diff --git a/browser/base/content/content-refreshblocker.js b/browser/actors/RefreshBlockerChild.jsm
similarity index 61%
rename from browser/base/content/content-refreshblocker.js
rename to browser/actors/RefreshBlockerChild.jsm
index 5e31f8375633..030b88114e47 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/content-refreshblocker.js
+++ b/browser/actors/RefreshBlockerChild.jsm
@@ -2,14 +2,20 @@
  * 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/. */
 
-/* eslint-env mozilla/frame-script */
+/**
+ * This file has two actors, RefreshBlockerChild js a window actor which
+ * handles the refresh notifications. RefreshBlockerObserverChild is a process
+ * actor that enables refresh blocking on each docshell that is created.
+ */
+
+var EXPORTED_SYMBOLS = ["RefreshBlockerChild", "RefreshBlockerObserverChild"];
 
 var { Services } = ChromeUtils.import("resource://gre/modules/Services.jsm");
 const { setTimeout } = ChromeUtils.import("resource://gre/modules/Timer.jsm");
 
-var RefreshBlocker = {
-  PREF: "accessibility.blockautorefresh",
+const REFRESHBLOCKING_PREF = "accessibility.blockautorefresh";
 
+var progressListener = {
   // Bug 1247100 - When a refresh is caused by an HTTP header,
   // onRefreshAttempted will be fired before onLocationChange.
   // When a refresh is caused by a <meta> tag in the document,
@@ -42,68 +48,6 @@ var RefreshBlocker = {
   // otherwise, null is set as the value of the mapping.
   blockedWindows: new WeakMap(),
 
-  init() {
-    if (Services.prefs.getBoolPref(this.PREF)) {
-      this.enable();
-    }
-
-    Services.prefs.addObserver(this.PREF, this);
-  },
-
-  uninit() {
-    if (Services.prefs.getBoolPref(this.PREF)) {
-      this.disable();
-    }
-
-    Services.prefs.removeObserver(this.PREF, this);
-  },
-
-  observe(subject, topic, data) {
-    if (topic == "nsPref:changed" && data == this.PREF) {
-      if (Services.prefs.getBoolPref(this.PREF)) {
-        this.enable();
-      } else {
-        this.disable();
-      }
-    }
-  },
-
-  enable() {
-    this._filter = Cc[
-      "@mozilla.org/appshell/component/browser-status-filter;1"
-    ].createInstance(Ci.nsIWebProgress);
-    this._filter.addProgressListener(this, Ci.nsIWebProgress.NOTIFY_ALL);
-    this._filter.target = tabEventTarget;
-
-    let webProgress = docShell
-      .QueryInterface(Ci.nsIInterfaceRequestor)
-      .getInterface(Ci.nsIWebProgress);
-    webProgress.addProgressListener(this._filter, Ci.nsIWebProgress.NOTIFY_ALL);
-
-    addMessageListener("RefreshBlocker:Refresh", this);
-  },
-
-  disable() {
-    let webProgress = docShell
-      .QueryInterface(Ci.nsIInterfaceRequestor)
-      .getInterface(Ci.nsIWebProgress);
-    webProgress.removeProgressListener(this._filter);
-
-    this._filter.removeProgressListener(this);
-    this._filter = null;
-
-    removeMessageListener("RefreshBlocker:Refresh", this);
-  },
-
-  send(data) {
-    // Due to the |nsDocLoader| calling its |nsIWebProgressListener|s in
-    // reverse order, this will occur *before* the |BrowserChild| can send its
-    // |OnLocationChange| event to the parent, but we need this message to
-    // arrive after to ensure that the refresh blocker notification is not
-    // immediately cleared by the |OnLocationChange| from |BrowserChild|.
-    setTimeout(() => sendAsyncMessage("RefreshBlocker:Blocked", data), 0);
-  },
-
   /**
    * Notices when the nsIWebProgress transitions to STATE_STOP for
    * the STATE_IS_WINDOW case, which will clear any mappings from
@@ -130,7 +74,7 @@ var RefreshBlocker = {
       if (data) {
         // We saw onRefreshAttempted before onLocationChange, so
         // send the message to the parent to show the notification.
-        this.send(data);
+        this.send(win, data);
       }
     } else {
       this.blockedWindows.set(win, null);
@@ -144,19 +88,18 @@ var RefreshBlocker = {
    */
   onRefreshAttempted(aWebProgress, aURI, aDelay, aSameURI) {
     let win = aWebProgress.DOMWindow;
-    let outerWindowID = win.docShell.outerWindowID;
 
