--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/permissions/PermissionBlock.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/permissions/PermissionBlock.java
@@ -12,25 +12,25 @@ import android.content.Context;
 import android.support.annotation.NonNull;
 
 /**
  * Helper class to run code blocks depending on whether a user has granted or denied certain runtime permissions.
  */
 public class PermissionBlock {
     private final PermissionsHelper helper;
 
-    private Activity activity;
+    private Context context;
     private String[] permissions;
     private boolean onUIThread;
     private Runnable onPermissionsGranted;
     private Runnable onPermissionsDenied;
     private boolean doNotPrompt;
 
-    /* package-private */ PermissionBlock(Activity activity, PermissionsHelper helper) {
-        this.activity = activity;
+    /* package-private */ PermissionBlock(Context context, PermissionsHelper helper) {
+        this.context = context;
         this.helper = helper;
     }
 
     /**
      * Determine whether the app has been granted the specified permissions.
      */
     public PermissionBlock withPermissions(@NonNull String... permissions) {
         this.permissions = permissions;
@@ -65,28 +65,32 @@ public class PermissionBlock {
         return this;
     }
 
     /**
      * Execute the specified runnable if the app has been granted all permissions. Calling this method will prompt the
      * user if needed.
      */
     public void run(@NonNull Runnable onPermissionsGranted) {
+        if (!doNotPrompt && !(context instanceof Activity)) {
+            throw new IllegalStateException("You need to either specify doNotPrompt() or pass in an Activity context");
+        }
+
         this.onPermissionsGranted = onPermissionsGranted;
 
-        if (hasPermissions(activity)) {
+        if (hasPermissions(context)) {
             onPermissionsGranted();
         } else if (doNotPrompt) {
             onPermissionsDenied();
         } else {
-            Permissions.prompt(activity, this);
+            Permissions.prompt((Activity) context, this);
         }
 
         // This reference is no longer needed. Let's clear it now to avoid memory leaks.
-        activity = null;
+        context = null;
     }
 
     /**
      * Execute this fallback if at least one permission has not been granted.
      */
     public PermissionBlock andFallback(@NonNull Runnable onPermissionsDenied) {
         this.onPermissionsDenied = onPermissionsDenied;
         return this;

--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/permissions/Permissions.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/permissions/Permissions.java
@@ -1,16 +1,17 @@
 /* -*- Mode: Java; c-basic-offset: 4; tab-width: 4; indent-tabs-mode: nil; -*-
  * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
  * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
  * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
 
 package org.mozilla.gecko.permissions;
 
 import android.app.Activity;
+import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.pm.PackageManager;
 import android.support.annotation.NonNull;
 
 import org.mozilla.gecko.util.ThreadUtils;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashSet;
@@ -41,19 +42,22 @@ import java.util.concurrent.FutureTask;
 public class Permissions {
     private static final Queue<PermissionBlock> waiting = new LinkedList<>();
     private static final Queue<PermissionBlock> prompt = new LinkedList<>();
 
     private static PermissionsHelper permissionHelper = new PermissionsHelper();
 
     /**
      * Entry point for checking (and optionally prompting for) runtime permissions.
+     *
+     * Note: The provided context needs to be an Activity context in order to prompt. Use doNotPrompt()
+     * for all other contexts.
      */
-    public static PermissionBlock from(@NonNull Activity activity) {
-        return new PermissionBlock(activity, permissionHelper);
+    public static PermissionBlock from(@NonNull Context context) {
+        return new PermissionBlock(context, permissionHelper);
     }
 
     /**
      * This method will block until the specified permissions have been granted or denied by the user.
      * If needed the user will be prompted.
      *
      * @return true if all of the permissions have been granted. False if any of the permissions have been denied.
      */