diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 8cd754bd56b..719eb747ae1 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1910,6 +1910,8 @@ else
   bitmapdir=${bmd_acc#:}
 fi
 
+NATIVE_IMAGE_API=no
+
 test "${with_ns}" = maybe && test "${opsys}" != darwin && with_ns=no
 HAVE_NS=no
 NS_GNUSTEP_CONFIG=no
@@ -2021,6 +2023,11 @@ Either fix this, or re-configure with the option '--without-ns'.])])
        AC_MSG_ERROR([Mac OS X 10.6 or newer is required]);
     fi
   fi
+
+  if test "${with_native_image_api}" = yes; then
+     AC_DEFINE(HAVE_NATIVE_IMAGE_API, 1, [Define to use native OS APIs for images.])
+     NATIVE_IMAGE_API="yes (ns)"
+  fi
 fi
 
 AC_SUBST(LIBS_GNUSTEP)
@@ -2127,7 +2134,6 @@ LIB_WSOCK32=
 NTLIB=
 CM_OBJ="cm.o"
 XARGS_LIMIT=
-NATIVE_IMAGE_API=no
 if test "${HAVE_W32}" = "yes"; then
   AC_DEFINE(HAVE_NTGUI, 1, [Define to use native MS Windows GUI.])
   if test "$with_toolkit_scroll_bars" = "no"; then
@@ -3575,9 +3581,8 @@ AC_SUBST(LIBXPM)
 ### Use -ljpeg if available, unless '--with-jpeg=no'.
 HAVE_JPEG=no
 LIBJPEG=
-if test "${NS_IMPL_COCOA}" = yes; then
-  : # Cocoa provides its own jpeg support, so do nothing.
-elif test "${HAVE_X11}" = "yes" || test "${HAVE_W32}" = "yes"; then
+if test "${HAVE_X11}" = "yes" || test "${HAVE_W32}" = "yes" \
+   || test "${HAVE_NS}" = "yes"; then
   if test "${with_jpeg}" != "no"; then
     AC_CACHE_CHECK([for jpeglib 6b or later],
       [emacs_cv_jpeglib],
@@ -3726,13 +3731,12 @@ AC_SUBST(emacs_major_version)
 HAVE_PNG=no
 LIBPNG=
 PNG_CFLAGS=
-if test "${NS_IMPL_COCOA}" = yes; then
-  : # Cocoa provides its own png support, so do nothing.
-elif test "${with_png}" != no; then
+if test "${with_png}" != no; then
   # mingw32 loads the library dynamically.
   if test "$opsys" = mingw32; then
     AC_CHECK_HEADER([png.h], [HAVE_PNG=yes])
-  elif test "${HAVE_X11}" = "yes" || test "${HAVE_W32}" = "yes"; then
+  elif test "${HAVE_X11}" = "yes" || test "${HAVE_W32}" = "yes" \
+       || test "${HAVE_NS}" = "yes"; then
     EMACS_CHECK_MODULES([PNG], [libpng >= 1.0.0])
     if test $HAVE_PNG = yes; then
       LIBPNG=$PNG_LIBS
@@ -3806,7 +3810,8 @@ if test "${opsys}" = "mingw32"; then
   if test "${HAVE_TIFF}" = "yes"; then
     AC_DEFINE(HAVE_TIFF, 1, [Define to 1 if you have the tiff library (-ltiff).])
   fi
-elif test "${HAVE_X11}" = "yes" || test "${HAVE_W32}" = "yes"; then
+elif test "${HAVE_X11}" = "yes" || test "${HAVE_W32}" = "yes" \
+     || test "${HAVE_NS}" = "yes"; then
   if test "${with_tiff}" != "no"; then
     AC_CHECK_HEADER(tiffio.h,
       [tifflibs="-lz -lm"
@@ -3835,7 +3840,7 @@ if test "${opsys}" = "mingw32"; then
     AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GIF, 1, [Define to 1 if you have a gif (or ungif) library.])
   fi
 elif test "${HAVE_X11}" = "yes" && test "${with_gif}" != "no" \
-        || test "${HAVE_W32}" = "yes"; then
+        || test "${HAVE_W32}" = "yes" || test "${HAVE_NS}" = "yes"; then
   AC_CHECK_HEADER(gif_lib.h,
 # EGifPutExtensionLast only exists from version libungif-4.1.0b1.
 # Earlier versions can crash Emacs, but version 5.0 removes EGifPutExtensionLast.
diff --git a/src/image.c b/src/image.c
index acb1e9d23d8..ffe2f607e52 100644
--- a/src/image.c
+++ b/src/image.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ along with GNU Emacs.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.  */
 
