diff --git a/vcl/osx/salinst.cxx b/vcl/osx/salinst.cxx
index 4164853cc358..62832024d231 100644
--- a/vcl/osx/salinst.cxx
+++ b/vcl/osx/salinst.cxx
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ AquaSalInstance::AquaSalInstance()
     mpListNodeCell = [[NSButtonCell alloc] init];
 
     NSString *path = [[[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@"MenuTranslations" ofType:@"plist"] autorelease];
-    mpMenuTranslations = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:path];
+    mpMenuTranslations = [[NSDictionary alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:path];
 
 #if HAVE_FEATURE_SKIA
     AquaSkiaSalGraphicsImpl::prepareSkia();
diff --git a/vcl/osx/salmenu.cxx b/vcl/osx/salmenu.cxx
index 2143062ffb83..76c0e4d001c5 100644
--- a/vcl/osx/salmenu.cxx
+++ b/vcl/osx/salmenu.cxx
@@ -974,6 +974,8 @@ AquaSalMenuItem::AquaSalMenuItem( const SalItemParams* pItemData, NSDictionary *
     mpParentMenu( nullptr ),
     mpSubMenu( nullptr ),
     mpMenuItem( nil ),
+    mpOrigTitle( nil ),
+    mpAltTitle( nil ),
     mpMenuTranslations( [pMenuTranslations retain] )
 {
     if (pItemData->eType == MenuItemType::SEPARATOR)
@@ -1040,6 +1042,9 @@ void AquaSalMenuItem::setTitle(const OUString& i_rText)
     if (aText.endsWith("...", &aText))
         aText += u"\u2026";
 
+    // autorelease on nil should be a noop, but better be safe than sorry
+    if (mpOrigTitle)
+        [mpOrigTitle autorelease];
     mpOrigTitle = CreateNSString( aText );
     if ( !mpOrigTitle )
         return;