diff --git a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.autotools.tests/pom.xml b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.autotools.tests/pom.xml
index c172302b86d..e2059c0e562 100644
--- a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.autotools.tests/pom.xml
+++ b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.autotools.tests/pom.xml
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 				<version>${tycho-version}</version>
 				<configuration>
 					<useUIHarness>true</useUIHarness>
+					<argLine>${base.ui.test.vmargs}</argLine>
 					<includes>
 						<include>**/AllAutotoolsTests.*</include>
 					</includes>
diff --git a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.ui.tests/pom.xml b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.ui.tests/pom.xml
index e47bc4101f6..ee9dfafec6b 100644
--- a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.ui.tests/pom.xml
+++ b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.ui.tests/pom.xml
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 				<version>${tycho-version}</version>
 				<configuration>
 					<useUIHarness>true</useUIHarness>
-					<argLine>-ea -Xms256m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=256M</argLine>
+					<argLine>${base.ui.test.vmargs} -ea -Xms256m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=256M</argLine>
 					<includes>
 						<include>**/AllMakeUITests.*</include>
 					</includes>
diff --git a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.managedbuilder.core.tests/pom.xml b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.managedbuilder.core.tests/pom.xml
index 200ae4229f4..05ad66720ef 100644
--- a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.managedbuilder.core.tests/pom.xml
+++ b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.managedbuilder.core.tests/pom.xml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 				<configuration>
 					<!-- Yes, the  managed build core tests use the UI harness. -->
 					<useUIHarness>true</useUIHarness>
-					<argLine>-Xms256m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=256M</argLine>
+					<argLine>${base.ui.test.vmargs} -Xms256m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=256M</argLine>
 					<includes>
 						<include>**/AllManagedBuildTests.*</include>
 					</includes>
diff --git a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.managedbuilder.ui.tests/pom.xml b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.managedbuilder.ui.tests/pom.xml
index a48f87236df..e08f567f959 100644
--- a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.managedbuilder.ui.tests/pom.xml
+++ b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.managedbuilder.ui.tests/pom.xml
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 				<version>${tycho-version}</version>
 				<configuration>
 					<useUIHarness>true</useUIHarness>
-					<argLine>-Xms256m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=256M</argLine>
+					<argLine>${base.ui.test.vmargs} -Xms256m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=256M</argLine>
 					<includes>
 						<include>**/AllManagedBuildUITests.*</include>
 					</includes>
diff --git a/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core.test/pom.xml b/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core.test/pom.xml
index 1f00466e914..95fb0f7f914 100644
--- a/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core.test/pom.xml
+++ b/codan/org.eclipse.cdt.codan.core.test/pom.xml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 				<configuration>
 					<!-- Need UI harness for quick fix tests -->
 					<useUIHarness>true</useUIHarness>
-					<argLine>-ea -Xms256m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=256M</argLine>
+					<argLine>${base.ui.test.vmargs} -ea -Xms256m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=256M</argLine>
 					<includes>
 						<include>**/AutomatedIntegrationSuite.*</include>
 					</includes>
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/pom.xml b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/pom.xml
index 7f57c786ad6..bb5241aceb5 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/pom.xml
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core.tests/pom.xml
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@
 				<version>${tycho-version}</version>
 				<configuration>
 					<useUIHarness>false</useUIHarness>
-					<argLine>-ea -Xms256m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=256M</argLine>
+					<!-- Core tests actually use eclipse.ui classes, see CProjectHelper -->
+					<argLine>${base.ui.test.vmargs} -ea -Xms256m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=256M</argLine>
 					<includes>
 						<include>**/AutomatedIntegrationSuite.*</include>
 					</includes>
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests/pom.xml b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests/pom.xml
index e6222b56a22..518aa931a7c 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests/pom.xml
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests/pom.xml
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 			<layout>p2</layout>
 		</repository>
 	</repositories>-->
-
 	<build>
 		<plugins>
 			<plugin>
@@ -32,7 +31,7 @@
 				<version>${tycho-version}</version>
 				<configuration>
 					<useUIHarness>true</useUIHarness>
-					<argLine>-ea -Xms256m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=256M</argLine>
+					<argLine>${base.ui.test.vmargs} -ea -Xms256m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=256M</argLine>
 					<includes>
 						<include>**/AutomatedSuite.*</include>
 					</includes>
diff --git a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb/pom.xml b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb/pom.xml
index cc8b7769a67..1de0450a3c6 100644
--- a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb/pom.xml
+++ b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb/pom.xml
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
 				<version>${tycho-version}</version>
 				<configuration>
 					<useUIHarness>true</useUIHarness>
-					<argLine>-ea -Xms256m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=256M ${gdbPathOption}</argLine>
+					<argLine>${base.ui.test.vmargs} -ea -Xms256m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=256M ${gdbPathOption}</argLine>
 					<includes>
 						<include>**/AutomatedSuite.*</include>
 					</includes>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 47766ee6ede..ca86f0c43cd 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -221,6 +221,31 @@
 		</repository>
 	</repositories>
 
+	<profiles>
+		<profile>
+			<id>macosx</id>
+			<activation>
+				<os>
+					<family>mac</family>
+				</os>
+			</activation>
+			<properties>
+				<base.ui.test.vmargs>-XstartOnFirstThread</base.ui.test.vmargs>
+			</properties>
+		</profile>
+		<profile>
+			<id>other-os</id>
+			<activation>
+				<os>
+					<family>!mac</family>
+				</os>
+			</activation>
+			<properties>
+				<base.ui.test.vmargs></base.ui.test.vmargs>
+			</properties>
+		</profile>
+	</profiles>
+
 	<build>
 		<plugins>
 			<plugin>
diff --git a/testsrunner/org.eclipse.cdt.testsrunner.test/pom.xml b/testsrunner/org.eclipse.cdt.testsrunner.test/pom.xml
index 4a188b94064..136cec3c289 100644
--- a/testsrunner/org.eclipse.cdt.testsrunner.test/pom.xml
+++ b/testsrunner/org.eclipse.cdt.testsrunner.test/pom.xml
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 				<version>${tycho-version}</version>
 				<configuration>
 					<useUIHarness>true</useUIHarness>
+					<argLine>${base.ui.test.vmargs}</argLine>
 					<includes>
 						<include>**/TestsRunnerSuite.*</include>
 					</includes>