diff --git a/gulpfile.js b/gulpfile.js
index 81f158f3d9..409ad5687d 100644
--- a/gulpfile.js
+++ b/gulpfile.js
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ function dist(browserName, manifest) {
 function distFirefox() {
     return dist('firefox', (manifest) => {
         delete manifest.content_security_policy;
-        delete manifest.optional_permissions;
         removeShortcuts(manifest);
         return manifest;
     });
diff --git a/src/_locales/en/messages.json b/src/_locales/en/messages.json
index cd37b6e37b..08b8d562f1 100644
--- a/src/_locales/en/messages.json
+++ b/src/_locales/en/messages.json
@@ -1441,18 +1441,18 @@
   "biometricsNotSupportedDesc": {
     "message": "Browser biometrics is not supported on this device."
   },
-  "nativeMessagingPermissionPromptTitle": {
-    "message": "Additional Permission required"
-  },
-  "nativeMessagingPermissionPromptDesc": {
-    "message": "To enable browser biometrics we need to request an additional permission. Once allowed, the browser extension will reload and you may need to unlock your vault again."
-  },
   "nativeMessaginPermissionErrorTitle": {
     "message": "Permission not provided"
   },
   "nativeMessaginPermissionErrorDesc": {
     "message": "Without permission to communicate with the Bitwarden Desktop Application we cannot provide biometrics in the browser extension. Please try again."
   },
+  "nativeMessaginPermissionSidebarTitle": {
+    "message": "Permission request error"
+  },
+  "nativeMessaginPermissionSidebarDesc": {
+    "message": "This action cannot be done in the sidebar, please retry the action in the popup or popout."
+  },
   "personalOwnershipSubmitError": {
     "message": "Due to an Enterprise Policy, you are restricted from saving items to your personal vault. Change the Ownership option to an organization and choose from available Collections."
   },
diff --git a/src/browser/browserApi.ts b/src/browser/browserApi.ts
index 521e947c7e..0993d79799 100644
--- a/src/browser/browserApi.ts
+++ b/src/browser/browserApi.ts
@@ -167,4 +167,13 @@ export class BrowserApi {
             return chrome.runtime.connectNative(application);
         }
     }
+
+    static requestPermission(permission: any) {
+        if (BrowserApi.isWebExtensionsApi) {
+            return browser.permissions.request(permission);
+        }
+        return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+            chrome.permissions.request(permission, resolve);
+        });
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/popup/settings/settings.component.ts b/src/popup/settings/settings.component.ts
index be4e6f1923..b8923b0ce5 100644
--- a/src/popup/settings/settings.component.ts
+++ b/src/popup/settings/settings.component.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import { PlatformUtilsService } from 'jslib/abstractions/platformUtils.service';
 import { StorageService } from 'jslib/abstractions/storage.service';
 import { UserService } from 'jslib/abstractions/user.service';
 import { VaultTimeoutService } from 'jslib/abstractions/vaultTimeout.service';
+import { PopupUtilsService } from '../services/popup-utils.service';
 
 const RateUrls = {
     [DeviceType.ChromeExtension]:
@@ -59,7 +60,8 @@ export class SettingsComponent implements OnInit {
         private analytics: Angulartics2, private vaultTimeoutService: VaultTimeoutService,
         private storageService: StorageService, public messagingService: MessagingService,
         private router: Router, private environmentService: EnvironmentService,
-        private cryptoService: CryptoService, private userService: UserService) {
+        private cryptoService: CryptoService, private userService: UserService,
+        private popupUtilsService: PopupUtilsService) {
     }
 
     async ngOnInit() {
@@ -212,31 +214,30 @@ export class SettingsComponent implements OnInit {
     async updateBiometric() {
         if (this.biometric && this.supportsBiometric) {
 
-            // Request permission to use the optional permission for nativeMessaging
-            if (!this.platformUtilsService.isFirefox()) {
-                const hasPermission = await new Promise(resolve => {
-                    chrome.permissions.contains({ permissions: ['nativeMessaging'] }, resolve);
-                });
+            let granted;
+            try {
+                granted = await BrowserApi.requestPermission({ permissions: ['nativeMessaging'] });
+            } catch (e) {
+                // tslint:disable-next-line
+                console.error(e);
 
-                if (!hasPermission) {
+                if (this.platformUtilsService.isFirefox() && this.popupUtilsService.inSidebar(window)) {
                     await this.platformUtilsService.showDialog(
-                        this.i18nService.t('nativeMessagingPermissionPromptDesc'), this.i18nService.t('nativeMessagingPermissionPromptTitle'),
+                        this.i18nService.t('nativeMessaginPermissionSidebarDesc'), this.i18nService.t('nativeMessaginPermissionSidebarTitle'),
                         this.i18nService.t('ok'), null);
-
-                    const granted = await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-                        chrome.permissions.request({ permissions: ['nativeMessaging'] }, resolve);
-                    });
-
-                    if (!granted) {
-                        await this.platformUtilsService.showDialog(
-                            this.i18nService.t('nativeMessaginPermissionErrorDesc'), this.i18nService.t('nativeMessaginPermissionErrorTitle'),
-                            this.i18nService.t('ok'), null);
-                        this.biometric = false;
-                        return;
-                    }
+                    this.biometric = false;
+                    return;
                 }
             }
 
+            if (!granted) {
+                await this.platformUtilsService.showDialog(
+                    this.i18nService.t('nativeMessaginPermissionErrorDesc'), this.i18nService.t('nativeMessaginPermissionErrorTitle'),
+                    this.i18nService.t('ok'), null);
+                this.biometric = false;
+                return;
+            }
+
             const submitted = Swal.fire({
                 heightAuto: false,
                 buttonsStyling: false,
diff --git a/src/services/browserPlatformUtils.service.ts b/src/services/browserPlatformUtils.service.ts
index 5041069599..6cfc322c46 100644
--- a/src/services/browserPlatformUtils.service.ts
+++ b/src/services/browserPlatformUtils.service.ts
@@ -292,8 +292,9 @@ export default class BrowserPlatformUtilsService implements PlatformUtilsService
         });
     }
 
-    supportsBiometric() {
-        return Promise.resolve(!this.isFirefox() && !this.isSafari());
+    async supportsBiometric() {
+        const isUnsuportedFirefox = this.isFirefox() && parseInt((await browser.runtime.getBrowserInfo()).version.split('.')[0], 10) < 87;
+        return !isUnsuportedFirefox && !this.isSafari();
     }
 
     authenticateBiometric() {