diff --git a/app/components/EnsurePermissions.tsx b/app/components/EnsurePermissions.tsx
index 73ee39dd..1e2ed1f8 100644
--- a/app/components/EnsurePermissions.tsx
+++ b/app/components/EnsurePermissions.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState, type ReactNode } from 'react'
+import { requestMediaPermissions } from '~/utils/requestMediaPermissions'
 import { Button } from './Button'
 
 export interface EnsurePermissionsProps {
@@ -61,18 +62,13 @@ export function EnsurePermissions(props: EnsurePermissionsProps) {
 					</p>
 					<Button
 						onClick={() => {
-							navigator.mediaDevices
-								.getUserMedia({
-									video: true,
-									audio: true,
-								})
-								.then((ms) => {
+							requestMediaPermissions((constraints) =>
+								navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia(constraints)
+							)
+								.then(({ micId, cameraId }) => {
 									if (mountedRef.current) setPermissionState('granted')
-									const micId = ms.getAudioTracks()[0].getSettings().deviceId
 									if (micId) props.onMicSelected(micId)
-									const cameraId = ms.getVideoTracks()[0].getSettings().deviceId
 									if (cameraId) props.onCameraSelected(cameraId)
-									ms.getTracks().forEach((t) => t.stop())
 								})
 								.catch(() => {
 									if (mountedRef.current) setPermissionState('denied')
diff --git a/app/utils/requestMediaPermissions.test.ts b/app/utils/requestMediaPermissions.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..43dd4a01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/utils/requestMediaPermissions.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from 'vitest'
+import { requestMediaPermissions } from './requestMediaPermissions'
+
+function domError(name: string) {
+	const error = new Error(name)
+	error.name = name
+	return error
+}
+
+function fakeStream(devices: { audio?: string; video?: string }) {
+	const track = (deviceId: string) => ({
+		getSettings: () => ({ deviceId }),
+		stop: () => {},
+	})
+	return {
+		getAudioTracks: () => (devices.audio ? [track(devices.audio)] : []),
+		getVideoTracks: () => (devices.video ? [track(devices.video)] : []),
+		getTracks: () => [
+			...(devices.audio ? [track(devices.audio)] : []),
+			...(devices.video ? [track(devices.video)] : []),
+		],
+	} as unknown as MediaStream
+}
+
+// Mimics a machine with the given hardware. Browsers reject with
+// NotFoundError when any requested kind of device is missing.
+function machine(hardware: { audio?: string; video?: string }) {
+	return async (constraints: MediaStreamConstraints) => {
+		if (
+			(constraints.audio && !hardware.audio) ||
+			(constraints.video && !hardware.video)
+		) {
+			throw domError('NotFoundError')
+		}
+		return fakeStream({
+			audio: constraints.audio ? hardware.audio : undefined,
+			video: constraints.video ? hardware.video : undefined,
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+describe('requestMediaPermissions', () => {
+	test('returns both devices when both exist', async () => {
+		await expect(
+			requestMediaPermissions(machine({ audio: 'mic1', video: 'cam1' }))
+		).resolves.toEqual({ micId: 'mic1', cameraId: 'cam1' })
+	})
+
+	test('grants when the machine has a microphone but no camera', async () => {
+		await expect(
+			requestMediaPermissions(machine({ audio: 'mic1' }))
+		).resolves.toEqual({ micId: 'mic1', cameraId: undefined })
+	})
+
+	test('grants when the machine has a camera but no microphone', async () => {
+		await expect(
+			requestMediaPermissions(machine({ video: 'cam1' }))
+		).resolves.toEqual({ micId: undefined, cameraId: 'cam1' })
+	})
+
+	test('grants when the machine has neither device', async () => {
+		await expect(requestMediaPermissions(machine({}))).resolves.toEqual({})
+	})
+
+	test('rejects when the user refuses permission', async () => {
+		await expect(
+			requestMediaPermissions(async () => {
+				throw domError('NotAllowedError')
+			})
+		).rejects.toMatchObject({ name: 'NotAllowedError' })
+	})
+})
diff --git a/app/utils/requestMediaPermissions.ts b/app/utils/requestMediaPermissions.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0190f6b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/utils/requestMediaPermissions.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+export interface GrantedDevices {
+	micId?: string
+	cameraId?: string
+}
+
+type GetUserMedia = (
+	constraints: MediaStreamConstraints
+) => Promise<MediaStream>
+
+function isPermissionError(error: unknown) {
+	return (
+		error instanceof Error &&
+		(error.name === 'NotAllowedError' || error.name === 'SecurityError')
+	)
+}
+
+function readDevices(stream: MediaStream): GrantedDevices {
+	const devices = {
+		micId: stream.getAudioTracks()[0]?.getSettings().deviceId,
+		cameraId: stream.getVideoTracks()[0]?.getSettings().deviceId,
+	}
+	stream.getTracks().forEach((t) => t.stop())
+	return devices
+}
+
+/**
+ * Asks for camera and microphone permission. Rejects only when the user (or
+ * the browser) refuses. A missing camera or microphone is not a refusal, so
+ * the request falls back to each device on its own and resolves with
+ * whichever devices exist, which can be none.
+ */
+export async function requestMediaPermissions(
+	getUserMedia: GetUserMedia
+): Promise<GrantedDevices> {
+	try {
+		return readDevices(await getUserMedia({ audio: true, video: true }))
+	} catch (error) {
+		if (isPermissionError(error)) throw error
+	}
+
+	const results = await Promise.allSettled([
+		getUserMedia({ audio: true }),
+		getUserMedia({ video: true }),
+	])
+	const refused = results.find(
+		(r): r is PromiseRejectedResult =>
+			r.status === 'rejected' && isPermissionError(r.reason)
+	)
+	if (refused) {
+		results.forEach((r) => {
+			if (r.status === 'fulfilled') readDevices(r.value)
+		})
+		throw refused.reason
+	}
+	const devices: GrantedDevices = {}
+	for (const r of results) {
+		if (r.status !== 'fulfilled') continue
+		const { micId, cameraId } = readDevices(r.value)
+		if (micId) devices.micId = micId
+		if (cameraId) devices.cameraId = cameraId
+	}
+	return devices
+}