     let data = {
+      browsingContext: win.browsingContext,
       URI: aURI.spec,
       delay: aDelay,
       sameURI: aSameURI,
-      outerWindowID,
     };
 
     if (this.blockedWindows.has(win)) {
       // onLocationChange must have fired before, so we can tell the
       // parent to show the notification.
-      this.send(data);
+      this.send(win, data);
     } else {
       // onLocationChange hasn't fired yet, so stash the data in the
       // map so that onLocationChange can send it when it fires.
@@ -166,17 +109,22 @@ var RefreshBlocker = {
     return false;
   },
 
-  receiveMessage(message) {
-    let data = message.data;
-
-    if (message.name == "RefreshBlocker:Refresh") {
-      let win = Services.wm.getOuterWindowWithId(data.outerWindowID);
-      let refreshURI = win.docShell.QueryInterface(Ci.nsIRefreshURI);
-
-      let URI = Services.io.newURI(data.URI);
-
-      refreshURI.forceRefreshURI(URI, null, data.delay, true);
-    }
+  send(win, data) {
+    // Due to the |nsDocLoader| calling its |nsIWebProgressListener|s in
+    // reverse order, this will occur *before* the |BrowserChild| can send its
+    // |OnLocationChange| event to the parent, but we need this message to
+    // arrive after to ensure that the refresh blocker notification is not
+    // immediately cleared by the |OnLocationChange| from |BrowserChild|.
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      // An exception can occur if refresh blocking was turned off
+      // during a pageload.
+      try {
+        let actor = win.windowGlobalChild.getActor("RefreshBlocker");
+        if (actor) {
+          actor.sendAsyncMessage("RefreshBlocker:Blocked", data);
+        }
+      } catch (ex) {}
+    }, 0);
   },
 
   QueryInterface: ChromeUtils.generateQI([
@@ -186,8 +134,104 @@ var RefreshBlocker = {
   ]),
 };
 
-RefreshBlocker.init();
+class RefreshBlockerChild extends JSWindowActorChild {
+  didDestroy() {
+    // If the refresh blocking preference is turned off, all of the
+    // RefreshBlockerChild actors will get destroyed, so disable
+    // refresh blocking only in this case.
+    if (!Services.prefs.getBoolPref(REFRESHBLOCKING_PREF)) {
+      this.disable(this.docShell);
+    }
+  }
 
