diff --git a/mac/make-dmg.sh b/mac/make-dmg.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..be69f60b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mac/make-dmg.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# Makes the DMG with all the nice things already setup.
+# Most of the Finder window twiddling is done by an applescript, this just does
+# the DMG manipulations.
+
+# This script should be run with the working directory as the top level (where
+# the dist folder appears)
+
+if [ ! -d "dist" ]
+then
+    echo "This must be run in the same directory as 'dist'."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if [ -d "/Volues/Anki" ]
+then
+    echo "You already have one Anki mounted, unmount it first!"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo --- Configuring 'dist' folder...
+
+if [ ! -e "dist/Applications" ]
+then 
+    ln -s /Applications dist/Applications
+fi
+
+if [ ! -d "dist/.background" ]
+then 
+    mkdir dist/.background
+    cp ankiqt/mac/anki-logo-bg.png dist/.background
+fi
+
+if [ ! -f "dist/.DS_Store" ]
+then 
+    cp ankiqt/mac/dmg_ds_store dist/.DS_Store
+fi
+
+echo --- Creating writable DMG...
+hdiutil create -attach -ov -format UDRW -volname Anki -srcfolder dist -o Anki-rw.dmg 
+
+RESULT=$?
+
+if [ $RESULT != 0 ]
+then
+    echo "Creating RW DMG failed! ($RESULT)"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo --- Running applescript to configure view settings...
+osascript "ankiqt/mac/set-dmg-settings.scpt"
+
+echo --- Unmounting and converting to RO DMG...
+hdiutil detach "/Volumes/Anki"
+if [ -d "/Volumes/Anki" ]
+then
+    echo  "+++ Waiting for drive to detach..."
+    sleep 5
+    hdiutil detach "/Volumes/Anki"
+fi
+
+if [ -d "/Volumes/Anki" ]
+then
+    echo  "!!! Warning: Drive didn't detach cleanly forcing it to detach.."
+    sleep 5
+    hdiutil detach -force "/Volumes/Anki"
+fi
+
+echo --- Making final compressed DMG...
+
+hdiutil convert "Anki-rw.dmg" -ov -format UDZO -imagekey zlib-level=9 -o Anki.dmg 
+
+RESULT=$?
+
+rm Anki-rw.dmg
+
+exit $RESULT
diff --git a/mac/set-dmg-settings.scpt b/mac/set-dmg-settings.scpt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e4eb09076
Binary files /dev/null and b/mac/set-dmg-settings.scpt differ
diff --git a/mac/setup.py b/mac/setup.py
index 5049c8b41..1cf60a9f2 100644
--- a/mac/setup.py
+++ b/mac/setup.py
@@ -37,19 +37,8 @@ python2.6/pyconfig.h")
 chmod a+x dist/Anki.app/Contents/Resources/audio/mplayer")
                 if 'debug' in os.environ:
                         return
-                os.system("\
-ln -s /Applications dist/Applications")
-                os.system("\
-mkdir dist/.background")
-                os.system("\
-cp ankiqt/mac/anki-logo-bg.png dist/.background")
-                os.system("\
-cp ankiqt/mac/dmg_ds_store dist/.DS_Store")
-                # zlib
-                result = os.spawnvp(os.P_WAIT, 'hdiutil', (
-                        'hdiutil create -ov -format UDZO ' +
-                        '-volname Anki -srcfolder dist ' +
-                        '-o Anki.dmg -imagekey zlib-level=9').split())
+                # make the dmg with the shell script
+                result = os.system('ankiqt/mac/make-dmg.sh')
                 if result is not 0:
                         raise Exception('dmg creation failed %d' % result)