diff --git a/build/automation.py.in b/build/automation.py.in
index e1d252cdc2d7..a195d2345f7e 100644
--- a/build/automation.py.in
+++ b/build/automation.py.in
@@ -363,6 +363,8 @@ user_pref("app.update.enabled", false);
 // Only load extensions from the application and user profile
 // AddonManager.SCOPE_PROFILE + AddonManager.SCOPE_APPLICATION
 user_pref("extensions.enabledScopes", 5);
+// Disable metadata caching for installed add-ons by default
+user_pref("extensions.getAddons.cache.enabled", false);
 
 user_pref("extensions.testpilot.runStudies", false);
 
diff --git a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/XPIProvider.jsm b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/XPIProvider.jsm
index d1c36eee7db7..882419d5d72c 100644
--- a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/XPIProvider.jsm
+++ b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/XPIProvider.jsm
@@ -4562,6 +4562,25 @@ AddonInstall.prototype = {
    *         XPI is incorrectly signed
    */
   loadManifest: function AI_loadManifest(aCallback) {
+    function addRepositoryData(aAddon) {
+      // Try to load from the existing cache first
+      AddonRepository.getCachedAddonByID(aAddon.id, function(aRepoAddon) {
+        if (aRepoAddon) {
+          aAddon._repositoryAddon = aRepoAddon;
+          aCallback();
+          return;
+        }
+
+        // It wasn't there so try to re-download it
+        AddonRepository.cacheAddons([aAddon.id], function() {
+          AddonRepository.getCachedAddonByID(aAddon.id, function(aRepoAddon) {
+            aAddon._repositoryAddon = aRepoAddon;
+            aCallback();
+          });
+        });
+      });
+    }
+
     let zipreader = Cc["@mozilla.org/libjar/zip-reader;1"].
                     createInstance(Ci.nsIZipReader);
     try {
@@ -4599,7 +4618,10 @@ AddonInstall.prototype = {
     }
 
     if (this.addon.type == "multipackage") {
-      this.loadMultipackageManifests(zipreader, aCallback);
+      let self = this;
+      this.loadMultipackageManifests(zipreader, function() {
+        addRepositoryData(self.addon);
+      });
       return;
     }
 
@@ -4618,7 +4640,7 @@ AddonInstall.prototype = {
     //if (newIcon)
     //  this.iconURL = newIcon;
 
-    aCallback();
+    addRepositoryData(this.addon);
   },
 
   observe: function AI_observe(aSubject, aTopic, aData) {
diff --git a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/xpcshell/data/test_install.xml b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/xpcshell/data/test_install.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..7c47f8a42bf4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/xpcshell/data/test_install.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
+<searchresults total_results="1">
+  <addon>
+    <name>Real Test 2</name>
+    <type id='1'>Extension</type>
+    <guid>addon2@tests.mozilla.org</guid>
+    <version>1.0</version>
+    <authors>
+      <author>
+        <name>Test Creator</name>
+        <link>http://example.com/creator.html</link>
+      </author>
+    </authors>
+    <status id='4'>Public</status>
+    <summary>Repository summary</summary>
+    <description>Repository description</description>
+    <compatible_applications>
+      <application>
+        <name>Firefox</name>
+        <appID>{ec8030f7-c20a-464f-9b0e-13a3a9e97384}</appID>
+        <min_version>0</min_version>
+        <max_version>*</max_version>
+      </application>
+      <application>
+        <name>SeaMonkey</name>
+        <appID>{92650c4d-4b8e-4d2a-b7eb-24ecf4f6b63a}</appID>
+        <min_version>0</min_version>
+        <max_version>*</max_version>
+      </application>
+    </compatible_applications>
+    <compatible_os>ALL</compatible_os>
+    <install size="2">http://example.com/browser/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/browser/addons/browser_install1_2.xpi</install>
+  </addon>
+</searchresults>
diff --git a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/xpcshell/test_install.js b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/xpcshell/test_install.js
index 1e5080030ebd..fe5c3bfbb1f9 100644
--- a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/xpcshell/test_install.js
+++ b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/xpcshell/test_install.js
@@ -1169,7 +1169,7 @@ function run_test_18() {
                   a2.uninstall();
                   restartManager();
 
-                  end_test();
+                  run_test_19();
                 });
               }
             });
@@ -1181,3 +1181,57 @@ function run_test_18() {
     aInstall.install();
   }, "application/x-xpinstall");
 }
+
+// Checks that metadata is downloaded for new installs and is visible before and
+// after restart
+function run_test_19() {
+  Services.prefs.setBoolPref("extensions.getAddons.cache.enabled", true);
+  Services.prefs.setCharPref("extensions.getAddons.get.url",
+                             "http://localhost:4444/data/test_install.xml");
+
+  let url = "http://localhost:4444/addons/test_install2_1.xpi";
+  AddonManager.getInstallForURL(url, function(aInstall) {
+    aInstall.addListener({
+      onInstallEnded: function(aInstall, aAddon) {
+        do_check_eq(aAddon.fullDescription, "Repository description");
+
+        restartManager();
+
+        AddonManager.getAddonByID("addon2@tests.mozilla.org", function(a2) {
+          do_check_eq(a2.fullDescription, "Repository description");
+
+          a2.uninstall();
+          restartManager();
+
+          run_test_20();
+        });
+      }
+    });
+    aInstall.install();
+  }, "application/x-xpinstall");
+}
+
+// Do the same again to make sure it works when the data is already in the cache
+function run_test_20() {
+  let url = "http://localhost:4444/addons/test_install2_1.xpi";
+  AddonManager.getInstallForURL(url, function(aInstall) {
+    aInstall.addListener({
+      onInstallEnded: function(aInstall, aAddon) {
+        do_check_eq(aAddon.fullDescription, "Repository description");
+
+        restartManager();
+
+        AddonManager.getAddonByID("addon2@tests.mozilla.org", function(a2) {
+          do_check_eq(a2.fullDescription, "Repository description");
+
+          a2.uninstall();
+          restartManager();
+
+          Services.prefs.setBoolPref("extensions.getAddons.cache.enabled", false);
+          end_test();
+        });
+      }
+    });
+    aInstall.install();
+  }, "application/x-xpinstall");
+}