-addEventListener("unload", () => {
-  RefreshBlocker.uninit();
-});
+  enable() {
+    ChromeUtils.domProcessChild
+      .getActor("RefreshBlockerObserver")
+      .enable(this.docShell);
+  }
+
+  disable() {
+    ChromeUtils.domProcessChild
+      .getActor("RefreshBlockerObserver")
+      .disable(this.docShell);
+  }
+
+  receiveMessage(message) {
+    let data = message.data;
+
+    switch (message.name) {
+      case "RefreshBlocker:Refresh":
+        let docShell = data.browsingContext.docShell;
+        let refreshURI = docShell.QueryInterface(Ci.nsIRefreshURI);
+        let URI = Services.io.newURI(data.URI);
+        refreshURI.forceRefreshURI(URI, null, data.delay, true);
+        break;
+
+      case "PreferenceChanged":
+        if (data.isEnabled) {
+          this.enable(this.docShell);
+        } else {
+          this.disable(this.docShell);
+        }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+class RefreshBlockerObserverChild extends JSProcessActorChild {
+  constructor() {
+    super();
+    this.filtersMap = new Map();
+  }
+
+  observe(subject, topic, data) {
+    switch (topic) {
+      case "webnavigation-create":
+      case "chrome-webnavigation-create":
+        if (Services.prefs.getBoolPref(REFRESHBLOCKING_PREF)) {
+          this.enable(subject.QueryInterface(Ci.nsIDocShell));
+        }
+        break;
+
+      case "webnavigation-destroy":
+      case "chrome-webnavigation-destroy":
+        if (Services.prefs.getBoolPref(REFRESHBLOCKING_PREF)) {
+          this.disable(subject.QueryInterface(Ci.nsIDocShell));
+        }
+        break;
+    }
+  }
+
+  enable(docShell) {
+    if (this.filtersMap.has(docShell)) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    let filter = Cc[
+      "@mozilla.org/appshell/component/browser-status-filter;1"
+    ].createInstance(Ci.nsIWebProgress);
+
+    filter.addProgressListener(progressListener, Ci.nsIWebProgress.NOTIFY_ALL);
+
+    this.filtersMap.set(docShell, filter);
+
+    let webProgress = docShell
+      .QueryInterface(Ci.nsIInterfaceRequestor)
+      .getInterface(Ci.nsIWebProgress);
+    webProgress.addProgressListener(filter, Ci.nsIWebProgress.NOTIFY_ALL);
+  }
+
+  disable(docShell) {
+    let filter = this.filtersMap.get(docShell);
+    if (!filter) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    let webProgress = docShell
+      .QueryInterface(Ci.nsIInterfaceRequestor)
+      .getInterface(Ci.nsIWebProgress);
+    webProgress.removeProgressListener(filter);
+
+    filter.removeProgressListener(progressListener);
+    this.filtersMap.delete(docShell);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/browser/actors/RefreshBlockerParent.jsm b/browser/actors/RefreshBlockerParent.jsm
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5da938ad1485
--- /dev/null
+++ b/browser/actors/RefreshBlockerParent.jsm
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+/* 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/. */
+"use strict";
+
+var EXPORTED_SYMBOLS = ["RefreshBlockerParent"];
+
+class RefreshBlockerParent extends JSWindowActorParent {
+  receiveMessage(message) {
+    if (message.name == "RefreshBlocker:Blocked") {
+      let browser = this.browsingContext.top.embedderElement;
+      if (browser) {
+        let gBrowser = browser.ownerGlobal.gBrowser;
+        if (gBrowser) {
+          gBrowser.refreshBlocked(this, browser, message.data);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/browser/actors/moz.build b/browser/actors/moz.build
index 09abb15b855d..d957a93760df 100644
--- a/browser/actors/moz.build
+++ b/browser/actors/moz.build
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ FINAL_TARGET_FILES.actors += [
     'PluginChild.jsm',
     'PluginParent.jsm',
     'PromptParent.jsm',
+    'RefreshBlockerChild.jsm',
+    'RefreshBlockerParent.jsm',
     'RFPHelperChild.jsm',
     'RFPHelperParent.jsm',
     'SearchTelemetryChild.jsm',
diff --git a/browser/base/content/browser.js b/browser/base/content/browser.js
index 6e25542069ed..b088e0a37250 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/browser.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/browser.js
@@ -1871,7 +1871,6 @@ var gBrowserInit = {
     BrowserSearch.init();
     BrowserPageActions.init();
     gAccessibilityServiceIndicator.init();
-    AccessibilityRefreshBlocker.init();
     if (gToolbarKeyNavEnabled) {
       ToolbarKeyboardNavigator.init();
     }
@@ -2457,8 +2456,6 @@ var gBrowserInit = {
 
     gAccessibilityServiceIndicator.uninit();
 
-    AccessibilityRefreshBlocker.uninit();
-
     if (gToolbarKeyNavEnabled) {
       ToolbarKeyboardNavigator.uninit();
     }
@@ -5796,50 +5793,6 @@ var CombinedStopReload = {
   },
 };
 
-// This helper only cares about loading the frame
-// script if the pref is seen as true.
-// After the frame script is loaded, it takes over
-// the responsibility of watching the pref and
-// enabling/disabling itself.
-const AccessibilityRefreshBlocker = {
-  PREF: "accessibility.blockautorefresh",
-
-  init() {
-    if (Services.prefs.getBoolPref(this.PREF)) {
-      this.loadFrameScript();
-    } else {
-      Services.prefs.addObserver(this.PREF, this);
-    }
-  },
-
-  uninit() {
-    Services.prefs.removeObserver(this.PREF, this);
-  },
-
-  observe(aSubject, aTopic, aPrefName) {
-    if (
-      aTopic == "nsPref:changed" &&
-      aPrefName == this.PREF &&
-      Services.prefs.getBoolPref(this.PREF)
-    ) {
-      this.loadFrameScript();
-      Services.prefs.removeObserver(this.PREF, this);
-    }
-  },
-
-  loadFrameScript() {
-    if (!this._loaded) {
-      this._loaded = true;
-      let mm = window.getGroupMessageManager("browsers");
-      mm.loadFrameScript(
-        "chrome://browser/content/content-refreshblocker.js",
-        true,
-        true
-      );
-    }
-  },
-};
-
 var TabsProgressListener = {
   onStateChange(aBrowser, aWebProgress, aRequest, aStateFlags, aStatus) {
     // Collect telemetry data about tab load times.
diff --git a/browser/base/content/tabbrowser.js b/browser/base/content/tabbrowser.js
index bf53bf7ee519..1f3c35e04e00 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/tabbrowser.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/tabbrowser.js
@@ -57,9 +57,6 @@
         );
       }
 
