diff --git a/app/Makefile.am b/app/Makefile.am
index fda2e5fafb..cb7f8f61b0 100644
--- a/app/Makefile.am
+++ b/app/Makefile.am
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 ## Process this file with automake to produce Makefile.in
 
+if PLATFORM_OSX
+xobjective_c = "-xobjective-c"
+xobjective_cxx = "-xobjective-c++"
+xnone = "-xnone"
+endif
+
 libgimpbase = $(top_builddir)/libgimpbase/libgimpbase-$(GIMP_API_VERSION).la
 libgimpconfig = $(top_builddir)/libgimpconfig/libgimpconfig-$(GIMP_API_VERSION).la
 libgimpcolor = $(top_builddir)/libgimpcolor/libgimpcolor-$(GIMP_API_VERSION).la
@@ -125,6 +131,7 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS = \
 	$(LCMS_CFLAGS)					\
 	$(GEXIV2_CFLAGS)				\
 	$(psapi_cflags)					\
+	$(xobjective_c)					\
 	-I$(includedir)					\
 	-I$(builddir)/gui
 
diff --git a/app/tests.c b/app/tests.c
index ef29951043..f3329f0878 100644
--- a/app/tests.c
+++ b/app/tests.c
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@
 #include "gimp-log.h"
 #include "tests.h"
 
+#ifdef GDK_WINDOWING_QUARTZ
+#include <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>
+#endif
+
 
 static void
 gimp_status_func_dummy (const gchar *text1,
@@ -92,6 +96,14 @@ gimp_init_icon_theme_for_testing (void)
   return;
 }
 
+#ifdef GDK_WINDOWING_QUARTZ
+static void
+gimp_osx_focus_window (void)
+{
+  [NSApp activateIgnoringOtherApps:YES];
+}
+#endif
+
 static Gimp *
 gimp_init_for_gui_testing_internal (gboolean  show_gui,
                                     GFile    *gimprc)
@@ -129,6 +141,9 @@ gimp_init_for_gui_testing_internal (gboolean  show_gui,
   gimp_init_icon_theme_for_testing ();
   gimp_initialize (gimp, gimp_status_func_dummy);
   gimp_restore (gimp, gimp_status_func_dummy, NULL);
+#ifdef GDK_WINDOWING_QUARTZ
+  g_idle_add ((GSourceFunc) gimp_osx_focus_window, NULL);
+#endif
 
   return gimp;
 }