diff --git a/core/java/src/net/i2p/util/SystemVersion.java b/core/java/src/net/i2p/util/SystemVersion.java
index e77cd962d..a2552109a 100644
--- a/core/java/src/net/i2p/util/SystemVersion.java
+++ b/core/java/src/net/i2p/util/SystemVersion.java
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ public abstract class SystemVersion {
                           (DAEMON_USER.equals(System.getProperty("user.name")) ||
                            (_isGentoo && GENTOO_USER.equals(System.getProperty("user.name"))));
         _isService = _isLinuxService || _isWindowsService;
-        _isSlow = _isAndroid || _isApache || _isArm || _isGNU || _isZero || getMaxMemory() < 48*1024*1024L;
+        // we assume the Apple M1 is not slow, however isSlow() below will still return true until we have a jbigi
+        _isSlow = _isAndroid || _isApache || (_isArm && !_isMac) || _isGNU || _isZero || getMaxMemory() < 48*1024*1024L;
 
         int sdk = 0;
         if (_isAndroid) {