diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 958063524..1919e85d0 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ Changelog
   fullscreen/maximized/minimized. This replaces the ``--start-in-fullscreen``
   flag introduced in the previous release (:iss:`935`)
 
+- macOS: Add a new :opt:`macos_thicken_font` to make text rendering
+  on macs thicker, which makes it similar to the result of
+  sub-pixel antialiasing (:pull:`950`)
+
 - Fix drag-scrolling not working when the mouse leaves the window confines
   (:iss:`917`)
 
diff --git a/kitty/config_data.py b/kitty/config_data.py
index 5119278b0..0df1d3a4b 100644
--- a/kitty/config_data.py
+++ b/kitty/config_data.py
@@ -779,6 +779,13 @@ o('macos_window_resizable', True, long_text=_('''
 Disable this if you want kitty top-level (OS) windows to not be resizable
 on macOS.
 '''))
+
+o('macos_thicken_font', 0, option_type=positive_float, long_text=_('''
+Draw an extra border around the font with the given width, to increase
+legibility at small font sizes. For example, a value of 0.75 will
+result in rendering that looks similar to sub-pixel antialiasing at
+common font sizes.
+'''))
 # }}}
 
 g('shortcuts')  # {{{
diff --git a/kitty/core_text.m b/kitty/core_text.m
index a3b296b92..e13536726 100644
--- a/kitty/core_text.m
+++ b/kitty/core_text.m
@@ -372,7 +372,9 @@ render_glyphs(CTFontRef font, unsigned int width, unsigned int height, unsigned
     CGContextSetShouldAntialias(render_ctx, true);
     CGContextSetShouldSmoothFonts(render_ctx, true);
     CGContextSetGrayFillColor(render_ctx, 1, 1); // white glyphs
-    CGContextSetTextDrawingMode(render_ctx, kCGTextFill);
+    CGContextSetGrayStrokeColor(render_ctx, 1, 1);
+    CGContextSetLineWidth(render_ctx, global_state.opts.macos_thicken_font);
+    CGContextSetTextDrawingMode(render_ctx, kCGTextFillStroke);
     CGContextSetTextMatrix(render_ctx, CGAffineTransformIdentity);
     CGContextSetTextPosition(render_ctx, 0, height - baseline);
     CTFontDrawGlyphs(font, glyphs, positions, num_glyphs, render_ctx);
diff --git a/kitty/state.c b/kitty/state.c
index ffb157e33..4874e33ba 100644
--- a/kitty/state.c
+++ b/kitty/state.c
@@ -391,6 +391,7 @@ PYWRAP1(set_options) {
     S(macos_window_resizable, PyObject_IsTrue);
     S(x11_hide_window_decorations, PyObject_IsTrue);
     S(macos_hide_from_tasks, PyObject_IsTrue);
+    S(macos_thicken_font, PyFloat_AsDouble);
 
     PyObject *chars = PyObject_GetAttrString(opts, "select_by_word_characters");
     if (chars == NULL) return NULL;
diff --git a/kitty/state.h b/kitty/state.h
index 5c978a0d7..1e83315b6 100644
--- a/kitty/state.h
+++ b/kitty/state.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ typedef struct {
     double repaint_delay, input_delay;
     bool focus_follows_mouse;
     bool macos_option_as_alt, macos_hide_titlebar, macos_hide_from_tasks, x11_hide_window_decorations, macos_quit_when_last_window_closed, macos_window_resizable;
+    float macos_thicken_font;
     int adjust_line_height_px, adjust_column_width_px;
     float adjust_line_height_frac, adjust_column_width_frac;
     float background_opacity, dim_opacity;