diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 49fada6..62a6bd6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -96,6 +96,19 @@ jobs:
           ./rust/target/release/apw --version
           ./rust/target/release/apw status --json
 
+      - name: Build native app bundle
+        run: ./scripts/build-native-app.sh
+
+      - name: Sign and notarize native app bundle
+        if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v')
+        env:
+          APPLE_DEVELOPER_CERT_P12: ${{ secrets.APPLE_DEVELOPER_CERT_P12 }}
+          APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD }}
+          APPLE_NOTARY_KEY_ID: ${{ secrets.APPLE_NOTARY_KEY_ID }}
+          APPLE_NOTARY_KEY_ISSUER: ${{ secrets.APPLE_NOTARY_KEY_ISSUER }}
+          APPLE_NOTARY_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.APPLE_NOTARY_PRIVATE_KEY }}
+        run: bash scripts/notarize-native-app.sh
+
       - name: Homebrew smoke install from source tarball
         env:
           APW_SRC_TARBALL: ${{ steps.source_tarball.outputs.path }}
diff --git a/docs/INSTALLATION.md b/docs/INSTALLATION.md
index d36a54b..23b42d4 100644
--- a/docs/INSTALLATION.md
+++ b/docs/INSTALLATION.md
@@ -85,6 +85,12 @@ tar -xzf apw-macos-vX.Y.Z.tar.gz
 After `apw app install`, the CLI copies `APW.app` into
 `~/.apw/native-app/installed/APW.app`.
 
+Tagged release archives are signed and notarized by
+`.github/workflows/release.yml` when the Apple Developer ID and notary secrets
+listed in `docs/bootstrap/onboarding.md` are configured. If those optional
+secrets are absent, the workflow emits a warning and publishes an unstapled
+archive rather than failing unrelated release automation.
+
 ## Homebrew
 
 APW uses a **formula-plus-app-install** Homebrew model for the v2 line. The
diff --git a/docs/bootstrap/onboarding.md b/docs/bootstrap/onboarding.md
index 7ad2536..56fe64f 100644
--- a/docs/bootstrap/onboarding.md
+++ b/docs/bootstrap/onboarding.md
@@ -56,16 +56,19 @@
     | ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
     | `APPLE_DEVELOPER_CERT_P12`   | base64-encoded Developer ID Application .p12 (issue #7)        |
     | `APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD`        | passphrase for the .p12 above                                  |
-    | `APPLE_TEAM_ID`              | 10-character Apple Developer Team ID                           |
     | `APPLE_NOTARY_KEY_ID`        | App Store Connect API key id used by `notarytool`              |
     | `APPLE_NOTARY_KEY_ISSUER`    | App Store Connect issuer UUID                                  |
     | `APPLE_NOTARY_PRIVATE_KEY`   | base64-encoded `.p8` private key for `notarytool`              |
     | `HOMEBREW_TAP_TOKEN`         | scoped `contents:write` token on the tap repo (issue #6)       |
 
-    All Apple credentials are optional — when absent, the workflow emits
-    a `::warning::` and continues without notarization. The Homebrew tap
-    job is `continue-on-error` so a missing or rejected token does not
-    block the release.
+    On tagged releases, `scripts/notarize-native-app.sh` imports the Developer
+    ID certificate into a temporary keychain, signs the release CLI and
+    `APW.app`, submits the app bundle to Apple notary service, staples the
+    ticket, and verifies Gatekeeper assessment before the archive is packaged.
+    All Apple credentials are optional — when absent, the workflow emits a
+    `::warning::` and continues without notarization. The Homebrew tap job is
+    `continue-on-error` so a missing or rejected token does not block the
+    release.
 