-      let messageManager = window.getGroupMessageManager("browsers");
-      messageManager.addMessageListener("RefreshBlocker:Blocked", this);
-
       this._setFindbarData();
 
       XPCOMUtils.defineLazyModuleGetters(this, {
@@ -5125,76 +5122,6 @@
       }
     },
 
-    receiveMessage(aMessage) {
-      let data = aMessage.data;
-      let browser = aMessage.target;
-
-      switch (aMessage.name) {
-        case "RefreshBlocker:Blocked": {
-          // The data object is expected to contain the following properties:
-          //  - URI (string)
-          //     The URI that a page is attempting to refresh or redirect to.
-          //  - delay (int)
-          //     The delay (in milliseconds) before the page was going to
-          //     reload or redirect.
-          //  - sameURI (bool)
-          //     true if we're refreshing the page. false if we're redirecting.
-          //  - outerWindowID (int)
-          //     The outerWindowID of the frame that requested the refresh or
-          //     redirect.
-
-          let brandBundle = document.getElementById("bundle_brand");
-          let brandShortName = brandBundle.getString("brandShortName");
-          let message = gNavigatorBundle.getFormattedString(
-            "refreshBlocked." +
-              (data.sameURI ? "refreshLabel" : "redirectLabel"),
-            [brandShortName]
-          );
-
-          let notificationBox = this.getNotificationBox(browser);
-          let notification = notificationBox.getNotificationWithValue(
-            "refresh-blocked"
-          );
-
-          if (notification) {
-            notification.label = message;
-          } else {
-            let refreshButtonText = gNavigatorBundle.getString(
-              "refreshBlocked.goButton"
-            );
-            let refreshButtonAccesskey = gNavigatorBundle.getString(
-              "refreshBlocked.goButton.accesskey"
-            );
-
-            let buttons = [
-              {
-                label: refreshButtonText,
-                accessKey: refreshButtonAccesskey,
-                callback() {
-                  if (browser.messageManager) {
-                    browser.messageManager.sendAsyncMessage(
-                      "RefreshBlocker:Refresh",
-                      data
-                    );
-                  }
-                },
-              },
-            ];
-
-            notificationBox.appendNotification(
-              message,
-              "refresh-blocked",
-              "chrome://browser/skin/notification-icons/popup.svg",
-              notificationBox.PRIORITY_INFO_MEDIUM,
-              buttons
-            );
-          }
-          break;
-        }
-      }
-      return undefined;
-    },
-
     observe(aSubject, aTopic, aData) {
       switch (aTopic) {
         case "contextual-identity-updated": {
@@ -5209,6 +5136,58 @@
       }
     },
 
