diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-macvim.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci-macvim.yaml
index 0357422a0b..0b012ee72e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-macvim.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-macvim.yaml
@@ -242,6 +242,26 @@ jobs:
           ${VIM_BIN} -u NONE -i NONE --not-a-term -esNX -V1 -S ci/if_ver-2.vim -c quit
 
       - name: Smoketest
+        run: |
+          set -o verbose
+
+          # Make sure there isn't any dynamic linkage to third-party dependencies in the built binary, as we should only use
+          # static linkage to avoid dependency hell. Test that all those dylib's are in /usr/lib which is bundled with macOS and not third-party.
+          if otool -L ${VIM_BIN} | grep '\.dylib\s' | grep -v '^\s*/usr/lib/'; then
+            echo 'Found external dynamic linkage!'; false
+          fi
+
+          # Make sure that --disable-sparkle flag will properly exclude all references to Sparkle symbols. This is
+          # necessary because we still use weak linking to Sparkle when that flag is set and so references to Sparkle
+          # wouldn't fail the build (we just remove Sparkle.framework from the built app after the fact).
+          if ${{ matrix.publish == false }}; then
+            # Currently we pass --disable-sparkle flag when publish==false
+            if objdump -t ${MACVIM_BIN} | grep "_SPU\|_SUUpdate"; then
+              echo 'Found references to Sparkle even when using --disable-sparkle'; false
+            fi
+          fi
+
+      - name: Smoketest (publish)
         if: matrix.publish
         run: |
           set -o verbose
@@ -263,12 +283,6 @@ jobs:
           # Check that libsodium is working
           macvim_excmd -c 'set cryptmethod=xchacha20'
 
-          # Make sure there isn't any dynamic linkage to third-party dependencies in the built binary, as we should only use
-          # static linkage to avoid dependency hell. Test that all those dylib's are in /usr/lib which is bundled with macOS and not third-party.
-          if otool -L ${VIM_BIN} | grep '\.dylib\s' | grep -v '^\s*/usr/lib/'; then
-            echo 'Found external dynamic linkage!'; false
-          fi
-
           # Make sure we are building universal x86_64 / arm64 builds and didn't accidentally create a thin app.
           check_arch() {
             local archs=($(lipo -archs "$1"))
diff --git a/src/MacVim/MacVim.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj b/src/MacVim/MacVim.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
index 732c89f3a9..e35f545069 100644
--- a/src/MacVim/MacVim.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
+++ b/src/MacVim/MacVim.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
@@ -1053,7 +1053,7 @@
 			);
 			runOnlyForDeploymentPostprocessing = 0;
 			shellPath = /bin/sh;
-			shellScript = "./scripts/cleanup-after-build \"$BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR/$WRAPPER_NAME\"\n";
+			shellScript = "./scripts/cleanup-after-build \"$BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR/$WRAPPER_NAME\" \"$REMOVE_SPARKLE\"\n";
 			showEnvVarsInLog = 0;
 		};
 		90BD4EF224E0E8B700BF29F2 /* Copy locale message translation files */ = {
diff --git a/src/MacVim/scripts/cleanup-after-build b/src/MacVim/scripts/cleanup-after-build
index 24009263f1..500925d17f 100755
--- a/src/MacVim/scripts/cleanup-after-build
+++ b/src/MacVim/scripts/cleanup-after-build
@@ -3,22 +3,35 @@
 # Utility script to clean up after a MacVim build.
 
 if [[ $# == 0 ]]; then
-    echo "Usage: cleanup-after-build <MacVim_app>"
+    echo "Usage: cleanup-after-build <MacVim_app> <remove_sparkle>"
     exit -1
 fi
 
 set -e
 
 macvim_path=$1
+remove_sparkle=$2
 
-sparkle_xpcservices_symlink="$macvim_path/Contents/Frameworks/Sparkle.framework/XPCServices"
-sparkle_xpcservices="$macvim_path/Contents/Frameworks/Sparkle.framework/Versions/Current/XPCServices"
+if [ "$remove_sparkle" == "1" ]; then
+    sparkle_path="$macvim_path/Contents/Frameworks/Sparkle.framework"
+    if [ -d "$sparkle_path" ]; then
+        # Remove the entire Sparkle folder. Used when --disable-sparkle was set.
+        # Using a clean up script is easier because there isn't an easy way to tell
+        # Xcode not to link/copy it unless we make another target, or dynamically
+        # patch the project file.
+        set -x
+        rm -rf "$sparkle_path"
+    fi
+else
+    sparkle_xpcservices_symlink="$macvim_path/Contents/Frameworks/Sparkle.framework/XPCServices"
+    sparkle_xpcservices="$macvim_path/Contents/Frameworks/Sparkle.framework/Versions/Current/XPCServices"
 
-if [ -d "$sparkle_xpcservices" ]; then
-    # This only happens when building using Sparkle 2. It contains XPC Services
-    # files which are only necessary for sandboxed apps, and not recommended
-    # otherwise. See https://sparkle-project.org/documentation/sandboxing/.
-    set -x
-    rm -rf "$sparkle_xpcservices"
-    rm "$sparkle_xpcservices_symlink"
+    if [ -d "$sparkle_xpcservices" ]; then
+        # This only happens when building using Sparkle 2. It contains XPC Services
+        # files which are only necessary for sandboxed apps, and not recommended
+        # otherwise. See https://sparkle-project.org/documentation/sandboxing/.
+        set -x
+        rm -rf "$sparkle_xpcservices"
+        rm "$sparkle_xpcservices_symlink"
+    fi
 fi
diff --git a/src/auto/configure b/src/auto/configure
index 606934b611..bbf7d1c701 100755
--- a/src/auto/configure
+++ b/src/auto/configure
@@ -5015,7 +5015,7 @@ printf "%s\n" "no" >&6; }
   else
     { printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: yes" >&5
 printf "%s\n" "yes" >&6; }
-    XCODEFLAGS="$XCODEFLAGS GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS='$GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS DISABLE_SPARKLE=1'"
+    XCODEFLAGS="$XCODEFLAGS GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS='$GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS DISABLE_SPARKLE=1' REMOVE_SPARKLE=1"
   fi
 
   if test "$enable_sparkle" == "yes"; then
diff --git a/src/configure.ac b/src/configure.ac
index 8eb5d6dc6b..1d7cbe615e 100644
--- a/src/configure.ac
+++ b/src/configure.ac
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ if test "$vim_cv_uname_output" = Darwin; then
     AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
   else
     AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
-    XCODEFLAGS="$XCODEFLAGS GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS='$GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS DISABLE_SPARKLE=1'"
+    XCODEFLAGS="$XCODEFLAGS GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS='$GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS DISABLE_SPARKLE=1' REMOVE_SPARKLE=1"
   fi
 
   if test "$enable_sparkle" == "yes"; then