diff --git a/apps/client/src/types-assets.d.ts b/apps/client/src/types-assets.d.ts
index 34a964be8..010ec6b44 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/types-assets.d.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/types-assets.d.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ declare module "*.png" {
     export default path;
 }
 
-declare module "@triliumnext/ckeditor5/emoji_definitions/en.json?url" {
+declare module "*?url" {
     var path: string;
     export default path;
 }
diff --git a/apps/client/src/types.d.ts b/apps/client/src/types.d.ts
index 113b94d76..be42284c7 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/types.d.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/types.d.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ declare global {
 
         process?: ElectronProcess;
         glob?: CustomGlobals;
+
+        EXCALIDRAW_ASSET_PATH?: string;
     }
 
     interface AutoCompleteConfig {
diff --git a/apps/client/src/widgets/type_widgets/canvas.ts b/apps/client/src/widgets/type_widgets/canvas.ts
index a018c7dcf..a15715c64 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/widgets/type_widgets/canvas.ts
+++ b/apps/client/src/widgets/type_widgets/canvas.ts
@@ -113,10 +113,6 @@ export default class ExcalidrawTypeWidget extends TypeWidget {
     constructor() {
         super();
 
-        // currently required by excalidraw, in order to allows self-hosting fonts locally.
-        // this avoids making excalidraw load the fonts from an external CDN.
-        (window as any).EXCALIDRAW_ASSET_PATH = `${window.location.pathname}/node_modules/@excalidraw/excalidraw/dist/prod`;
-
         // temporary vars
         this.currentNoteId = "";
 
@@ -187,6 +183,8 @@ export default class ExcalidrawTypeWidget extends TypeWidget {
                 this.saveData();
             },
         });
+
+        await setupFonts();
         this.canvasInstance.renderCanvas(renderElement);
     }
 
@@ -377,3 +375,22 @@ export default class ExcalidrawTypeWidget extends TypeWidget {
     }
 
 }
+
+async function setupFonts() {
+    if (window.EXCALIDRAW_ASSET_PATH) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // currently required by excalidraw, in order to allows self-hosting fonts locally.
+    // this avoids making excalidraw load the fonts from an external CDN.
+    let path: string;
+    if (!glob.isDev) {
+        path = `${window.location.pathname}/node_modules/@excalidraw/excalidraw/dist/prod`;
+    } else {
+        path = (await import("../../../node_modules/@excalidraw/excalidraw/dist/prod/fonts/Excalifont/Excalifont-Regular-a88b72a24fb54c9f94e3b5fdaa7481c9.woff2?url")).default;
+        let pathComponents = path.split("/");
+        path = pathComponents.slice(0, pathComponents.length - 2).join("/");
+    }
+
+    window.EXCALIDRAW_ASSET_PATH = path;
+}