 /* Include this before including <setjmp.h> to work around bugs with
    older libpng; see Bug#17429.  */
-#if defined HAVE_PNG && !defined HAVE_NS
+#if defined HAVE_PNG
 # include <png.h>
 #endif
 
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ typedef struct ns_bitmap_record Bitmap_Record;
 #define NO_PIXMAP 0
 
 #define PIX_MASK_RETAIN	0
+#define PIX_MASK_DRAW	1
 
 #endif /* HAVE_NS */
 
@@ -6242,6 +6243,8 @@ image_can_use_native_api (Lisp_Object type)
 {
 # ifdef HAVE_NTGUI
   return w32_can_use_native_image_api (type);
+# elif defined HAVE_NS
+  return ns_can_use_native_image_api (type);
 # else
   return false;
 # endif
@@ -6310,6 +6313,10 @@ native_image_load (struct frame *f, struct image *img)
   return w32_load_image (f, img,
                          image_spec_value (img->spec, QCfile, NULL),
                          image_spec_value (img->spec, QCdata, NULL));
+# elif defined HAVE_NS
+  return ns_load_image (f, img,
+                        image_spec_value (img->spec, QCfile, NULL),
+                        image_spec_value (img->spec, QCdata, NULL));
 # else
   return 0;
 # endif
@@ -6322,7 +6329,7 @@ native_image_load (struct frame *f, struct image *img)
 				 PNG
  ***********************************************************************/
 
-#if defined (HAVE_PNG) || defined (HAVE_NS)
+#if defined (HAVE_PNG)
 
 /* Indices of image specification fields in png_format, below.  */
 
@@ -6373,10 +6380,10 @@ png_image_p (Lisp_Object object)
   return fmt[PNG_FILE].count + fmt[PNG_DATA].count == 1;
 }
 
-#endif /* HAVE_PNG || HAVE_NS */
+#endif /* HAVE_PNG */
 
 
-#if defined HAVE_PNG && !defined HAVE_NS
+#ifdef HAVE_PNG
 
 # ifdef WINDOWSNT
 /* PNG library details.  */
@@ -6966,17 +6973,7 @@ png_load (struct frame *f, struct image *img)
   return png_load_body (f, img, &c);
 }
 
-#elif defined HAVE_NS
-
-static bool
-png_load (struct frame *f, struct image *img)
-{
-  return ns_load_image (f, img,
-                        image_spec_value (img->spec, QCfile, NULL),
-                        image_spec_value (img->spec, QCdata, NULL));
-}
-
-#endif /* HAVE_NS */
+#endif /* HAVE_PNG */
 
 
 
@@ -6984,7 +6981,7 @@ png_load (struct frame *f, struct image *img)
 				 JPEG
  ***********************************************************************/
 
-#if defined (HAVE_JPEG) || defined (HAVE_NS)
+#if defined (HAVE_JPEG)
 
 /* Indices of image specification fields in gs_format, below.  */
 
@@ -7036,7 +7033,7 @@ jpeg_image_p (Lisp_Object object)
   return fmt[JPEG_FILE].count + fmt[JPEG_DATA].count == 1;
 }
 
-#endif /* HAVE_JPEG || HAVE_NS */
+#endif /* HAVE_JPEG */
 
 #ifdef HAVE_JPEG
 
@@ -7538,18 +7535,6 @@ jpeg_load (struct frame *f, struct image *img)
   return jpeg_load_body (f, img, &mgr);
 }
 
