diff --git a/src/vs/base/common/platform.ts b/src/vs/base/common/platform.ts
index cf76f7ce0e1..8c0d6c319e9 100644
--- a/src/vs/base/common/platform.ts
+++ b/src/vs/base/common/platform.ts
@@ -278,3 +278,7 @@ export const isAndroid = !!(userAgent && userAgent.indexOf('Android') >= 0);
 export function isBigSurOrNewer(osVersion: string): boolean {
 	return parseFloat(osVersion) >= 20;
 }
+
+export function isTahoe(osVersion: string): boolean {
+	return parseFloat(osVersion) === 25;
+}
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windows.ts b/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windows.ts
index 57d8b534e68..52317939863 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windows.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windows.ts
@@ -4,10 +4,11 @@
  *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 import electron, { Display, Rectangle } from 'electron';
+import { release } from 'os';
 import { Color } from '../../../base/common/color.js';
 import { Event } from '../../../base/common/event.js';
 import { join } from '../../../base/common/path.js';
-import { IProcessEnvironment, isLinux, isMacintosh, isWindows } from '../../../base/common/platform.js';
+import { IProcessEnvironment, isLinux, isMacintosh, isTahoe, isWindows } from '../../../base/common/platform.js';
 import { URI } from '../../../base/common/uri.js';
 import { IAuxiliaryWindow } from '../../auxiliaryWindow/electron-main/auxiliaryWindow.js';
 import { IConfigurationService } from '../../configuration/common/configuration.js';
@@ -186,6 +187,14 @@ export function defaultBrowserWindowOptions(accessor: ServicesAccessor, windowSt
 		if (windowSettings?.clickThroughInactive === false) {
 			options.acceptFirstMouse = false;
 		}
+
+		// Mac OS 26.?.? has a `WindowServer` bug that causes (some?) windows with shadows
+		// to cause 80%+ GPU load.
+		// See: https://github.com/electron/electron/issues/48311
+		// TODO: once the bug is fixed in the OS, lock this into a specific version.
+		if (isTahoe(release())) {
+			options.hasShadow = false;
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (overrides?.disableFullscreen) {