diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/img.py b/src/calibre/utils/img.py
index 350ef29549..bcd9f5abc2 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/img.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/img.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ from calibre.utils.filenames import atomic_rename
 
 if QCoreApplication.instance() is None:
     # We need a QCoreApplication() in order to load imageformat plugins
-    _core_app = QCoreApplication()
+    _core_app = QCoreApplication([])
 
 # Utilities {{{
 imageops, imageops_err = plugins['imageops']