diff --git a/Lib/fontTools/svgLib/path/__init__.py b/Lib/fontTools/svgLib/path/__init__.py
index 017ff57e6..012438e11 100644
--- a/Lib/fontTools/svgLib/path/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/fontTools/svgLib/path/__init__.py
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ class SVGPath(object):
         # xpath | doesn't seem to reliable work so just walk it
         for el in self.root.iter():
             pb.add_path_from_element(el)
-        for path in pb.paths:
+        for path, transform in zip(pb.paths, pb.transforms):
+            # TODO use transform
             parse_path(path, pen)
 
diff --git a/Lib/fontTools/svgLib/path/shapes.py b/Lib/fontTools/svgLib/path/shapes.py
index efbfc91a6..ad50dbf31 100644
--- a/Lib/fontTools/svgLib/path/shapes.py
+++ b/Lib/fontTools/svgLib/path/shapes.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import re
+
 def _prefer_non_zero(*args):
     for arg in args:
         if arg != 0:
@@ -16,12 +18,25 @@ def _strip_xml_ns(tag):
     return tag.split('}', 1)[1] if '}' in tag else tag
 
 
+def _transform(raw_value):
+    # start simple: if you aren't exactly matrix(...) then no love
+    match = re.match(r'matrix\((.*)\)', raw_value)
+    if not match:
+        raise NotImplementedError
+    matrix = tuple(float(p) for p in re.split(r'\s+|,', match.group(1)))
+    if len(matrix) != 6:
+        raise ValueError('wrong # of terms in %s' % raw_value)
+    return matrix
+
+
 class PathBuilder(object):
     def __init__(self):
         self.paths = []
+        self.transforms = []
 
     def _start_path(self, initial_path=''):
         self.paths.append(initial_path)
+        self.transforms.append(None)
 
     def _end_path(self):
         self._add('z')
@@ -134,4 +149,6 @@ class PathBuilder(object):
         if not callable(parse_fn):
             return False
         parse_fn(el)
+        if 'transform' in el.attrib:
+            self.transforms[-1] = _transform(el.attrib['transform'])
         return True
diff --git a/Tests/svgLib/path/shapes_test.py b/Tests/svgLib/path/shapes_test.py
index 6202d60f6..c9eaac160 100644
--- a/Tests/svgLib/path/shapes_test.py
+++ b/Tests/svgLib/path/shapes_test.py
@@ -7,71 +7,97 @@ import pytest
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    "svg_xml, expected_path",
+    "svg_xml, expected_path, expected_transform",
     [
         # path: direct passthrough
         (
-          "<path d='I love kittens'/>",
-          "I love kittens"
+            "<path d='I love kittens'/>",
+            "I love kittens",
+            None
         ),
         # path no @d
         (
-          "<path duck='Mallard'/>",
-          None
+            "<path duck='Mallard'/>",
+            None,
+            None
         ),
         # rect: minimal valid example
         (
             "<rect width='1' height='1'/>",
             "M0,0 H1 V1 H0 V0 z",
+            None
         ),
         # rect: sharp corners
         (
             "<rect x='10' y='11' width='17' height='11'/>",
             "M10,11 H27 V22 H10 V11 z",
+            None
         ),
         # rect: round corners
         (
             "<rect x='9' y='9' width='11' height='7' rx='2'/>",
             "M11,9 H18 A2,2 0 0 1 20,11 V14 A2,2 0 0 1 18,16 H11"
             " A2,2 0 0 1 9,14 V11 A2,2 0 0 1 11,9 z",
+            None
+        ),
+        # rect: simple
+        (
+            "<rect x='11.5' y='16' width='11' height='2'/>",
+            "M11.5,16 H22.5 V18 H11.5 V16 z",
+            None
+        ),
+        # rect: the one above plus a rotation
+        (
+            "<rect x='11.5' y='16' transform='matrix(0.7071 -0.7071 0.7071 0.7071 -7.0416 16.9999)' width='11' height='2'/>",
+            "M11.5,16 H22.5 V18 H11.5 V16 z",
+            (0.7071, -0.7071, 0.7071, 0.7071, -7.0416, 16.9999)
         ),
         # polygon
         (
             "<polygon points='30,10 50,30 10,30'/>",
-            "M30,10 50,30 10,30 z"
+            "M30,10 50,30 10,30 z",
+            None
         ),
         # circle, minimal valid example
         (
             "<circle r='1'/>",
-            "M-1,0 A1,1 0 1 1 1,0 A1,1 0 1 1 -1,0"
+            "M-1,0 A1,1 0 1 1 1,0 A1,1 0 1 1 -1,0",
+            None
         ),
         # circle
         (
             "<circle cx='600' cy='200' r='100'/>",
-            "M500,200 A100,100 0 1 1 700,200 A100,100 0 1 1 500,200"
+            "M500,200 A100,100 0 1 1 700,200 A100,100 0 1 1 500,200",
+            None
         ),
         # circle, decimal positioning
         (
             "<circle cx='12' cy='6.5' r='1.5'></circle>",
-            "M10.5,6.5 A1.5,1.5 0 1 1 13.5,6.5 A1.5,1.5 0 1 1 10.5,6.5"
+            "M10.5,6.5 A1.5,1.5 0 1 1 13.5,6.5 A1.5,1.5 0 1 1 10.5,6.5",
+            None
         ),
         # ellipse
         (
             '<ellipse cx="100" cy="50" rx="100" ry="50"/>',
-            'M0,50 A100,50 0 1 1 200,50 A100,50 0 1 1 0,50'
+            'M0,50 A100,50 0 1 1 200,50 A100,50 0 1 1 0,50',
+            None
         ),
         # ellipse, decimal positioning
         (
             '<ellipse cx="100.5" cy="50" rx="10" ry="50.5"/>',
-            'M90.5,50 A10,50.5 0 1 1 110.5,50 A10,50.5 0 1 1 90.5,50'
+            'M90.5,50 A10,50.5 0 1 1 110.5,50 A10,50.5 0 1 1 90.5,50',
+            None
         ),
     ]
 )
-def test_el_to_path(svg_xml, expected_path):
+def test_el_to_path(svg_xml, expected_path, expected_transform):
     pb = shapes.PathBuilder()
     pb.add_path_from_element(etree.fromstring(svg_xml))
     if expected_path:
-        expected = [expected_path]
+        expected_paths = [expected_path]
+        expected_transforms = [expected_transform]
     else:
-        expected = []
-    assert pb.paths == expected
+        expected_paths = []
+        expected_transforms = []
+    assert pb.paths == expected_paths
+    assert pb.transforms == expected_transforms