diff --git a/bin/em/variabletime/web/js/audio.js b/bin/em/variabletime/web/js/audio.js
index 77557e2..9c3b4f6 100644
--- a/bin/em/variabletime/web/js/audio.js
+++ b/bin/em/variabletime/web/js/audio.js
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ const Audio = function(tp, record) {
         //},
     //});
     let started = false;
+    let allowedMicrophone = true; // TODO: actually use this
 
     let mapping = {};
     let savedMapping = {};
@@ -915,7 +916,15 @@ const Audio = function(tp, record) {
                         visualize();
                     })
                     .catch(function(err) {
-                        console.log("The following gUM error occured: " + err);
+                        console.log("Audio::init","The following gUM error occured: " + err);
+                        const noPermission = err.message.toLowerCase().indexOf('permission') >= 0;
+                        if (noPermission) {
+                            if (allowedMicrophone) {
+                                alert("We don't have permission to access the microphone. Microphone input will be silent.");
+                            }
+                            allowedMicrophone = false;
+                            // TODO: actually use this
+                        }
                     });
             } else {
                 console.log("getUserMedia not supported on your browser!");