diff --git a/gyp/platform-ios.gypi b/gyp/platform-ios.gypi
index 3dabc19867e..d5fb6a84741 100644
--- a/gyp/platform-ios.gypi
+++ b/gyp/platform-ios.gypi
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@
         '../platform/ios/MGLAnnotationImage.m',
         '../include/mbgl/ios/MGLStyle.h',
         '../platform/ios/MGLStyle.mm',
+        '../platform/ios/MGLCategoryLoader.h',
+        '../platform/ios/MGLCategoryLoader.m',
         '../platform/ios/NSBundle+MGLAdditions.h',
         '../platform/ios/NSBundle+MGLAdditions.m',
         '../platform/ios/NSException+MGLAdditions.h',
@@ -82,7 +84,6 @@
           '-framework MobileCoreServices',
           '-framework QuartzCore',
           '-framework SystemConfiguration',
-          '-ObjC',
         ],
       },
 
diff --git a/platform/ios/MGLAccountManager.m b/platform/ios/MGLAccountManager.m
index f7b52907674..16cd7435cda 100644
--- a/platform/ios/MGLAccountManager.m
+++ b/platform/ios/MGLAccountManager.m
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #import "MGLAccountManager_Private.h"
 #import "MGLMapboxEvents.h"
+#import "MGLCategoryLoader.h"
 #import "NSProcessInfo+MGLAdditions.h"
 
 #import <Fabric/FABKitProtocol.h>
@@ -34,6 +35,8 @@ + (void)load {
 // Can be called from any thread.
 //
 + (instancetype) sharedManager {
+    [MGLCategoryLoader loadCategories];
+
     if (NSProcessInfo.processInfo.mgl_isInterfaceBuilderDesignablesAgent) {
         return nil;
     }
diff --git a/platform/ios/MGLCategoryLoader.h b/platform/ios/MGLCategoryLoader.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..874450d148a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/platform/ios/MGLCategoryLoader.h
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
+
+@interface MGLCategoryLoader : NSObject
+
++ (void)loadCategories;
+
+@end
diff --git a/platform/ios/MGLCategoryLoader.m b/platform/ios/MGLCategoryLoader.m
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..13d82b19b2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/platform/ios/MGLCategoryLoader.m
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#import "MGLCategoryLoader.h"
+
+#import "NSBundle+MGLAdditions.h"
+#import "NSProcessInfo+MGLAdditions.h"
+#import "NSString+MGLAdditions.h"
+
+// https://github.com/mapbox/mapbox-gl-native/issues/2966
+
+@implementation MGLCategoryLoader
+
++ (void)loadCategories
+{
+    mgl_linkBundleCategory();
+    mgl_linkProcessCategory();
+    mgl_linkStringCategory();
+}
+
+@end
diff --git a/platform/ios/NSBundle+MGLAdditions.h b/platform/ios/NSBundle+MGLAdditions.h
index 0de96bf3105..f3800dfd953 100644
--- a/platform/ios/NSBundle+MGLAdditions.h
+++ b/platform/ios/NSBundle+MGLAdditions.h
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_BEGIN
 
+void mgl_linkBundleCategory();
+
 @interface NSBundle (MGLAdditions)
 
 + (NSString *)mgl_resourceBundlePath;
diff --git a/platform/ios/NSBundle+MGLAdditions.m b/platform/ios/NSBundle+MGLAdditions.m
index d8ba7dacc4c..3fca7384a32 100644
--- a/platform/ios/NSBundle+MGLAdditions.m
+++ b/platform/ios/NSBundle+MGLAdditions.m
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 @implementation NSBundle (MGLAdditions)
 
+void mgl_linkBundleCategory(){}
+
 + (NSString *)mgl_resourceBundlePath
 {
     NSString *resourceBundlePath = [[NSBundle bundleForClass:[MGLMapView class]] pathForResource:@"Mapbox" ofType:@"bundle"];
diff --git a/platform/ios/NSProcessInfo+MGLAdditions.h b/platform/ios/NSProcessInfo+MGLAdditions.h
index a117f3b76d1..b97979ddb49 100644
--- a/platform/ios/NSProcessInfo+MGLAdditions.h
+++ b/platform/ios/NSProcessInfo+MGLAdditions.h
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
 
+void mgl_linkProcessCategory();
+
 @interface NSProcessInfo (MGLAdditions)
 
 - (BOOL)mgl_isInterfaceBuilderDesignablesAgent;
diff --git a/platform/ios/NSProcessInfo+MGLAdditions.m b/platform/ios/NSProcessInfo+MGLAdditions.m
index fca183c1f70..1f12f7256e1 100644
--- a/platform/ios/NSProcessInfo+MGLAdditions.m
+++ b/platform/ios/NSProcessInfo+MGLAdditions.m
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 @implementation NSProcessInfo (MGLAdditions)
 
+void mgl_linkProcessCategory(){}
+
 - (BOOL)mgl_isInterfaceBuilderDesignablesAgent
 {
     return [self.processName isEqualToString:@"IBDesignablesAgentCocoaTouch"];
diff --git a/platform/ios/NSString+MGLAdditions.h b/platform/ios/NSString+MGLAdditions.h
index 6359576c287..a4941ac8573 100644
--- a/platform/ios/NSString+MGLAdditions.h
+++ b/platform/ios/NSString+MGLAdditions.h
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_BEGIN
 
+void mgl_linkStringCategory();
+
 @interface NSString (MGLAdditions)
 
 /** Returns the receiver if non-empty or nil if empty. */
diff --git a/platform/ios/NSString+MGLAdditions.m b/platform/ios/NSString+MGLAdditions.m
index 969886651b0..284c63f5a94 100644
--- a/platform/ios/NSString+MGLAdditions.m
+++ b/platform/ios/NSString+MGLAdditions.m
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 @implementation NSString (MGLAdditions)
 
+void mgl_linkStringCategory(){}
+
 - (nullable NSString *)mgl_stringOrNilIfEmpty
 {
     return self.length ? self : nil;