diff --git a/src/video/cocoa/SDL_cocoaevents.m b/src/video/cocoa/SDL_cocoaevents.m
index 98bdf8754..9da17049a 100644
--- a/src/video/cocoa/SDL_cocoaevents.m
+++ b/src/video/cocoa/SDL_cocoaevents.m
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@
 - (void)terminate:(id)sender;
 - (void)sendEvent:(NSEvent *)theEvent;
 
++ (void)registerUserDefaults;
+
 @end
 
 @implementation SDLApplication
@@ -90,6 +92,17 @@ static void Cocoa_DispatchEvent(NSEvent *theEvent)
     [super sendEvent:theEvent];
 }
 
++ (void)registerUserDefaults
+{
+    NSDictionary *appDefaults = [[NSDictionary alloc] initWithObjectsAndKeys:
+                                 [NSNumber numberWithBool:NO], @"AppleMomentumScrollSupported",
+                                 [NSNumber numberWithBool:NO], @"ApplePressAndHoldEnabled",
+                                 [NSNumber numberWithBool:YES], @"ApplePersistenceIgnoreState",
+                                 nil];
+    [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] registerDefaults:appDefaults];
+    [appDefaults release];
+}
+
 @end // SDLApplication
 
 /* setAppleMenu disappeared from the headers in 10.4 */
@@ -227,6 +240,10 @@ static void Cocoa_DispatchEvent(NSEvent *theEvent)
     if (!SDL_GetHintBoolean(SDL_HINT_MAC_BACKGROUND_APP, SDL_FALSE)) {
         [NSApp activateIgnoringOtherApps:YES];
     }
+
+    /* If we call this before NSApp activation, macOS might print a complaint
+     * about ApplePersistenceIgnoreState. */
+    [SDLApplication registerUserDefaults];
 }
 @end
 
@@ -379,13 +396,12 @@ Cocoa_RegisterApp(void)
             CreateApplicationMenus();
         }
         [NSApp finishLaunching];
-        NSDictionary *appDefaults = [[NSDictionary alloc] initWithObjectsAndKeys:
-            [NSNumber numberWithBool:NO], @"AppleMomentumScrollSupported",
-            [NSNumber numberWithBool:NO], @"ApplePressAndHoldEnabled",
-            [NSNumber numberWithBool:YES], @"ApplePersistenceIgnoreState",
-            nil];
-        [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] registerDefaults:appDefaults];
-        [appDefaults release];
+        if ([NSApp delegate]) {
+            /* The SDL app delegate calls this in didFinishLaunching if it's
+             * attached to the NSApp, otherwise we need to call it manually.
+             */
+            [SDLApplication registerUserDefaults];
+        }
     }
     if (NSApp && !appDelegate) {
         appDelegate = [[SDLAppDelegate alloc] init];