diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b678d97..7abefa5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -79,6 +79,20 @@ To generate a signed NSIS installer:
 4. Build the NSIS installer only: building the APPX installer will fail if these environment variables are set.
    - `npm run dist -- -w nsis`
 
+#### Workaround for code signing issue in macOS
+
+Sometimes the macOS build process will result in a build which crashes on startup. If this happens, check in `Console`
+for an entry similar to this:
+
+```text
+failed to parse entitlements for Scratch Desktop[12345]: OSUnserializeXML: syntax error near line 1
+```
+
+This appears to be an issue with `codesign` itself. Rebooting your computer and trying to build again might help. Yes,
+really.
+
+See this issue for more detail: <https://github.com/electron/electron-osx-sign/issues/218>
+
 ### Make a semi-packaged build
 
 This will simulate a packaged build without actually packaging it: instead the files will be copied to a subdirectory
diff --git a/buildResources/entitlements.inherit.plist b/buildResources/entitlements.inherit.plist
deleted file mode 100644
index a7a925c..0000000
--- a/buildResources/entitlements.inherit.plist
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
-<plist version="1.0">
-<dict>
-<key>com.apple.security.app-sandbox</key>
-<true/>
-<key>com.apple.security.cs.allow-unsigned-executable-memory</key>
-<true/>
-<key>com.apple.security.inherit</key>
-<true/>
-</dict>
-</plist>
diff --git a/buildResources/entitlements.plist b/buildResources/entitlements.mac.plist
similarity index 92%
rename from buildResources/entitlements.plist
rename to buildResources/entitlements.mac.plist
index 44d4e94..2e144be 100644
--- a/buildResources/entitlements.plist
+++ b/buildResources/entitlements.mac.plist
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
 <plist version="1.0">
 <dict>
-<key>com.apple.security.app-sandbox</key>
+<key>com.apple.security.cs.allow-jit</key>
 <true/>
 <key>com.apple.security.cs.allow-unsigned-executable-memory</key>
 <true/>
diff --git a/buildResources/entitlements.mas.plist b/buildResources/entitlements.mas.plist
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0d80102
--- /dev/null
+++ b/buildResources/entitlements.mas.plist
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
+<plist version="1.0">
+<dict>
+<key>com.apple.security.app-sandbox</key>
+<true/>
+<key>com.apple.security.cs.allow-jit</key>
+<true/>
+<key>com.apple.security.cs.allow-unsigned-executable-memory</key>
+<true/>
+<key>com.apple.security.device.audio-input</key>
+<true/>
+<key>com.apple.security.device.camera</key>
+<true/>
+<key>com.apple.security.files.user-selected.read-only</key>
+<true/>
+<key>com.apple.security.files.user-selected.read-write</key>
+<true/>
+<key>com.apple.security.network.client</key>
+<true/>
+</dict>
+</plist>
diff --git a/electron-builder.yaml b/electron-builder.yaml
index 8ff6017..0bfb5ea 100644
--- a/electron-builder.yaml
+++ b/electron-builder.yaml
@@ -6,17 +6,23 @@ productName: "Scratch Desktop"
 afterSign: "scripts/afterSign.js"
 mac:
   category: public.app-category.education
+  entitlements: buildResources/entitlements.mac.plist
+  extendInfo:
+    NSCameraUsageDescription: >-
+        This app requires camera access when taking a photo in the paint editor or using the video sensing blocks.
+    NSMicrophoneUsageDescription: >-
+        This app requires microphone access when recording sounds or detecting loudness.
+  gatekeeperAssess: true
   hardenedRuntime: true
   icon: buildResources/ScratchDesktop.icns
   provisioningProfile: embedded.provisionprofile
   target:
     - dmg
     - mas
-mas:
   type: distribution
+mas:
   category: public.app-category.education
-  entitlements: buildResources/entitlements.plist
-  entitlementsInherit: buildResources/entitlements.inherit.plist
+  entitlements: buildResources/entitlements.mas.plist
   icon: buildResources/ScratchDesktop.icns
 win:
   icon: buildResources/ScratchDesktop.ico
diff --git a/scripts/electron-builder-wrapper.js b/scripts/electron-builder-wrapper.js
index f5aa406..a6fb573 100644
--- a/scripts/electron-builder-wrapper.js
+++ b/scripts/electron-builder-wrapper.js
@@ -50,9 +50,10 @@ const runBuilder = function (targetGroup) {
         throw new Error(`NSIS build requires CSC_LINK or WIN_CSC_LINK`);
     }
     const platformFlag = getPlatformFlag();
-    const command = `electron-builder ${platformFlag} ${targetGroup}`;
-    console.log(`running: ${command}`);
-    const result = spawnSync(command, {
+    const customArgs = process.argv.slice(2); // remove `node` and `this-script.js`
+    const allArgs = [platformFlag, targetGroup, ...customArgs];
+    console.log(`running electron-builder with arguments: ${allArgs}`);
+    const result = spawnSync('electron-builder', allArgs, {
         env: childEnvironment,
         shell: true,
         stdio: 'inherit'
diff --git a/src/main/index.js b/src/main/index.js
index e7bac4a..fb8b311 100644
--- a/src/main/index.js
+++ b/src/main/index.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import {BrowserWindow, Menu, app, dialog, ipcMain} from 'electron';
+import {BrowserWindow, Menu, app, dialog, ipcMain, systemPreferences} from 'electron';
 import fs from 'fs';
 import path from 'path';
 import {format as formatUrl} from 'url';
@@ -18,22 +18,48 @@ const isDevelopment = process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production';
 // global window references prevent them from being garbage-collected
 const _windows = {};
 