     ## Home Profiles
 
diff --git a/rust/src/daemon.rs b/rust/src/daemon.rs
index 6d1463e..88033b0 100644
--- a/rust/src/daemon.rs
+++ b/rust/src/daemon.rs
@@ -2596,13 +2596,19 @@ mod tests {
             .set_read_timeout(Some(StdDuration::from_secs(1)))
             .unwrap();
         let payload = serde_json::to_vec(request).unwrap();
-        socket.send_to(&payload, ("127.0.0.1", port)).unwrap();
+        loop {
+            match socket.send_to(&payload, ("127.0.0.1", port)) {
+                Ok(_) => break,
+                Err(error) if error.kind() == ErrorKind::Interrupted => continue,
+                Err(error) => panic!("failed to send daemon test request: {error}"),
+            }
+        }
 
         let mut buffer = vec![0_u8; 4096];
         let size = loop {
             match socket.recv(&mut buffer) {
                 Ok(size) => break size,
-                Err(error) if error.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::Interrupted => continue,
+                Err(error) if error.kind() == ErrorKind::Interrupted => continue,
                 Err(error) => panic!("failed to receive daemon test response: {error}"),
             }
         };
diff --git a/scripts/ci/run-fast-checks.sh b/scripts/ci/run-fast-checks.sh
index 564b845..3d84d49 100755
--- a/scripts/ci/run-fast-checks.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci/run-fast-checks.sh
@@ -44,5 +44,6 @@ done < <(find .github/scripts scripts -type f -name '*.sh' -print0)
 ./scripts/test-extended-validation-config.sh
 ./scripts/test-verify-universal-binaries.sh
 ./scripts/test-universal-release-config.sh
+./scripts/test-notarize-native-app.sh
 
