diff --git a/python/testing/__init__.py b/python/testing/__init__.py
index b9b42eb07ba..e0942880606 100644
--- a/python/testing/__init__.py
+++ b/python/testing/__init__.py
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ unittest.TestCase = TestCase
 unittest.expectedFailure = expectedFailure
 
 
-def start_app():
+def start_app(cleanup=True):
     """
     Will start a QgsApplication and call all initialization code like
     registering the providers and other infrastructure. It will not load
@@ -233,6 +233,11 @@ def start_app():
 
     The initialization will only happen once, so it is safe to call this method repeatedly.
 
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+
+        cleanup: Do cleanup on exit. Defaults to true.
+
         Returns
         -------
         QgsApplication
@@ -258,14 +263,14 @@ def start_app():
         QGISAPP = QgsApplication(argvb, myGuiFlag)
 
         QGISAPP.initQgis()
-        s = QGISAPP.showSettings()
-        print(s)
+        print(QGISAPP.showSettings())
 
-        import atexit
+        if cleanup:
+            import atexit
 
-        @atexit.register
-        def exitQgis():
-            QGISAPP.exitQgis()
+            @atexit.register
+            def exitQgis():
+                QGISAPP.exitQgis()
 
     return QGISAPP
 
diff --git a/tests/src/python/test_provider_spatialite.py b/tests/src/python/test_provider_spatialite.py
index 6f6e9b2bb92..f046a520f57 100644
--- a/tests/src/python/test_provider_spatialite.py
+++ b/tests/src/python/test_provider_spatialite.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ __revision__ = '$Format:%H$'
 import qgis  # NOQA
 
 import os
+import sys
 import shutil
 import tempfile
 
@@ -31,8 +32,8 @@ except ImportError:
     print("You should install pyspatialite to run the tests")
     raise ImportError
 
-# Convenience instances in case you may need them
-start_app()
+# Pass no_exit=True: for some reason this crashes on exit on Travis MacOSX
+start_app(sys.platform != 'darwin')
 TEST_DATA_DIR = unitTestDataPath()
 
 
diff --git a/tests/src/python/test_qgspallabeling_base.py b/tests/src/python/test_qgspallabeling_base.py
index 29ff8af7d1a..7ec7e05ad37 100644
--- a/tests/src/python/test_qgspallabeling_base.py
+++ b/tests/src/python/test_qgspallabeling_base.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ from utilities import (
 )
 
 
-start_app()
+start_app(sys.platform != 'darwin') # No cleanup on mac os x, it crashes the pallabellingcanvas test on exit
 FONTSLOADED = loadTestFonts()
 
 PALREPORT = 'PAL_REPORT' in os.environ