-#else /* HAVE_JPEG */
-
-#ifdef HAVE_NS
-static bool
-jpeg_load (struct frame *f, struct image *img)
-{
-  return ns_load_image (f, img,
-			image_spec_value (img->spec, QCfile, NULL),
-			image_spec_value (img->spec, QCdata, NULL));
-}
-#endif  /* HAVE_NS */
-
 #endif /* !HAVE_JPEG */
 
 
@@ -7558,7 +7543,7 @@ jpeg_load (struct frame *f, struct image *img)
 				 TIFF
  ***********************************************************************/
 
-#if defined (HAVE_TIFF) || defined (HAVE_NS)
+#if defined (HAVE_TIFF)
 
 /* Indices of image specification fields in tiff_format, below.  */
 
@@ -7611,7 +7596,7 @@ tiff_image_p (Lisp_Object object)
   return fmt[TIFF_FILE].count + fmt[TIFF_DATA].count == 1;
 }
 
-#endif /* HAVE_TIFF || HAVE_NS */
+#endif /* HAVE_TIFF */
 
 #ifdef HAVE_TIFF
 
@@ -7979,16 +7964,6 @@ tiff_load (struct frame *f, struct image *img)
   return 1;
 }
 
-#elif defined HAVE_NS
-
-static bool
-tiff_load (struct frame *f, struct image *img)
-{
-  return ns_load_image (f, img,
-                        image_spec_value (img->spec, QCfile, NULL),
-                        image_spec_value (img->spec, QCdata, NULL));
-}
-
 #endif
 
 
@@ -7997,7 +7972,7 @@ tiff_load (struct frame *f, struct image *img)
 				 GIF
  ***********************************************************************/
 
-#if defined (HAVE_GIF) || defined (HAVE_NS)
+#if defined (HAVE_GIF)
 
 /* Indices of image specification fields in gif_format, below.  */
 
@@ -8059,7 +8034,7 @@ gif_image_p (Lisp_Object object)
   return fmt[GIF_FILE].count + fmt[GIF_DATA].count == 1;
 }
 
-#endif /* HAVE_GIF || HAVE_NS */
+#endif /* HAVE_GIF */
 
 #ifdef HAVE_GIF
 
@@ -8576,18 +8551,6 @@ gif_load (struct frame *f, struct image *img)
   return 1;
 }
 
-#else  /* !HAVE_GIF */
-
-#ifdef HAVE_NS
-static bool
-gif_load (struct frame *f, struct image *img)
-{
-  return ns_load_image (f, img,
-                        image_spec_value (img->spec, QCfile, NULL),
-			image_spec_value (img->spec, QCdata, NULL));
-}
-#endif /* HAVE_NS */
-
 #endif /* HAVE_GIF */
 
 
@@ -10256,19 +10219,19 @@ static struct image_type const image_types[] =
  { SYMBOL_INDEX (Qsvg), svg_image_p, svg_load, image_clear_image,
    IMAGE_TYPE_INIT (init_svg_functions) },
 #endif
-#if defined HAVE_PNG || defined HAVE_NS
+#if defined HAVE_PNG
  { SYMBOL_INDEX (Qpng), png_image_p, png_load, image_clear_image,
    IMAGE_TYPE_INIT (init_png_functions) },
 #endif
-#if defined HAVE_GIF || defined HAVE_NS
+#if defined HAVE_GIF
  { SYMBOL_INDEX (Qgif), gif_image_p, gif_load, gif_clear_image,
    IMAGE_TYPE_INIT (init_gif_functions) },
 #endif
-#if defined HAVE_TIFF || defined HAVE_NS
+#if defined HAVE_TIFF
  { SYMBOL_INDEX (Qtiff), tiff_image_p, tiff_load, image_clear_image,
    IMAGE_TYPE_INIT (init_tiff_functions) },
 #endif
-#if defined HAVE_JPEG || defined HAVE_NS
+#if defined HAVE_JPEG
  { SYMBOL_INDEX (Qjpeg), jpeg_image_p, jpeg_load, image_clear_image,
    IMAGE_TYPE_INIT (init_jpeg_functions) },
 #endif
@@ -10418,22 +10381,22 @@ non-numeric, there is no explicit limit on the size of images.  */);
   add_image_type (Qxpm);
 #endif
 
