diff --git a/src/fontra/core/instancer.py b/src/fontra/core/instancer.py
index 490614916..a2b7345e8 100644
--- a/src/fontra/core/instancer.py
+++ b/src/fontra/core/instancer.py
@@ -283,7 +283,10 @@ def instantiate(
 
         if self.fontInstancer.variableGlyphAxisRanges is not None:
             self.fontInstancer.updateVariableGlyphAxisRanges(
-                self.glyph.name, subsetLocationKeep(location, self.glyphAxisNames)
+                self.glyph.name,
+                subsetLocationKeep(
+                    self.defaultSourceLocation | location, self.glyphAxisNames
+                ),
             )
 
         try:
diff --git a/src/fontra/workflow/actions/glyph.py b/src/fontra/workflow/actions/glyph.py
index c0269ccf1..4d527e83c 100644
--- a/src/fontra/workflow/actions/glyph.py
+++ b/src/fontra/workflow/actions/glyph.py
@@ -409,6 +409,8 @@ def trimGlyphByAxisRanges(fontInstancer, instancer, axisRanges):
     newAxes = []
     for axis in glyph.axes:
         axisRange = axisRanges.get(axis.name)
+        # Ensure the range is actually within the original axis' range
+        axisRange.clipRange(axis.minValue, axis.maxValue)
         if axisRange is None:
             axisRanges[axis.name] = AxisRange(axis.defaultValue, axis.defaultValue)
         elif axisRange.isEmpty():