diff --git a/osdep/mac/app_hub.swift b/osdep/mac/app_hub.swift
index d5b0827be3..a668948603 100644
--- a/osdep/mac/app_hub.swift
+++ b/osdep/mac/app_hub.swift
@@ -39,8 +39,9 @@ class AppHub: NSObject {
     }
 
     @objc func initMpv(_ mpv: OpaquePointer) {
-        self.mpv = mpv
-        event = EventHelper(mpv)
+        event = EventHelper(self, mpv)
+        self.mpv = event?.mpv
+
 #if HAVE_MACOS_MEDIA_PLAYER
         remote?.registerEvents()
 #endif
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ class AppHub: NSObject {
     }
 
     @objc func initCocoaCb() {
-        guard let app = NSApp as? Application else { return }
+        guard let app = NSApp as? Application, let mpv = mpv else { return }
         DispatchQueue.main.sync { app.initCocoaCb(mpv) }
     }
 
diff --git a/osdep/mac/event_helper.swift b/osdep/mac/event_helper.swift
index f0b2bf42b1..003f04e766 100644
--- a/osdep/mac/event_helper.swift
+++ b/osdep/mac/event_helper.swift
@@ -58,10 +58,17 @@ extension EventHelper {
 }
 
 public class EventHelper: NSObject {
+    unowned let appHub: AppHub
     var mpv: OpaquePointer?
     var events: [String:[Int:EventSubscriber]] = [:]
 
-    @objc init(_ mpvHandle: OpaquePointer) {
+    @objc init?(_ appHub: AppHub, _ mpvHandle: OpaquePointer) {
+        if !appHub.isApplication {
+            mpv_destroy(mpvHandle)
+            return nil
+        }
+
+        self.appHub = appHub
         self.mpv = mpvHandle
         super.init()
         mpv_set_wakeup_callback(mpvHandle, wakeup, TypeHelper.bridge(obj: self))