-const createWindow = ({search = null, url = 'index.html', ...browserWindowOptions}) => {
-    const window = new BrowserWindow({
-        useContentSize: true,
-        show: false,
-        webPreferences: {
-            nodeIntegration: true
-        },
-        ...browserWindowOptions
-    });
-    const webContents = window.webContents;
-
-    if (isDevelopment) {
-        webContents.openDevTools({mode: 'detach', activate: true});
+const displayPermissionDeniedWarning = (browserWindow, permissionType) => {
+    let title;
+    let message;
+    switch (permissionType) {
+    case 'camera':
+        title = 'Camera Permission Denied';
+        message = 'Permission to use the camera has been denied. ' +
+            'Scratch will not be able to take a photo or use video sensing blocks.';
+        break;
+    case 'microphone':
+        title = 'Microphone Permission Denied';
+        message = 'Permission to use the microphone has been denied. ' +
+            'Scratch will not be able to record sounds or detect loudness.';
+        break;
+    default: // shouldn't ever happen...
+        title = 'Permission Denied';
+        message = 'A permission has been denied.';
     }
 
-    const fullUrl = formatUrl(isDevelopment ?
+    let instructions;
+    switch (process.platform) {
+    case 'darwin':
+        instructions = 'To change Scratch permissions, please check "Security & Privacy" in System Preferences.';
+        break;
+    default:
+        instructions = 'To change Scratch permissions, please check your system settings and restart Scratch.';
+        break;
+    }
+    message = `${message}\n\n${instructions}`;
+
+    dialog.showMessageBox(browserWindow, {type: 'warning', title, message});
+};
+
+/**
+ * Build an absolute URL from a relative one, optionally adding search query parameters.
+ * The base of the URL will depend on whether or not the application is running in development mode.
+ * @param {string} url - the relative URL, like 'index.html'
+ * @param {*} search - the optional "search" parameters (the part of the URL after '?'), like "route=about"
+ * @returns {string} - an absolute URL as a string
+ */
+const makeFullUrl = (url, search = null) =>
+    encodeURI(formatUrl(isDevelopment ?
         { // Webpack Dev Server
             hostname: 'localhost',
             pathname: url,
@@ -47,7 +73,94 @@ const createWindow = ({search = null, url = 'index.html', ...browserWindowOption
             search,
             slashes: true
         }
-    );
+    ));
+
+/**
+ * Prompt in a platform-specific way for permission to access the microphone or camera, if Electron supports doing so.
+ * Any application-level checks, such as whether or not a particular frame or document should be allowed to ask,
+ * should be done before calling this function.
+ *
+ * @param {string} mediaType - one of Electron's media types, like 'microphone' or 'camera'
+ * @returns {boolean} - true if permission granted, false otherwise.
+ */
+const askForMediaAccess = async mediaType => {
+    if (systemPreferences.askForMediaAccess) {
+        // Electron currently only implements this on macOS
+        return systemPreferences.askForMediaAccess(mediaType);
+    }
+    // For other platforms we can't reasonably do anything other than assume we have access.
+    return true;
+};
+
+const handlePermissionRequest = async (webContents, permission, callback, details) => {
+    if (webContents !== _windows.main.webContents) {
+        // deny: request came from somewhere other than the main window's web contents
+        return callback(false);
+    }
+    if (!details.isMainFrame) {
+        // deny: request came from a subframe of the main window, not the main frame
+        return callback(false);
+    }
+    if (permission !== 'media') {
+        // deny: request is for some other kind of access like notifications or pointerLock
+        return callback(false);
+    }
+    const requiredBase = makeFullUrl('/');
+    if (details.requestingUrl.indexOf(requiredBase) !== 0) {
+        // deny: request came from a URL outside of our "sandbox"
+        return callback(false);
+    }
+    let askForMicrophone = false;
+    let askForCamera = false;
+    for (const mediaType of details.mediaTypes) {
+        switch (mediaType) {
+        case 'audio':
+            askForMicrophone = true;
+            break;
+        case 'video':
+            askForCamera = true;
+            break;
+        default:
+            // deny: unhandled media type
+            return callback(false);
+        }
+    }
+    const parentWindow = _windows.main; // if we ever allow media in non-main windows we'll also need to change this
+    if (askForMicrophone) {
+        const microphoneResult = await askForMediaAccess('microphone');
+        if (!microphoneResult) {
+            displayPermissionDeniedWarning(parentWindow, 'microphone');
+            return callback(false);
+        }
+    }
+    if (askForCamera) {
+        const cameraResult = await askForMediaAccess('camera');
+        if (!cameraResult) {
+            displayPermissionDeniedWarning(parentWindow, 'camera');
+            return callback(false);
+        }
+    }
+    return callback(true);
+};
+
+const createWindow = ({search = null, url = 'index.html', ...browserWindowOptions}) => {
+    const window = new BrowserWindow({
+        useContentSize: true,
+        show: false,
+        webPreferences: {
+            nodeIntegration: true
+        },
+        ...browserWindowOptions
+    });
+    const webContents = window.webContents;
+
+    webContents.session.setPermissionRequestHandler(handlePermissionRequest);
+
+    if (isDevelopment) {
+        webContents.openDevTools({mode: 'detach', activate: true});
+    }
+
+    const fullUrl = makeFullUrl(url, search);
     window.loadURL(fullUrl);
 
     return window;