+    refreshBlocked(actor, browser, data) {
+      // The data object is expected to contain the following properties:
+      //  - URI (string)
+      //     The URI that a page is attempting to refresh or redirect to.
+      //  - delay (int)
+      //     The delay (in milliseconds) before the page was going to
+      //     reload or redirect.
+      //  - sameURI (bool)
+      //     true if we're refreshing the page. false if we're redirecting.
+
+      let brandBundle = document.getElementById("bundle_brand");
+      let brandShortName = brandBundle.getString("brandShortName");
+      let message = gNavigatorBundle.getFormattedString(
+        "refreshBlocked." + (data.sameURI ? "refreshLabel" : "redirectLabel"),
+        [brandShortName]
+      );
+
+      let notificationBox = this.getNotificationBox(browser);
+      let notification = notificationBox.getNotificationWithValue(
+        "refresh-blocked"
+      );
+
+      if (notification) {
+        notification.label = message;
+      } else {
+        let refreshButtonText = gNavigatorBundle.getString(
+          "refreshBlocked.goButton"
+        );
+        let refreshButtonAccesskey = gNavigatorBundle.getString(
+          "refreshBlocked.goButton.accesskey"
+        );
+
+        let buttons = [
+          {
+            label: refreshButtonText,
+            accessKey: refreshButtonAccesskey,
+            callback() {
+              actor.sendAsyncMessage("RefreshBlocker:Refresh", data);
+            },
+          },
+        ];
+
+        notificationBox.appendNotification(
+          message,
+          "refresh-blocked",
+          "chrome://browser/skin/notification-icons/popup.svg",
+          notificationBox.PRIORITY_INFO_MEDIUM,
+          buttons
+        );
+      }
+    },
+
     _generateUniquePanelID() {
       if (!this._uniquePanelIDCounter) {
         this._uniquePanelIDCounter = 0;
diff --git a/browser/base/jar.mn b/browser/base/jar.mn
index f7fea4ecd666..5cf7af4f635d 100644
--- a/browser/base/jar.mn
+++ b/browser/base/jar.mn
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ browser.jar:
         content/browser/pageinfo/pageInfo.css         (content/pageinfo/pageInfo.css)
         content/browser/pageinfo/permissions.js       (content/pageinfo/permissions.js)
         content/browser/pageinfo/security.js          (content/pageinfo/security.js)
-        content/browser/content-refreshblocker.js     (content/content-refreshblocker.js)
         content/browser/robot.ico                     (content/robot.ico)
         content/browser/static-robot.png              (content/static-robot.png)
         content/browser/safeMode.css                  (content/safeMode.css)
diff --git a/browser/components/BrowserGlue.jsm b/browser/components/BrowserGlue.jsm
index 68b77e6f42cf..6cc3f2b13f88 100644
--- a/browser/components/BrowserGlue.jsm
+++ b/browser/components/BrowserGlue.jsm
@@ -92,6 +92,34 @@ let JSPROCESSACTORS = {
       ],
     },
   },
+
+  RefreshBlockerObserver: {
+    child: {
+      moduleURI: "resource:///actors/RefreshBlockerChild.jsm",
+      observers: [
+        "webnavigation-create",
+        "chrome-webnavigation-create",
+        "webnavigation-destroy",
+        "chrome-webnavigation-destroy",
+      ],
+    },
+
+    enablePreference: "accessibility.blockautorefresh",
+    onPreferenceChanged: (prefName, prevValue, isEnabled) => {
+      BrowserWindowTracker.orderedWindows.forEach(win => {
+        for (let browser of win.gBrowser.browsers) {
+          try {
+            browser.sendMessageToActor(
+              "PreferenceChanged",
+              { isEnabled },
+              "RefreshBlocker",
+              "all"
+            );
+          } catch (ex) {}
+        }
+      });
+    },
+  },
 };
 
 /**
@@ -514,6 +542,18 @@ let JSWINDOWACTORS = {
     allFrames: true,
   },
 
+  RefreshBlocker: {
+    parent: {
+      moduleURI: "resource:///actors/RefreshBlockerParent.jsm",
+    },
+    child: {
+      moduleURI: "resource:///actors/RefreshBlockerChild.jsm",
+    },
+
+    messageManagerGroups: ["browsers"],
+    enablePreference: "accessibility.blockautorefresh",
+  },
+
   SearchTelemetry: {
     parent: {
       moduleURI: "resource:///actors/SearchTelemetryParent.jsm",
diff --git a/toolkit/modules/ActorManagerParent.jsm b/toolkit/modules/ActorManagerParent.jsm
index 02c4429021be..3ef91f4ac5b8 100644
--- a/toolkit/modules/ActorManagerParent.jsm
+++ b/toolkit/modules/ActorManagerParent.jsm
@@ -651,6 +651,9 @@ var ActorManagerParent = {
             } else {
               unregister(actorName, actor);
             }
+            if (actor.onPreferenceChanged) {
+              actor.onPreferenceChanged(prefName, prevValue, isEnabled);
+            }
           }
         );
         if (!this[actorNameProp]) {