diff --git a/xesmf/backend.py b/xesmf/backend.py
index 2fa8d96..df152e8 100644
--- a/xesmf/backend.py
+++ b/xesmf/backend.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def warn_lat_range(lat):
         warnings.warn("Latitude is outside of [-90, 90]")
 
 
-def esmf_grid(lon, lat, periodic=False):
+def esmf_grid(lon, lat, periodic=False, mask=None):
     '''
     Create an ESMF.Grid object, for contrusting ESMF.Field and ESMF.Regrid
 
@@ -70,6 +70,10 @@ def esmf_grid(lon, lat, periodic=False):
         Periodic in longitude? Default to False.
         Only useful for source grid.
 
+    mask : 2D numpy array, optional
+        Grid mask. Follows SCRIP convention where 1 is unmasked and 0 is
+        masked.
+
     Returns
     -------
     grid : ESMF.Grid object
@@ -111,6 +115,20 @@ def esmf_grid(lon, lat, periodic=False):
     lon_pointer[...] = lon
     lat_pointer[...] = lat
 
+    # Follows SCRIP convention where 1 is unmasked and 0 is masked.
+    # See https://github.com/NCPP/ocgis/blob/61d88c60e9070215f28c1317221c2e074f8fb145/src/ocgis/regrid/base.py#L391-L404
+    if mask is not None:
+        grid_mask = np.swapaxes(mask.astype(np.int32), 0, 1)
+        grid_mask = np.where(grid_mask == 0, 0, 1)
+        if not (grid_mask.shape == lon.shape):
+            raise ValueError(
+                "mask must have the same shape as the latitude/longitude"
+                "coordinates, got: mask.shape = %s, lon.shape = %s" %
+                (mask.shape, lon.shape))
+        grid.add_item(ESMF.GridItem.MASK, staggerloc=ESMF.StaggerLoc.CENTER,
+                      from_file=False)
+        grid.mask[0][:] = grid_mask
+
     return grid
 
 
@@ -240,7 +258,8 @@ def esmf_regrid_build(sourcegrid, destgrid, method,
     # if the destination grid is larger than the source grid.
     regrid = ESMF.Regrid(sourcefield, destfield, filename=filename,
                          regrid_method=esmf_regrid_method,
-                         unmapped_action=ESMF.UnmappedAction.IGNORE)
+                         unmapped_action=ESMF.UnmappedAction.IGNORE,
+                         src_mask_values=[0], dst_mask_values=[0])
 
     return regrid
 
diff --git a/xesmf/frontend.py b/xesmf/frontend.py
index e2ced7d..2b4565e 100644
--- a/xesmf/frontend.py
+++ b/xesmf/frontend.py
@@ -54,8 +54,14 @@ def ds_to_ESMFgrid(ds, need_bounds=False, periodic=None, append=None):
     lat = np.asarray(ds['lat'])
     lon, lat = as_2d_mesh(lon, lat)
 
+    if 'mask' in ds:
+        mask = np.asarray(ds['mask'])
+        print(mask.shape)
+    else:
+        mask = None
+
     # tranpose the arrays so they become Fortran-ordered
-    grid = esmf_grid(lon.T, lat.T, periodic=periodic)
+    grid = esmf_grid(lon.T, lat.T, periodic=periodic, mask=mask)
 
     if need_bounds:
         lon_b = np.asarray(ds['lon_b'])
@@ -83,6 +89,9 @@ def __init__(self, ds_in, ds_out, method, periodic=False,
             or 2D (Ny, Nx) for general curvilinear grids.
             Shape of bounds should be (N+1,) or (Ny+1, Nx+1).
 
+            If either dataset includes a 2d mask variable, that will also be
+            used to inform the regridding.
+
         method : str
             Regridding method. Options are
 
diff --git a/xesmf/tests/test_frontend.py b/xesmf/tests/test_frontend.py
index 5b9d151..1609ebc 100644
--- a/xesmf/tests/test_frontend.py
+++ b/xesmf/tests/test_frontend.py
@@ -170,3 +170,20 @@ def test_regrid_with_1d_grid():
 
     # clean-up
     regridder.clean_weight_file()
+
+
+def test_build_regridder_with_masks():
+    ds_in['mask'] = xr.DataArray(
+        np.random.randint(2, size=ds_in['data'].shape),
+        dims=('y', 'x'))
+    print(ds_in)
+    # 'patch' is too slow to test
+    for method in ['bilinear', 'conservative', 'nearest_s2d', 'nearest_d2s']:
+        regridder = xe.Regridder(ds_in, ds_out, method)
+
+        # check screen output
+        assert repr(regridder) == str(regridder)
+        assert 'xESMF Regridder' in str(regridder)
+        assert method in str(regridder)
+
+        regridder.clean_weight_file()