diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -184,6 +184,12 @@
 [sudo] npm install -g prettier
 ```
 
+To work on the extension, you will need `browserify`
+
+```
+[sudo] npm install -g browserify
+```
+
 Working with The Bitcoin ABC Repository
 ---------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/web/cashtab/extension/src/background.js b/web/cashtab/extension/src/background.js
--- a/web/cashtab/extension/src/background.js
+++ b/web/cashtab/extension/src/background.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+const extension = require('extensionizer');
+
 const NOTIFICATION_HEIGHT = 600;
 const NOTIFICATION_WIDTH = 400;
 
@@ -6,8 +8,8 @@
 const openMetamaskTabsIDs = {};
 const requestAccountTabIds = {};
 
-// This starts listening to the port created with `chrome.runtime.connect` in contentscript.js
-chrome.runtime.onConnect.addListener(function (port) {
+// This starts listening to the port created with `extension.runtime.connect` in contentscript.js
+extension.runtime.onConnect.addListener(function (port) {
     console.assert(port.name == 'cashtabPort');
     port.onMessage.addListener(function (msg) {
         console.log('msg received in background.js');
@@ -34,7 +36,7 @@
 */
 async function triggerUi(txInfo) {
     /*
-  const tabs = await chrome.getActiveTabs();
+  const tabs = await extension.getActiveTabs();
   const currentlyActiveCashtabTab = Boolean(tabs.find(tab => openMetamaskTabsIDs[tab.id]));
   if (!popupIsOpen && !currentlyActiveCashtabTab) {
     await notificationManager.showPopup();
@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@
 
 async function openWindow(options) {
     return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-        chrome.windows.create(options, newWindow => {
+        extension.windows.create(options, newWindow => {
             const error = checkForError();
             if (error) {
                 return reject(error);
@@ -88,7 +90,7 @@
 }
 
 function checkForError() {
-    const { lastError } = chrome.runtime;
+    const { lastError } = extension.runtime;
     if (!lastError) {
         return undefined;
     }
@@ -102,7 +104,7 @@
 
 async function getLastFocusedWindow() {
     return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-        chrome.windows.getLastFocused(windowObject => {
+        extension.windows.getLastFocused(windowObject => {
             const error = checkForError();
             if (error) {
                 return reject(error);
diff --git a/web/cashtab/extension/src/contentscript.js b/web/cashtab/extension/src/contentscript.js
--- a/web/cashtab/extension/src/contentscript.js
+++ b/web/cashtab/extension/src/contentscript.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+const extension = require('extensionizer');
+
 // Insert flag into window object to denote CashTab is available and active as a browser extension
 // Could use a div or other approach for now, but emulate MetaMask this way so it is extensible to other items
 // Try window object approach
@@ -8,7 +10,7 @@
 // Process page messages
 // Chrome extensions communicate with web pages through the DOM
 // Page sends a message to itself, chrome extension intercepts it
-var port = chrome.runtime.connect({ name: 'cashtabPort' });
+var port = extension.runtime.connect({ name: 'cashtabPort' });
 //console.log(`port: ${JSON.stringify(port)}`);
 //console.log(port);
 
diff --git a/web/cashtab/package-lock.json b/web/cashtab/package-lock.json
--- a/web/cashtab/package-lock.json
+++ b/web/cashtab/package-lock.json
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
                 "eslint-plugin-react": "7.14.3",
                 "eslint-plugin-react-hooks": "^1.6.1",
                 "ethereum-blockies-base64": "^1.0.2",
+                "extensionizer": "^1.0.1",
                 "fbt": "^0.16.0",
                 "file-loader": "3.0.1",
                 "fs-extra": "7.0.1",
@@ -10529,6 +10530,11 @@
                 "node": ">=0.10.0"
             }
         },
+        "node_modules/extensionizer": {
+            "version": "1.0.1",
+            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/extensionizer/-/extensionizer-1.0.1.tgz",
+            "integrity": "sha512-UES5CSOYqshNsWFrpORcQR47+ph6UvQK25mguD44IyeMemt40CG+LTZrH1PgpGUHX3w7ACtNQnmM0J+qEe8G0Q=="
+        },
         "node_modules/external-editor": {
             "version": "3.1.0",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/external-editor/-/external-editor-3.1.0.tgz",
@@ -36867,6 +36873,11 @@
                 }
             }
         },
+        "extensionizer": {
+            "version": "1.0.1",
+            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/extensionizer/-/extensionizer-1.0.1.tgz",
+            "integrity": "sha512-UES5CSOYqshNsWFrpORcQR47+ph6UvQK25mguD44IyeMemt40CG+LTZrH1PgpGUHX3w7ACtNQnmM0J+qEe8G0Q=="
+        },
         "external-editor": {
             "version": "3.1.0",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/external-editor/-/external-editor-3.1.0.tgz",
diff --git a/web/cashtab/package.json b/web/cashtab/package.json
--- a/web/cashtab/package.json
+++ b/web/cashtab/package.json
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
         "eslint-plugin-react": "7.14.3",
         "eslint-plugin-react-hooks": "^1.6.1",
         "ethereum-blockies-base64": "^1.0.2",
+        "extensionizer": "^1.0.1",
         "fbt": "^0.16.0",
         "file-loader": "3.0.1",
         "fs-extra": "7.0.1",
diff --git a/web/cashtab/scripts/extension.sh b/web/cashtab/scripts/extension.sh
--- a/web/cashtab/scripts/extension.sh
+++ b/web/cashtab/scripts/extension.sh
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@
 # Copy extension build files to extension/ folder
 cp -r build/* extension/dist
 
-# Copy other needed extension files
-cp extension/src/contentscript.js extension/dist
-cp extension/src/background.js extension/dist
+# Browserify contentscript.js and background.js to pull in their imports
+browserify extension/src/contentscript.js -o extension/dist/contentscript.js
+browserify extension/src/background.js -o extension/dist/background.js
 
 # Delete extension build from build/ folder (reserved for web app builds)
 rm -Rf build