Surface checks, cracks, and splits can occur in wood when it dries out too rapidly. Wood expands and contracts with changes in moisture content in the hygroscopic range. Spatial differences in wood moisture content cause internal stresses, and cracks form when these moisture-induced stresses exceed the tensile strength of the material. Large moisture gradients may occur in mass timber products, such as glue-laminated timber (glulam) and cross-laminated timber (CLT), at multiple points during and after exposure to moisture during the construction process, followed by abrupt changes in the indoor environment related to startup of building heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning equipment. Drying cracks in mass timber products are aesthetically undesirable when they are intended to provide a finished surface inside the building. In addition, if more severe cracks develop from repeated wetting and drying cycles, structural capacity might be degraded. There is currently a lack of detailed guidance on temperature and humidity setpoints for preventing drying cracks. In this paper we propose an approach toward the development of practical guidance for indoor temperature and humidity conditions in mass timber buildings following the construction process. We suggest that drying cracks can be minimized by maintaining conditions that limit the moisture gradient near the wood surface. We illustrate how hygrothermal simulations can be used for assessing moisture gradients for different levels of built-in moisture and different indoor humidity conditions.