diff --git a/kitty/cocoa_window.m b/kitty/cocoa_window.m
index a0cd7a12c..a07a387c3 100644
--- a/kitty/cocoa_window.m
+++ b/kitty/cocoa_window.m
@@ -59,6 +59,16 @@ find_app_name(void) {
 }
 
 
+PyObject*
+cocoa_init(PyObject UNUSED *_self) {
+    // Press and Hold prevents some keys from emitting repeated characters
+    // See https://github.com/glfw/glfw/issues/1010
+    NSDictionary* defaults = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:[NSNumber numberWithBool:NO], @"ApplePressAndHoldEnabled", nil];
+    [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] registerDefaults:defaults];
+    Py_RETURN_NONE;
+}
+
+
 PyObject*
 cocoa_create_global_menu(PyObject UNUSED *_self) {
     if (menu_dispatcher != NULL) { Py_RETURN_NONE; }
@@ -177,6 +187,7 @@ static PyMethodDef module_methods[] = {
     {"cocoa_get_lang", (PyCFunction)cocoa_get_lang, METH_NOARGS, ""}, \
     {"cocoa_make_window_resizable", (PyCFunction)cocoa_make_window_resizable, METH_O, ""}, \
     {"cocoa_create_global_menu", (PyCFunction)cocoa_create_global_menu, METH_NOARGS, ""}, \
+    {"cocoa_init", (PyCFunction)cocoa_init, METH_NOARGS, ""}, \
     {NULL, NULL, 0, NULL}        /* Sentinel */
 };
 
diff --git a/kitty/main.py b/kitty/main.py
index 3b3807a17..8a8db84a5 100644
--- a/kitty/main.py
+++ b/kitty/main.py
@@ -177,8 +177,9 @@ def run_app(opts, args):
         window = GLFWWindow(viewport_size.width, viewport_size.height, args.cls)
     window.make_context_current()
     if isosx:
-        from .fast_data_types import cocoa_make_window_resizable, cocoa_create_global_menu
+        from .fast_data_types import cocoa_make_window_resizable, cocoa_create_global_menu, cocoa_init
         check_for_extensions()
+        cocoa_init()
         cocoa_create_global_menu()
         if opts.macos_hide_titlebar:
             cocoa_make_window_resizable(window.cocoa_window_id())