diff --git a/net.sourceforge.pmd.eclipse.plugin.test/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/eclipse/ui/preferences/br/PMDPreferencePage2Test.java b/net.sourceforge.pmd.eclipse.plugin.test/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/eclipse/ui/preferences/br/PMDPreferencePage2Test.java
index a1188061..9b604341 100644
--- a/net.sourceforge.pmd.eclipse.plugin.test/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/eclipse/ui/preferences/br/PMDPreferencePage2Test.java
+++ b/net.sourceforge.pmd.eclipse.plugin.test/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/eclipse/ui/preferences/br/PMDPreferencePage2Test.java
@@ -22,19 +22,16 @@
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.ILogListener;
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.IStatus;
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.Platform;
+import org.eclipse.jface.preference.PreferenceDialog;
 import org.eclipse.swt.SWT;
 import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Button;
-import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Event;
-import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Menu;
-import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.MenuItem;
 import org.eclipse.swtbot.swt.finder.waits.WaitForObjectCondition;
 import org.eclipse.swtbot.swt.finder.widgets.SWTBotCheckBox;
 import org.eclipse.swtbot.swt.finder.widgets.SWTBotShell;
 import org.eclipse.swtbot.swt.finder.widgets.SWTBotTree;
 import org.eclipse.swtbot.swt.finder.widgets.SWTBotTreeItem;
-import org.eclipse.ui.IWorkbench;
-import org.eclipse.ui.IWorkbenchWindow;
 import org.eclipse.ui.PlatformUI;
+import org.eclipse.ui.dialogs.PreferencesUtil;
 import org.hamcrest.Matcher;
 import org.junit.After;
 import org.junit.Before;
@@ -108,32 +105,11 @@ public void openPMDRuleConfiguration() {
     }
 
     private void openPreferences() {
-        String osname = System.getProperty("os.name").toLowerCase(Locale.ROOT);
-        if (osname.contains("mac")) {
-            // https://www.eclipse.org/forums/index.php/t/854280/
-            final IWorkbench workbench = PlatformUI.getWorkbench();
-            workbench.getDisplay().execute(new Runnable() {
-                @Override
-                public void run() {
-                    IWorkbenchWindow window = workbench.getActiveWorkbenchWindow();
-                    if (window != null) {
-                        Menu appMenu = workbench.getDisplay().getSystemMenu();
-                        for (MenuItem item : appMenu.getItems()) {
-                            if (item.getText().startsWith("Preferences")) {
-                                Event event = new Event();
-                                event.time = (int) System.currentTimeMillis();
-                                event.widget = item;
-                                event.display = workbench.getDisplay();
-                                item.setSelection(true);
-                                item.notifyListeners(SWT.Selection, event);
-                                break;
-                            }
-                        }
-                    }
-                }
-            });
-        } else {
-            bot.menu().menu("Window", "Preferences").click();
-        }
+        // due to macosx, where the Preferences is not part of the Window menu but the application
+        // menu, we programmatically open the preferences dialog and not try to find it via the menu.
+        bot.getDisplay().execute(() -> {
+            PreferenceDialog dialog = PreferencesUtil.createPreferenceDialogOn(bot.shell().widget, null, null, errors);
+            dialog.open();
+        });
     }
 }