diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index efe4fcc3..245d20a3 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -23,7 +23,13 @@ AC_PROG_CC
 
 ### Get canonical host
 AC_CANONICAL_HOST
-AS_IF([test "x$host_os" = xcygwin],
+PLATFORM="unknown"
+AS_CASE([$host_os],
+    [darwin*], [PLATFORM="osx"],
+    [cygwin], [PLATFORM="cygwin"],
+    [PLATFORM="nix"])
+
+AS_IF([test "x$PLATFORM" = xcygwin],
     [AC_DEFINE([PLATFORM_CYGWIN], [1], [Cygwin])])
 
 ### Options
@@ -111,12 +117,28 @@ PKG_CHECK_MODULES([glib], [glib-2.0 >= 2.26], [],
     [AC_MSG_ERROR([glib 2.26 or higher is required for profanity])])
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([curl], [libcurl], [],
     [AC_MSG_ERROR([libcurl is required for profanity])])
-AS_IF([test "x$enable_notifications" != xno],
-    [PKG_CHECK_MODULES([libnotify], [libnotify],
-        [AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LIBNOTIFY], [1], [libnotify module])],
-        [AS_IF([test "x$enable_notifications" = xyes],
-            [AC_MSG_ERROR([libnotify is required but does not exist])],
-            [AC_MSG_NOTICE([libnotify support will be disabled])])])])
+
+### Check for desktop notification support
+### Linux requires libnotify
+### Windows uses native OS calls
+### OSX requires terminal-notifier
+
+AS_IF([test "x$PLATFORM" = xosx],
+        [AS_IF([test "x$enable_notifications" != xno],
+            [NOTIFIER_PATH="no"
+            AC_PATH_PROG(NOTIFIER_PATH, terminal-notifier, no)
+            AS_IF([test "x$NOTIFIER_PATH" = xno],
+                [AS_IF([test "x$enable_notifications" = xyes],
+                    [AC_MSG_ERROR([terminal-notifier not found, required for desktop notifications.])],
+                    [AC_MSG_NOTICE([Desktop notifications not supported.])])],
+                [AC_DEFINE([HAVE_OSXNOTIFY], [1], [terminal notifier])])])],
+    [test "x$PLATFORM" = xnix],
+        [AS_IF([test "x$enable_notifications" != xno],
+            [PKG_CHECK_MODULES([libnotify], [libnotify],
+                [AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LIBNOTIFY], [1], [libnotify module])],
+                [AS_IF([test "x$enable_notifications" = xyes],
+                    [AC_MSG_ERROR([libnotify is required but does not exist])],
+                    [AC_MSG_NOTICE([libnotify support will be disabled])])])])])
 
 # TODO: rewrite this
 if test "x$with_xscreensaver" = xyes; then
@@ -193,6 +215,7 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile])
 AC_OUTPUT
 
 echo ""
+echo "PLATFORM       : $host_os"
 echo "PACKAGE_STATUS : $PACKAGE_STATUS"
 echo "AM_CFLAGS      : $AM_CFLAGS"
 echo "AM_CPPFLAGS    : $AM_CPPFLAGS"
diff --git a/src/ui/notifier.c b/src/ui/notifier.c
index 7c366434..16fd814f 100644
--- a/src/ui/notifier.c
+++ b/src/ui/notifier.c
@@ -206,6 +206,7 @@ _notify(const char * const message, int timeout,
 
     Shell_NotifyIcon(NIM_MODIFY, &nid);
 #endif
+#ifdef HAVE_OSXNOTIFY
     GString *notify_command = g_string_new("terminal-notifier -title 'Profanity' -message '");
     g_string_append(notify_command, message);
     g_string_append(notify_command, "'");
@@ -229,6 +230,7 @@ _notify(const char * const message, int timeout,
     }
 
     g_string_free(notify_command, TRUE);
+#endif
 }
 
 void