diff --git a/layers/+spacemacs/spacemacs-modeline/packages.el b/layers/+spacemacs/spacemacs-modeline/packages.el
index d5cc597f4..76fd515fa 100644
--- a/layers/+spacemacs/spacemacs-modeline/packages.el
+++ b/layers/+spacemacs/spacemacs-modeline/packages.el
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@
                            '(spacemacs custom))
                      (spacemacs/mode-line-separator))
                 'wave)
-            powerline-image-apple-rgb (spacemacs/system-is-mac)
+            powerline-image-apple-rgb (eq window-system 'ns)
             powerline-scale (or (spacemacs/mode-line-separator-scale) 1.5))
       (spacemacs|do-after-display-system-init
        ;; seems to be needed to avoid weird graphical artefacts with the