        s.subset(font)
+        save_font(font, output_file_object_or_path, s.options)
+    finally:
+        log.removeHandler(log_handler)
+    msgs = []
+    while True:
+        try:
+            msgs.append(log_messages.get_nowait().getMessage())
+        except Empty:
+            break
+    return msgs
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     import tempfile
     src = sys.argv[-1]
     with open(os.path.join(tempfile.gettempdir(), os.path.basename(src)), 'wb') as output:
-        subset(src, output, os.path.splitext(sys.argv[-1])[1][1:], 'abcdefghijk')
+        print('\n'.join(subset(src, output, os.path.splitext(sys.argv[-1])[1][1:], 'abcdefghijk')))
     a, b = os.path.getsize(src), os.path.getsize(output.name)
     print(f'Input: {a} Output: {b}')
     print('Written to:', output.name)