diff --git a/src/corelib/global/qnamespace.qdoc b/src/corelib/global/qnamespace.qdoc
index a393b30f892..64da69c0ac1 100644
--- a/src/corelib/global/qnamespace.qdoc
+++ b/src/corelib/global/qnamespace.qdoc
@@ -96,7 +96,10 @@
 
     \value AA_DontShowIconsInMenus Actions with the Icon property won't be
            shown in any menus unless specifically set by the
-           QAction::iconVisibleInMenu property.
+           QAction::iconVisibleInMenu property. The default value of this
+           attribute depends on the platform. To override the default
+           behavior, set the attribute after QGuiApplication has been
+           instantiated.
            Menus that are currently open or menus already created in the native
            \macos menubar \e{may not} pick up a change in this attribute. Changes
            in the QAction::iconVisibleInMenu property will always be picked up.
diff --git a/src/gui/kernel/qaction.cpp b/src/gui/kernel/qaction.cpp
index 35f7ec12bfd..1768cd8aa1a 100644
--- a/src/gui/kernel/qaction.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/kernel/qaction.cpp
@@ -538,8 +538,10 @@ QList<QObject*> QAction::associatedObjects() const
     \brief the action's icon
 
     In toolbars, the icon is used as the tool button icon; in menus,
-    it is displayed to the left of the menu text. There is no default
-    icon.
+    it is displayed to the left of the menu text, as long as
+    QAction::iconVisibleInMenu returns \c true.
+
+    There is no default icon.
 
     If a null icon (QIcon::isNull()) is passed into this function,
     the icon of the action is cleared.
diff --git a/src/gui/kernel/qguiapplication.cpp b/src/gui/kernel/qguiapplication.cpp
index 9ef61ef4fa8..f11193055e1 100644
--- a/src/gui/kernel/qguiapplication.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/kernel/qguiapplication.cpp
@@ -1396,6 +1396,11 @@ static void init_platform(const QString &pluginNamesWithArguments, const QString
     fontSmoothingGamma = platformIntegration->styleHint(QPlatformIntegration::FontSmoothingGamma).toReal();
     QCoreApplication::setAttribute(Qt::AA_DontShowShortcutsInContextMenus,
         !QGuiApplication::styleHints()->showShortcutsInContextMenus());
+
+    if (const auto *platformTheme = QGuiApplicationPrivate::platformTheme()) {
+        QCoreApplication::setAttribute(Qt::AA_DontShowIconsInMenus,
+            !platformTheme->themeHint(QPlatformTheme::ShowIconsInMenus).toBool());
+    }
 }
 
 static void init_plugins(const QList<QByteArray> &pluginList)
diff --git a/src/gui/kernel/qplatformtheme.cpp b/src/gui/kernel/qplatformtheme.cpp
index 3d1319615ed..f298cadae6b 100644
--- a/src/gui/kernel/qplatformtheme.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/kernel/qplatformtheme.cpp
@@ -652,6 +652,8 @@ QVariant QPlatformTheme::defaultThemeHint(ThemeHint hint)
         return QVariant(QSize(16, 16));
     case UnderlineShortcut:
         return true;
+    case ShowIconsInMenus:
+        return true;
     }
 
     return QVariant();
diff --git a/src/gui/kernel/qplatformtheme.h b/src/gui/kernel/qplatformtheme.h
index d007a196757..3ce094d85b3 100644
--- a/src/gui/kernel/qplatformtheme.h
+++ b/src/gui/kernel/qplatformtheme.h
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ public:
         MouseCursorTheme,
         MouseCursorSize,
         UnderlineShortcut,
+        ShowIconsInMenus,
     };
     Q_ENUM(ThemeHint)
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/platforms/cocoa/qcocoatheme.mm b/src/plugins/platforms/cocoa/qcocoatheme.mm
index f3f3e05b502..1623b12be63 100644
--- a/src/plugins/platforms/cocoa/qcocoatheme.mm
+++ b/src/plugins/platforms/cocoa/qcocoatheme.mm
@@ -464,6 +464,8 @@ QVariant QCocoaTheme::themeHint(ThemeHint hint) const
         return NSEvent.keyRepeatDelay * 1000;
     case QPlatformTheme::KeyboardAutoRepeatRate:
         return 1.0 / NSEvent.keyRepeatInterval;
+    case QPlatformTheme::ShowIconsInMenus:
+        return false;
     default:
         break;
     }