-#if defined (HAVE_JPEG) || defined (HAVE_NS) || defined (HAVE_NATIVE_IMAGE_API)
+#if defined (HAVE_JPEG) || defined (HAVE_NATIVE_IMAGE_API)
   DEFSYM (Qjpeg, "jpeg");
   add_image_type (Qjpeg);
 #endif
 
-#if defined (HAVE_TIFF) || defined (HAVE_NS) || defined (HAVE_NATIVE_IMAGE_API)
+#if defined (HAVE_TIFF) || defined (HAVE_NATIVE_IMAGE_API)
   DEFSYM (Qtiff, "tiff");
   add_image_type (Qtiff);
 #endif
 
-#if defined (HAVE_GIF) || defined (HAVE_NS) || defined (HAVE_NATIVE_IMAGE_API)
+#if defined (HAVE_GIF) || defined (HAVE_NATIVE_IMAGE_API)
   DEFSYM (Qgif, "gif");
   add_image_type (Qgif);
 #endif
 
-#if defined (HAVE_PNG) || defined (HAVE_NS) || defined(HAVE_NATIVE_IMAGE_API)
+#if defined (HAVE_PNG) || defined (HAVE_NATIVE_IMAGE_API)
   DEFSYM (Qpng, "png");
   add_image_type (Qpng);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/nsimage.m b/src/nsimage.m
index 3cccc984ca9..07750de95fe 100644
--- a/src/nsimage.m
+++ b/src/nsimage.m
@@ -45,6 +45,55 @@ Updated by Christian Limpach (chris@nice.ch)
 
    ========================================================================== */
 
+bool
+ns_can_use_native_image_api (Lisp_Object type)
+{
+  NSString *imageType = @"unknown";
+  NSArray *types;
+
+  NSTRACE ("ns_can_use_native_image_api");
+
+  if (EQ (type, Qnative_image))
+    return YES;
+
+#ifdef NS_IMPL_COCOA
+  /* Work out the UTI of the image type.  */
+  if (EQ (type, Qjpeg))
+    imageType = @"public.jpeg";
+  else if (EQ (type, Qpng))
+    imageType = @"public.png";
+  else if (EQ (type, Qgif))
+    imageType = @"com.compuserve.gif";
+  else if (EQ (type, Qtiff))
+    imageType = @"public.tiff";
+  else if (EQ (type, Qsvg))
+    imageType = @"public.svg-image";
+
+  /* NSImage also supports a host of other types such as PDF and BMP,
+     but we don't yet support these in image.c.  */
+
+  types = [NSImage imageTypes];
+#else
+  /* Work out the image type.  */
+  if (EQ (type, Qjpeg))
+    imageType = @"jpeg";
+  else if (EQ (type, Qpng))
+    imageType = @"png";
+  else if (EQ (type, Qgif))
+    imageType = @"gif";
+  else if (EQ (type, Qtiff))
+    imageType = @"tiff";
+
+  types = [NSImage imageFileTypes];
+#endif
+
+  /* Check if the type is supported on this system.  */
+  if ([types indexOfObject:imageType] != NSNotFound)
+    return YES;
+  else
+    return NO;
+}
+
 void *
 ns_image_from_XBM (char *bits, int width, int height,
                    unsigned long fg, unsigned long bg)
diff --git a/src/nsterm.h b/src/nsterm.h
index f5d3c32b8b3..8d5371c8f24 100644
--- a/src/nsterm.h
+++ b/src/nsterm.h
@@ -1189,6 +1189,7 @@ extern void syms_of_nsselect (void);
 
 /* From nsimage.m, needed in image.c */
 struct image;
+extern bool ns_can_use_native_image_api (Lisp_Object type);
 extern void *ns_image_from_XBM (char *bits, int width, int height,
                                 unsigned long fg, unsigned long bg);
 extern void *ns_image_for_XPM (int width, int height, int depth);