diff --git a/app/headless/headless_darwin.go b/app/headless/headless_darwin.go
index 7282ae06..8b9b0e37 100644
--- a/app/headless/headless_darwin.go
+++ b/app/headless/headless_darwin.go
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import (
 	"gioui.org/app/internal/glimpl"
 	"gioui.org/gpu/backend"
 	"gioui.org/gpu/gl"
+
+	_ "gioui.org/app/internal/cocoainit"
 )
 
 /*
diff --git a/app/internal/cocoainit/cocoa_darwin.go b/app/internal/cocoainit/cocoa_darwin.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2a34e575
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/internal/cocoainit/cocoa_darwin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Unlicense OR MIT
+
+// Package cocoainit initializes support for multithreaded
+// programs in Cocoa.
+package cocoainit
+
+/*
+#cgo CFLAGS: -xobjective-c -fmodules -fobjc-arc
+#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
+
+static inline void activate_cocoa_multithreading() {
+    [[NSThread new] start];
+}
+#pragma GCC visibility push(hidden)
+*/
+import "C"
+
+func init() {
+	C.activate_cocoa_multithreading()
+}
diff --git a/app/internal/log/log_ios.go b/app/internal/log/log_ios.go
index 11472e80..7de01076 100644
--- a/app/internal/log/log_ios.go
+++ b/app/internal/log/log_ios.go
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"log"
 	"unsafe"
+
+	_ "gioui.org/app/internal/cocoainit"
 )
 
 func init() {
diff --git a/app/internal/window/os_macos.go b/app/internal/window/os_macos.go
index 42c23fa8..9b4ee7d0 100644
--- a/app/internal/window/os_macos.go
+++ b/app/internal/window/os_macos.go
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ import (
 	"gioui.org/io/key"
 	"gioui.org/io/pointer"
 	"gioui.org/io/system"
+
+	_ "gioui.org/app/internal/cocoainit"
 )
 
 /*