 echo "APW fast checks passed."
diff --git a/scripts/notarize-native-app.sh b/scripts/notarize-native-app.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..8e264fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/notarize-native-app.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+ROOT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+APP_DIR="${APW_APP_BUNDLE_PATH:-$ROOT_DIR/native-app/dist/APW.app}"
+CLI_BIN="${APW_CLI_BINARY_PATH:-$ROOT_DIR/rust/target/release/apw}"
+REQUIRED="${APW_NOTARIZE_REQUIRED:-0}"
+DRY_RUN="${APW_NOTARIZE_DRY_RUN:-0}"
+
+codesigning_env=(
+  APPLE_DEVELOPER_CERT_P12
+  APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD
+)
+
+notarytool_env=(
+  APPLE_NOTARY_KEY_ID
+  APPLE_NOTARY_KEY_ISSUER
+  APPLE_NOTARY_PRIVATE_KEY
+)
+
+required_env=("${codesigning_env[@]}" "${notarytool_env[@]}")
+
+missing=()
+for name in "${required_env[@]}"; do
+  if [[ -z "${!name:-}" ]]; then
+    missing+=("$name")
+  fi
+done
+
+if [[ "${#missing[@]}" -gt 0 ]]; then
+  message="Apple notarization credentials are incomplete; missing: ${missing[*]}"
+  if [[ "$REQUIRED" == "1" ]]; then
+    echo "$message" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "::warning::$message. Skipping notarization."
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -d "$APP_DIR" ]]; then
+  echo "APW app bundle not found: $APP_DIR" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ "$DRY_RUN" == "1" ]]; then
+  echo "Notarization inputs are present for $APP_DIR; dry run requested."
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+if [[ "$(uname -s)" != "Darwin" ]]; then
+  echo "Notarization requires macOS; current platform is $(uname -s)." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+for tool in codesign ditto security spctl xcrun; do
+  if ! command -v "$tool" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    echo "Required notarization tool not found on PATH: $tool" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+done
+
+decode_base64() {
+  local value="$1"
+  local output="$2"
+  if ! printf '%s' "$value" | base64 --decode >"$output" 2>/dev/null; then
+    printf '%s' "$value" | base64 -D >"$output"
+  fi
+}
+
+tmp_dir="$(mktemp -d)"
+keychain="$tmp_dir/apw-notarization.keychain-db"
+cert_path="$tmp_dir/developer-id.p12"
+notary_key_path="$tmp_dir/notary-key.p8"
+zip_path="$tmp_dir/APW.app.zip"
+keychain_password="$(uuidgen | tr -d '-')"
+signing_identity="${APPLE_DEVELOPER_IDENTITY:-Developer ID Application}"
+
+cleanup() {
+  security delete-keychain "$keychain" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+  rm -rf "$tmp_dir"
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
+decode_base64 "$APPLE_DEVELOPER_CERT_P12" "$cert_path"
+decode_base64 "$APPLE_NOTARY_PRIVATE_KEY" "$notary_key_path"
+chmod 0600 "$cert_path" "$notary_key_path"
+
+security create-keychain -p "$keychain_password" "$keychain"
+security set-keychain-settings -lut 21600 "$keychain"
+security unlock-keychain -p "$keychain_password" "$keychain"
+security import "$cert_path" -k "$keychain" -P "$APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD" -T /usr/bin/codesign -T /usr/bin/security
+security set-key-partition-list -S apple-tool:,apple: -s -k "$keychain_password" "$keychain"
+
+existing_keychains=()
+while IFS= read -r keychain_path; do
+  existing_keychains+=("${keychain_path//\"/}")
+done < <(security list-keychains -d user)
+security list-keychains -d user -s "$keychain" "${existing_keychains[@]}"
+
+if [[ -x "$CLI_BIN" ]]; then
+  codesign --force --options runtime --timestamp --sign "$signing_identity" "$CLI_BIN"
+fi
+
+codesign --force --deep --options runtime --timestamp --sign "$signing_identity" "$APP_DIR"
+codesign --verify --deep --strict --verbose=2 "$APP_DIR"
+
+ditto -c -k --keepParent "$APP_DIR" "$zip_path"
+xcrun notarytool submit "$zip_path" \
+  --key "$notary_key_path" \
+  --key-id "$APPLE_NOTARY_KEY_ID" \
+  --issuer "$APPLE_NOTARY_KEY_ISSUER" \
+  --wait
+xcrun stapler staple "$APP_DIR"
+spctl --assess --type execute --verbose=2 "$APP_DIR"
+
+echo "APW.app signed, notarized, and stapled: $APP_DIR"
diff --git a/scripts/test-notarize-native-app.sh b/scripts/test-notarize-native-app.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..d3f5721
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/test-notarize-native-app.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+ROOT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+tmp_dir="$(mktemp -d)"
+cleanup() {
+  rm -rf "$tmp_dir"
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
+fake_app="$tmp_dir/APW.app"
+mkdir -p "$fake_app/Contents/MacOS"
+printf '#!/usr/bin/env sh\nexit 0\n' >"$fake_app/Contents/MacOS/APW"
+chmod 0755 "$fake_app/Contents/MacOS/APW"
+
+required_log="$tmp_dir/notary-required.log"
+optional_log="$tmp_dir/notary-optional.log"
+dry_run_log="$tmp_dir/notary-dry-run.log"
+
+if APW_NOTARIZE_REQUIRED=1 APW_APP_BUNDLE_PATH="$fake_app" "$ROOT_DIR/scripts/notarize-native-app.sh" >"$required_log" 2>&1; then
+  echo "notarize-native-app accepted missing required credentials." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+grep -q "APPLE_DEVELOPER_CERT_P12" "$required_log"
+if grep -q "APPLE_TEAM_ID" "$ROOT_DIR/scripts/notarize-native-app.sh"; then
+  echo "notarize-native-app must not require unused Apple Team ID credentials." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+APW_APP_BUNDLE_PATH="$fake_app" "$ROOT_DIR/scripts/notarize-native-app.sh" >"$optional_log" 2>&1
+grep -q "Skipping notarization" "$optional_log"
+
+env \
+  APW_NOTARIZE_DRY_RUN=1 \
+  APW_APP_BUNDLE_PATH="$fake_app" \
+  APPLE_DEVELOPER_CERT_P12=dGVzdA== \
+  APPLE_CERT_PASSWORD=test \
+  APPLE_NOTARY_KEY_ID=KEYID12345 \
+  APPLE_NOTARY_KEY_ISSUER=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000 \
+  APPLE_NOTARY_PRIVATE_KEY=dGVzdA== \
+  "$ROOT_DIR/scripts/notarize-native-app.sh" >"$dry_run_log" 2>&1
+grep -q "dry run requested" "$dry_run_log"
+
+echo "Notarization script tests passed."