diff --git a/.github/workflows/releaser.yml b/.github/workflows/releaser.yml
index 705ced0bae..c3cae4ffb7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/releaser.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/releaser.yml
@@ -193,6 +193,22 @@ jobs:
           owner: stacklok
           repositories: homebrew-tap
 
+      # Gates the notarize.macos pipe in .goreleaser.yaml, and warns when the
+      # signing secrets are absent so unsigned releases are visible in the log.
+      - name: Determine macOS signing configuration
+        id: macos-signing
+        env:
+          APPLE_CERTIFICATE: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERTIFICATE }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          if [[ -n "$APPLE_CERTIFICATE" ]]; then
+            echo "enabled=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "✅ Apple signing credentials present — darwin binaries will be Developer ID signed"
+          else
+            echo "enabled=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "::warning title=macOS binaries unsigned::APPLE_CERTIFICATE is not configured, so the darwin thv binaries ship ad-hoc signed with no Team ID. See issue #5862."
+          fi
+
       - name: Run GoReleaser
         id: run-goreleaser
         uses: goreleaser/goreleaser-action@f06c13b6b1a9625abc9e6e439d9c05a8f2190e94 # v7
@@ -208,6 +224,12 @@ jobs:
           COMMIT: ${{ needs.compute-build-flags.outputs.commit }}
           COMMIT_DATE: ${{ needs.compute-build-flags.outputs.commit-date }}
           TREE_STATE: ${{ needs.compute-build-flags.outputs.tree-state }}
+          # macOS signing, consumed by the notarize.macos pipe in
+          # .goreleaser.yaml. Same Developer ID cert toolhive-studio uses; no
+          # keychain needed, since quill reads the .p12 directly.
+          MACOS_SIGN_ENABLED: ${{ steps.macos-signing.outputs.enabled }}
+          APPLE_CERTIFICATE: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERTIFICATE }}
+          APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD }}
 
       - name: Generate subject
         id: hash
diff --git a/.goreleaser.yaml b/.goreleaser.yaml
index 50c3bcab35..e8cd721d57 100644
--- a/.goreleaser.yaml
+++ b/.goreleaser.yaml
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ project_name: toolhive
 version: 2
 # This section defines the build matrix.
 builds:
-  - env:
+  # id is referenced by notarize.macos.ids below; matches the previous default.
+  - id: toolhive
+    env:
       - GO111MODULE=on
       - CGO_ENABLED=0
     flags:
@@ -24,6 +26,23 @@ builds:
       - arm64
     main: ./cmd/thv
     binary: thv
+# Developer ID signature for the macOS binaries. Go's linker emits only an
+# ad-hoc one, which carries no Team ID to allowlist. Signing  goes through
+# GoReleaser's embedded quill, so no macOS runner is needed.
+#
+# Sign-only: omitting the `notarize` sub-block keeps Apple's notary service off
+# the release critical path.
+notarize:
+  macos:
+    # A flag rather than `isEnvSet "APPLE_CERTIFICATE"`, because an absent GitHub
+    # secret still sets the variable, to the empty string. Unset means ad-hoc
+    # binaries, not a failed release.
+    - enabled: '{{ .Env.MACOS_SIGN_ENABLED }}'
+      ids:
+        - toolhive
+      sign:
+        certificate: "{{ .Env.APPLE_CERTIFICATE }}"
+        password: "{{ .Env.APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD }}"
 # This section defines the release format.
 archives:
   - formats: [ 'tar.gz' ]