diff --git a/kitty/launcher/main.c b/kitty/launcher/main.c
index df0cd0b49..d2308128e 100644
--- a/kitty/launcher/main.c
+++ b/kitty/launcher/main.c
@@ -371,7 +371,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[], char* envp[]) {
     delegate_to_kitten_if_possible(argc, argv, exe_dir);
     int num, ret=0;
     char lib[PATH_MAX+1] = {0};
-    num = snprintf(lib, PATH_MAX, "%s/%s", exe_dir, KITTY_LIB_PATH);
+    if (KITTY_LIB_PATH[0] == '/') {
+        num = snprintf(lib, PATH_MAX, "%s", KITTY_LIB_PATH);
+    } else {
+        num = snprintf(lib, PATH_MAX, "%s/%s", exe_dir, KITTY_LIB_PATH);
+    }
 
     if (num < 0 || num >= PATH_MAX) { fprintf(stderr, "Failed to create path to kitty lib\n"); return 1; }
     RunData run_data = {.exe = exe, .exe_dir = exe_dir, .lib_dir = lib, .argc = argc, .argv = argv, .lc_ctype = lc_ctype};
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index ceec00927..b73ad74dc 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1073,7 +1073,9 @@ def build_launcher(args: Options, launcher_dir: str = '.', bundle_type: str = 's
         ph = os.path.relpath(os.environ["DEVELOP_ROOT"], '.')
         cppflags.append(f'-DSET_PYTHON_HOME="{ph}"')
         if is_macos:
-            pass
+            # use an absolute path so the exe is relocatable to the minimal
+            # bundle
+            klp = src_base
         else:
             ldflags += ['-Wl,--disable-new-dtags', f'-Wl,-rpath,$ORIGIN/../../{ph}/lib']
     if bundle_type.startswith('macos-'):