diff --git a/packaging/osx/template.app/Contents/MacOS/OpenRA b/packaging/osx/template.app/Contents/MacOS/OpenRA
index 6cb768b0c5..188cc87608 100755
--- a/packaging/osx/template.app/Contents/MacOS/OpenRA
+++ b/packaging/osx/template.app/Contents/MacOS/OpenRA
@@ -30,4 +30,5 @@ then
 	exit 1
 fi
 
-cd "$RESOURCES" && mono --debug OpenRA.Game.exe Graphics.Renderer=Sdl2
\ No newline at end of file
+# Override fontconfig with our own dummy config that prevents long cache delays
+cd "$RESOURCES" && FONTCONFIG_PATH="." mono --debug OpenRA.Game.exe Graphics.Renderer=Sdl2
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packaging/osx/template.app/Contents/Resources/fonts.conf b/packaging/osx/template.app/Contents/Resources/fonts.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..97797bde3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/osx/template.app/Contents/Resources/fonts.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM "fonts.dtd">
+<!-- dummy fonts.conf file that removed unwanted system overhead -->
+<fontconfig/>
\ No newline at end of file