diff --git a/src/PreferencesDialog.cpp b/src/PreferencesDialog.cpp
index bf55ec07f..45262e5c3 100644
--- a/src/PreferencesDialog.cpp
+++ b/src/PreferencesDialog.cpp
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ PreferencesDialog::PreferencesDialog(QWidget* parent, Tabs tab)
     ui->checkUpdates->setVisible(false);
 #endif
 
+#ifndef Q_OS_MACX
+    ui->checkSqleanExtensionAutoload->setVisible(false);
+#endif
+
     loadSettings();
 
     connect(ui->appStyleCombo, SIGNAL(currentIndexChanged(int)), this, SLOT(adjustColorsToStyle(int)));
@@ -208,6 +212,9 @@ void PreferencesDialog::loadSettings()
     ui->listExtensions->addItems(Settings::getValue("extensions", "list").toStringList());
     ui->checkRegexDisabled->setChecked(Settings::getValue("extensions", "disableregex").toBool());
     ui->checkAllowLoadExtension->setChecked(Settings::getValue("extensions", "enable_load_extension").toBool());
+    #ifdef Q_OS_MACX
+        ui->checkSqleanExtensionAutoload->setChecked(Settings::getValue("extensions", "autoload_sqlean_extension").toBool());
+    #endif
     fillLanguageBox();
     ui->appStyleCombo->setCurrentIndex(Settings::getValue("General", "appStyle").toInt());
     ui->toolbarStyleComboMain->setCurrentIndex(Settings::getValue("General", "toolbarStyle").toInt());
@@ -280,6 +287,9 @@ void PreferencesDialog::saveSettings(bool accept)
     Settings::setValue("extensions", "list", extList);
     Settings::setValue("extensions", "disableregex", ui->checkRegexDisabled->isChecked());
     Settings::setValue("extensions", "enable_load_extension", ui->checkAllowLoadExtension->isChecked());
+    #ifdef Q_OS_MACX
+        Settings::setValue("extensions", "autoload_sqlean_extension", ui->checkSqleanExtensionAutoload->isChecked());
+    #endif
 
     // Save remote settings
     Settings::setValue("remote", "active", ui->checkUseRemotes->isChecked());
diff --git a/src/PreferencesDialog.ui b/src/PreferencesDialog.ui
index 8a8e42c15..6d5363b8d 100644
--- a/src/PreferencesDialog.ui
+++ b/src/PreferencesDialog.ui
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <x>0</x>
     <y>0</y>
     <width>756</width>
-    <height>625</height>
+    <height>666</height>
    </rect>
   </property>
   <property name="windowTitle">
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
    <item>
     <widget class="QTabWidget" name="tabWidget">
      <property name="currentIndex">
-      <number>0</number>
+      <number>4</number>
      </property>
      <widget class="QWidget" name="tab_4">
       <attribute name="title">
@@ -1866,6 +1866,16 @@ Can be set to 0 for disabling completion.</string>
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
+       <item>
+        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="checkSqleanExtensionAutoload">
+         <property name="toolTip">
+          <string>&lt;html&gt;&lt;head/&gt;&lt;body&gt;&lt;p&gt;Automatically load the 'nalgeon/sqlean' extension at program startup.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/body&gt;&lt;/html&gt;</string>
+         </property>
+         <property name="text">
+          <string>Automatically load the 'sqlean' extension</string>
+         </property>
+        </widget>
+       </item>
       </layout>
      </widget>
      <widget class="QWidget" name="tabRemote">
diff --git a/src/sqlitedb.cpp b/src/sqlitedb.cpp
index 37f1e6fe3..613bfeafa 100644
--- a/src/sqlitedb.cpp
+++ b/src/sqlitedb.cpp
@@ -2170,6 +2170,15 @@ void DBBrowserDB::loadExtensionsFromSettings()
         if(loadExtension(ext) == false)
             QMessageBox::warning(nullptr, QApplication::applicationName(), tr("Error loading extension: %1").arg(lastError()));
     }
+
+    if (Settings::getValue("extensions", "autoload_sqlean_extension").toBool())
+    {
+        const QString sqleanExtensionPath = qApp->applicationDirPath() + "/../Extensions/sqlean.dylib";
+        if (loadExtension(sqleanExtensionPath) == false) {
+            QMessageBox::warning(nullptr, QApplication::applicationName(), tr("Error loading 'sqlean' extension. Option is disabled."));
+            Settings::setValue("extensions", "autoload_sqlean_extension", false);
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>> DBBrowserDB::queryColumnInformation(const std::string& schema_name, const std::string& object_name) const