diff --git a/kitty/cocoa_window.m b/kitty/cocoa_window.m
index d11404591..812d99727 100644
--- a/kitty/cocoa_window.m
+++ b/kitty/cocoa_window.m
@@ -425,8 +425,8 @@ cocoa_cursor_blink_interval(void) {
 }
 
 void
-cocoa_set_hide_from_tasks(void) {
-    [NSApp setActivationPolicy:NSApplicationActivationPolicyAccessory];
+cocoa_set_activation_policy(bool hide_from_tasks) {
+    [NSApp setActivationPolicy:(hide_from_tasks ? NSApplicationActivationPolicyAccessory : NSApplicationActivationPolicyRegular)];
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/kitty/glfw.c b/kitty/glfw.c
index 1944f1765..436701649 100644
--- a/kitty/glfw.c
+++ b/kitty/glfw.c
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 extern bool cocoa_make_window_resizable(void *w, bool);
 extern void cocoa_focus_window(void *w);
 extern void cocoa_create_global_menu(void);
-extern void cocoa_set_hide_from_tasks(void);
+extern void cocoa_set_activation_policy(bool);
 extern void cocoa_set_titlebar_color(void *w, color_type color);
 extern bool cocoa_alt_option_key_pressed(unsigned long);
 extern size_t cocoa_get_workspace_ids(void *w, size_t *workspace_ids, size_t array_sz);
@@ -498,6 +498,7 @@ create_os_window(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args) {
         glfwWindowHint(GLFW_DEPTH_BITS, 0);
         glfwWindowHint(GLFW_STENCIL_BITS, 0);
 #ifdef __APPLE__
+        cocoa_set_activation_policy(OPT(macos_hide_from_tasks));
         glfwWindowHint(GLFW_COCOA_GRAPHICS_SWITCHING, true);
         glfwSetApplicationShouldHandleReopen(on_application_reopen);
         if (OPT(hide_window_decorations)) glfwWindowHint(GLFW_DECORATED, false);
@@ -575,8 +576,6 @@ create_os_window(PyObject UNUSED *self, PyObject *args) {
         Py_DECREF(ret);
 #ifdef __APPLE__
         cocoa_create_global_menu();
-        // This needs to be done only after the first window has been created, because glfw only sets the activation policy once upon initialization.
-        if (OPT(macos_hide_from_tasks)) cocoa_set_hide_from_tasks();
 #endif
 #define CC(dest, shape) {\
     if (!dest##_cursor) { \
diff --git a/launcher.c b/launcher.c
index 171d7555a..253bcc739 100644
--- a/launcher.c
+++ b/launcher.c
@@ -112,16 +112,11 @@ static int run_embedded(const char* exe_dir_, const char *libpath, int argc, wch
 // read_exe_path() {{{
 #ifdef __APPLE__
 static inline bool
-read_exe_path(char *exe, size_t buf_sz, bool *is_symlink) {
+read_exe_path(char *exe, size_t buf_sz) {
     (void)buf_sz;
-    *is_symlink = false;
     uint32_t size = PATH_MAX;
     char apple[PATH_MAX+1] = {0};
     if (_NSGetExecutablePath(apple, &size) != 0) { fprintf(stderr, "Failed to get path to executable\n"); return false; }
-    struct stat buf;
-    if (lstat(apple, &buf) == 0) {
-        *is_symlink = S_ISLNK(buf.st_mode);
-    }
     if (!safe_realpath(apple, exe, buf_sz)) { fprintf(stderr, "realpath() failed on the executable's path\n"); return false; }
     return true;
 }
@@ -130,8 +125,7 @@ read_exe_path(char *exe, size_t buf_sz, bool *is_symlink) {
 #include <sys/sysctl.h>
 
 static inline bool
-read_exe_path(char *exe, size_t buf_sz, bool *is_symlink) {
-    *is_symlink = false;
+read_exe_path(char *exe, size_t buf_sz) {
     int name[] = { CTL_KERN, KERN_PROC, KERN_PROC_PATHNAME, -1 };
     size_t length = buf_sz;
     int error = sysctl(name, 4, exe, &length, NULL, 0);
@@ -144,8 +138,7 @@ read_exe_path(char *exe, size_t buf_sz, bool *is_symlink) {
 #elif defined(__NetBSD__)
 
 static inline bool
-read_exe_path(char *exe, size_t buf_sz, bool *is_symlink) {
-    *is_symlink = false;
+read_exe_path(char *exe, size_t buf_sz) {
     if (!safe_realpath("/proc/curproc/exe", exe, buf_sz)) { fprintf(stderr, "Failed to read /proc/curproc/exe\n"); return false; }
     return true;
 }
@@ -153,8 +146,7 @@ read_exe_path(char *exe, size_t buf_sz, bool *is_symlink) {
 #else
 
 static inline bool
-read_exe_path(char *exe, size_t buf_sz, bool *is_symlink) {
-    *is_symlink = false;
+read_exe_path(char *exe, size_t buf_sz) {
     if (!safe_realpath("/proc/self/exe", exe, buf_sz)) { fprintf(stderr, "Failed to read /proc/self/exe\n"); return false; }
     return true;
 }
@@ -162,12 +154,7 @@ read_exe_path(char *exe, size_t buf_sz, bool *is_symlink) {
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     char exe[PATH_MAX+1] = {0};
-    bool is_symlink = false;
-    if (!read_exe_path(exe, sizeof(exe), &is_symlink)) return 1;
-#ifdef __APPLE__
-    // Cocoa has issues with bundle executables launched via symlinks
-    if (is_symlink) execv(exe, argv);
-#endif
+    if (!read_exe_path(exe, sizeof(exe))) return 1;
 
     char *exe_dir = dirname(exe);
     int num, num_args, i, ret=0;