diff --git a/options.cmake b/options.cmake
index 9e9822d5..66c7fcb0 100644
--- a/options.cmake
+++ b/options.cmake
@@ -71,6 +71,13 @@ if (DESKTOP_APP_USE_PACKAGED_RLOTTIE)
     )
 endif()
 
+if (DESKTOP_APP_USE_PACKED_RESOURCES)
+    target_compile_definitions(common_options
+    INTERFACE
+        DESKTOP_APP_USE_PACKED_RESOURCES
+    )
+endif()
+
 if (NOT DESKTOP_APP_SPECIAL_TARGET STREQUAL "")
     target_compile_definitions(common_options
     INTERFACE
diff --git a/target_prepare_qrc.cmake b/target_prepare_qrc.cmake
index 0e2ec4bd..ee4dd6dc 100644
--- a/target_prepare_qrc.cmake
+++ b/target_prepare_qrc.cmake
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 # https://github.com/desktop-app/legal/blob/master/LEGAL
 
 function(target_add_resource target_name)
-    set(list ${ARGV})
-    list(REMOVE_AT list 0)
+    set(list ${ARGN})
+
     target_sources(${target_name} PRIVATE ${list})
     get_target_property(existing_resources ${target_name} RESOURCE)
     if (NOT "${existing_resources}" STREQUAL "existing_resources-NOTFOUND")
@@ -18,7 +18,13 @@ function(target_add_resource target_name)
 endfunction()
 
 function(target_prepare_qrc target_name)
-    if (NOT APPLE)
+    if (ARGC GREATER 1)
+        set(rcc_file ${ARGV1})
+    else()
+        set(rcc_file ${target_name}.rcc)
+    endif()
+
+    if (NOT DESKTOP_APP_USE_PACKED_RESOURCES)
         set_target_properties(${target_name} PROPERTIES AUTORCC ON)
     else()
         set(rcc_flags --binary "$<TARGET_PROPERTY:${target_name},AUTORCC_OPTIONS>")
@@ -31,7 +37,6 @@ function(target_prepare_qrc target_name)
         elseif (LINUX)
             set(qrc_files "$<FILTER:${qrc_files_all},EXCLUDE,(win|mac|darwin|osx)\\.>")
         endif()
-        set(rcc_file ${target_name}.rcc)
         set(rcc_path "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/${rcc_file}")
         source_group(TREE ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR} PREFIX Resources FILES ${rcc_path})
         if (DESKTOP_APP_QT6)
@@ -39,9 +44,10 @@ function(target_prepare_qrc target_name)
         else()
             set(rcc_binary Qt5::rcc)
         endif()
+        set(cmd_run "$<IF:$<BOOL:${qrc_files}>,,true>")  # do nothing if qrc_files are empty
         add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${rcc_path}
             DEPENDS ${qrc_files}
-            COMMAND ${rcc_binary} ${rcc_flags} -o ${rcc_path} ${qrc_files}
+            COMMAND ${cmd_run} ${rcc_binary} ${rcc_flags} -o ${rcc_path} ${qrc_files}
             COMMAND_EXPAND_LISTS VERBATIM
         )
         target_add_resource(${target_name} ${rcc_path})
diff --git a/variables.cmake b/variables.cmake
index 4d6c9bd6..1fea1b74 100644
--- a/variables.cmake
+++ b/variables.cmake
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ option(DESKTOP_APP_USE_ALLOCATION_TRACER "Use simple allocation tracer (Linux on
 option(DESKTOP_APP_USE_PACKAGED_LAZY "Bundle recommended Qt plugins for self-contained packages. (Linux only)" OFF)
 option(DESKTOP_APP_USE_PACKAGED_FONTS "Use preinstalled fonts instead of bundled patched ones." OFF)
 option(DESKTOP_APP_USE_PACKAGED_RLOTTIE "Find rlottie using CMake instead of bundled patched one." OFF)
+option(DESKTOP_APP_USE_PACKED_RESOURCES "Whether to pack resources into a separate archive." ${APPLE})
 option(DESKTOP_APP_DISABLE_SPELLCHECK "Disable spellcheck library." OFF)
 option(DESKTOP_APP_DISABLE_CRASH_REPORTS "Disable crash report generation." ${no_special_target})
 option(DESKTOP_APP_DISABLE_AUTOUPDATE "Disable autoupdate." ${disable_autoupdate})