diff --git a/tests/system/shared/utils.py b/tests/system/shared/utils.py
index 97f1d7c5d42..d75d683dfb8 100644
--- a/tests/system/shared/utils.py
+++ b/tests/system/shared/utils.py
@@ -176,10 +176,17 @@ def invokeMenuItem(menu, item, *subItems):
             waitForObject(":Qt Creator.QtCreator.MenuBar_QMenuBar", 2000)
         except:
             nativeMouseClick(waitForObject(":Qt Creator_Core::Internal::MainWindow", 1000), 20, 20, 0, Qt.LeftButton)
-    # HACK to avoid squish crash using Qt5.2 on Squish 5.0.1 - remove asap
+    # HACK as Squish fails to provide a proper way to access the system menu
     if platform.system() == "Darwin":
         if menu == "Tools" and item == "Options...":
-            nativeType("<Command+,>")
+            #nativeType("<Command+,>")
+            # the following is a pure HACK because using the default key sequence seems to be broken
+            # when running from inside Squish
+            menuBar = waitForObject(":Qt Creator.QtCreator.MenuBar_QMenuBar", 500)
+            nativeMouseClick(menuBar, 75, 5, 0, Qt.LeftButton)
+            for _ in range(3):
+                nativeType("<Down>")
+            nativeType("<Return>")
             return
         if menu == "File" and item == "Exit":
             nativeType("<Command+q>")