diff --git a/slides_template/Makefile b/slides_template/Makefile
index 8c5fb52..56272c9 100644
--- a/slides_template/Makefile
+++ b/slides_template/Makefile
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/make
 
-# fonts.tex is a fragment meant to be \input, not a document of its own, so it
-# has to stay out of the list or make will try to typeset it.
-TEX := $(filter-out fonts.tex,$(wildcard *.tex))
+# fonts.tex and notes-preamble.tex are fragments meant to be \input, not
+# documents of their own, so they stay out of the list or make would try to
+# typeset them.
+TEX := $(filter-out fonts.tex notes-preamble.tex,$(wildcard *.tex))
 PDF := $(patsubst %.tex,%.pdf,$(TEX))
 JOB := $(patsubst %.tex,%,$(TEX))
 
diff --git a/slides_template/README.md b/slides_template/README.md
index fd983e1..f39989d 100644
--- a/slides_template/README.md
+++ b/slides_template/README.md
@@ -69,8 +69,10 @@ from. Show it with [dspdfviewer](https://github.com/dannyedel/dspdfviewer),
 [backstage](https://bckstg.xyz/).
 
 To use notes in another ltx-talk document, copy `mknotes` and `talk-notes.sty`
-across and load the package. `mknotes` picks up `fonts.tex` when it is present,
-so the notes match the deck; `--preamble FILE` names a different fragment.
+across and load the package. `mknotes` picks up `notes-preamble.tex`,
+or else `fonts.tex`, when present, so the notes match the deck; a deck whose
+notes use its own macros defines them in `notes-preamble.tex` (starting with
+`\input{fonts.tex}`). `--preamble FILE` names a different fragment.
 
 ## Theme
 
diff --git a/slides_template/mknotes b/slides_template/mknotes
index 092031a..9e24249 100755
--- a/slides_template/mknotes
+++ b/slides_template/mknotes
@@ -158,6 +158,10 @@ HMARGIN = 0.06
 
 #: Font setup shared with the slides. Used when it exists, so that the notes
 #: match the deck without anyone having to remember a flag.
+# notes-preamble.tex wins when present: a deck whose notes use its own macros
+# defines them there (\input{fonts.tex} included), keeping fonts.tex a pure
+# font fragment shared with the slides.
+DEFAULT_PREAMBLES = ("notes-preamble.tex", "fonts.tex")
 DEFAULT_PREAMBLE = "fonts.tex"
 
 # The page is laid out by hand rather than by geometry: the header band runs
@@ -360,10 +364,10 @@ def main():
     # A preamble named on the command line has to be there; the default one is
     # a convenience and is skipped when the document does not use it.
     preamble = args.preamble
-    if preamble and not os.path.exists(preamble):
-        if preamble != DEFAULT_PREAMBLE:
-            raise SystemExit(f"mknotes: {preamble} not found")
-        preamble = None
+    if preamble == DEFAULT_PREAMBLE:
+        preamble = next((p for p in DEFAULT_PREAMBLES if os.path.exists(p)), None)
+    elif preamble and not os.path.exists(preamble):
+        raise SystemExit(f"mknotes: {preamble} not found")
 
     workdir = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="mknotes-")
     try: