diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 92c14e0..5d3bcea 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -47,13 +47,16 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Package
         # macOS users are expected to have Homebrew SDL2/mpv/curl installed.
-        # We ship the binary + Configs/Data/Library + version stamp; dylibs come from brew.
+        # We ship the binary + Configs/Data/Library + version stamp; SDL/mpv/curl
+        # dylibs come from brew. projectM dylibs come bundled in lib/ next to the
+        # binary (Makefile drops them there for @loader_path/lib).
         run: |
           TAG="${{ github.event.inputs.tag || github.ref_name }}"
           DROP="Theseus-${TAG}-macos"
           mkdir -p "${DROP}"
           cp ~/builds/theseus/desktop/theseus "${DROP}/"
           for D in Configs Data Library; do cp -R ~/builds/theseus/desktop/$D "${DROP}/$D"; done
+          if [ -d ~/builds/theseus/desktop/lib ]; then cp -R ~/builds/theseus/desktop/lib "${DROP}/lib"; fi
           zip -r "${DROP}.zip" "${DROP}"
           echo "ARCHIVE=${DROP}.zip" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
 
@@ -103,6 +106,7 @@ jobs:
           mkdir -p "${DROP}"
           cp ~/builds/theseus/desktop/theseus "${DROP}/"
           for D in Configs Data Library; do cp -R ~/builds/theseus/desktop/$D "${DROP}/$D"; done
+          if [ -d ~/builds/theseus/desktop/lib ]; then cp -R ~/builds/theseus/desktop/lib "${DROP}/lib"; fi
           tar czf "${DROP}.tar.gz" "${DROP}"
           echo "ARCHIVE=${DROP}.tar.gz" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
 
@@ -164,6 +168,7 @@ jobs:
           mkdir -p "${DROP}"
           cp ~/builds/theseus/desktop/theseus "${DROP}/"
           for D in Configs Data Library; do cp -R ~/builds/theseus/desktop/$D "${DROP}/$D"; done
+          if [ -d ~/builds/theseus/desktop/lib ]; then cp -R ~/builds/theseus/desktop/lib "${DROP}/lib"; fi
           tar czf "${DROP}.tar.gz" "${DROP}"
           echo "ARCHIVE=${DROP}.tar.gz" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
 
diff --git a/build/Makefile b/build/Makefile
index 15e3691..efc56b9 100644
--- a/build/Makefile
+++ b/build/Makefile
@@ -526,8 +526,13 @@ MSYS2 `pacman -S mingw-w64-x86_64-curl`)
   # a clean checkout to silently ship a no-milkdrop binary.)
   PROJECTM_PREFIX := $(THESEUS_SRC)/third-party/projectm/install
   PROJECTM_CFLAGS  := -I$(PROJECTM_PREFIX)/include -DTHESEUS_HAS_MILKDROP=1
+  ifeq ($(UNAME_S),Darwin)
+    PROJECTM_RPATH := -Wl,-rpath,@loader_path/lib
+  else
+    PROJECTM_RPATH := '-Wl,-rpath,$$ORIGIN/lib'
+  endif
   PROJECTM_LDFLAGS := -L$(PROJECTM_PREFIX)/lib -lprojectM-4 -lprojectM-4-playlist \
-                      -Wl,-rpath,$(PROJECTM_PREFIX)/lib
+                      $(PROJECTM_RPATH)
 endif
 CDAUDIO_CFLAGS  := $(MPV_CFLAGS)
 CDAUDIO_LDFLAGS :=
@@ -909,8 +914,14 @@ projectm-clean:
 	rm -rf $(PROJECTM_SRC)/build $(PROJECTM_SRC)/install
 
 $(DESKTOP_TARGET): $(DESKTOP_OBJS)
-	@mkdir -p $(DESKTOP_DIR)
+	@mkdir -p $(DESKTOP_DIR) $(DESKTOP_DIR)/lib
 	$(DESKTOP_CXX) -o $@ $(DESKTOP_OBJS) $(DESKTOP_LDFLAGS)
+	@# Bundle projectM shared libs next to the binary so @loader_path/lib
+	@# (macOS) and $ORIGIN/lib (Linux) resolve at runtime regardless of cwd.
+	@for f in $(PROJECTM_PREFIX)/lib/libprojectM-4*.dylib \
+	          $(PROJECTM_PREFIX)/lib/libprojectM-4*.so* ; do \
+		[ -e "$$f" ] && cp -a "$$f" $(DESKTOP_DIR)/lib/ || true ; \
+	done; true
 	@# Configs/, Data/, Library/ live next to the binary at runtime; the
 	@# binary CWDs into its own directory and resolves Xbox C:/Q:/E:
 	@# paths through them. Prefer rsync for fast incrementals; fall back