diff --git a/src/lib/client/adapters/webcontainer/index.js b/src/lib/client/adapters/webcontainer/index.js
index eb204ca26..3b98cd5ca 100644
--- a/src/lib/client/adapters/webcontainer/index.js
+++ b/src/lib/client/adapters/webcontainer/index.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import AnsiToHtml from 'ansi-to-html';
 import * as yootils from 'yootils';
 import { escape_html, get_depth } from '../../../utils.js';
 import { ready } from '../common/index.js';
+import { isWebContainerSupported } from './utils.js';
 
 /**
  * @typedef {import("../../../../routes/tutorial/[slug]/state.js").CompilerWarning} CompilerWarning
@@ -25,8 +26,8 @@ let vm;
  * @returns {Promise<import('$lib/types').Adapter>}
  */
 export async function create(base, error, progress, logs, warnings) {
-	if (/safari/i.test(navigator.userAgent) && !/chrome/i.test(navigator.userAgent)) {
-		throw new Error('WebContainers are not supported by Safari');
+	if (!isWebContainerSupported()) {
+		throw new Error('WebContainers are not supported by Safari 16.3 or earlier');
 	}
 
 	progress.set({ value: 0, text: 'loading files' });
diff --git a/src/lib/client/adapters/webcontainer/utils.js b/src/lib/client/adapters/webcontainer/utils.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1d6c6a569
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/client/adapters/webcontainer/utils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/**
+ * Checks if WebContainer is supported on the current browser.
+ * This function is borrowed from [stackblitz/webcontainer-docs](https://github.com/stackblitz/webcontainer-docs/blob/369dd58b2749b085ed7642f22108a9bcbcd68fc4/docs/.vitepress/theme/components/Examples/WCEmbed/utils.ts#L4-L29)
+ */
+export function isWebContainerSupported() {
+	const hasSharedArrayBuffer = 'SharedArrayBuffer' in window;
+	const looksLikeChrome = navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase().includes('chrome');
+	const looksLikeFirefox = navigator.userAgent.includes('Firefox');
+	const looksLikeSafari = navigator.userAgent.includes('Safari');
+
+	if (hasSharedArrayBuffer && (looksLikeChrome || looksLikeFirefox)) {
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	if (hasSharedArrayBuffer && looksLikeSafari) {
+		// we only support Safari 16.4 and up so we check for the version here
+		const match = navigator.userAgent.match(/Version\/(\d+)\.(\d+) (?:Mobile\/.*?)?Safari/);
+		const majorVersion = match ? Number(match?.[1]) : 0;
+		const minorVersion = match ? Number(match?.[2]) : 0;
+
+		return majorVersion > 16 || (majorVersion === 16 && minorVersion >= 4);
+	}
+
+	// Allow overriding the support check with localStorage.webcontainer_any_ua = 1
+	try {
+		return Boolean(localStorage.getItem('webcontainer_any_ua'));
+	} catch {
+		return false;
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/routes/tutorial/[slug]/Loading.svelte b/src/routes/tutorial/[slug]/Loading.svelte
index cddea05a3..7563a6514 100644
--- a/src/routes/tutorial/[slug]/Loading.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/tutorial/[slug]/Loading.svelte
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 <script>
+	import { isWebContainerSupported } from "$lib/client/adapters/webcontainer/utils.js";
+
 	/** @type {boolean} */
 	export let initial;
 
@@ -14,7 +16,7 @@
 
 <div class="loading" class:error>
 	{#if error}
-		{#if /safari/i.test(navigator.userAgent) && !/chrome/i.test(navigator.userAgent)}
+		{#if !isWebContainerSupported()}
 			<p>This app requires modern web platform features. Please use a browser other than Safari.</p>
 		{:else}
 			<small>{error.message}</small>