diff --git a/browser/base/content/browser.js b/browser/base/content/browser.js
index 20de9f3d42c8..a0d6054c9aa4 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/browser.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/browser.js
@@ -403,33 +403,6 @@ const gSessionHistoryObserver = {
   }
 };
 
-const gGatherTelemetryObserver = {
-  observe: function(subject, topic, data) {
-    if (topic != "gather-telemetry") {
-      return;
-    }
-
-    let engine;
-    try {
-      engine = Services.search.defaultEngine;
-    } catch (e) {}
-    let name;
-
-    if (!engine) {
-      name = "NONE";
-    } else if (engine.identifier) {
-      name = engine.identifier;
-    } else if (engine.name) {
-      name = "other-" + engine.name;
-    } else {
-      name = "UNDEFINED";
-    }
-
-    let engines = Services.telemetry.getKeyedHistogramById("SEARCH_DEFAULT_ENGINE");
-    engines.add(name, true)
-  },
-};
-
 /**
  * Given a starting docshell and a URI to look up, find the docshell the URI
  * is loaded in.
@@ -1213,7 +1186,6 @@ var gBrowserInit = {
     Services.obs.addObserver(gXPInstallObserver, "addon-install-blocked", false);
     Services.obs.addObserver(gXPInstallObserver, "addon-install-failed", false);
     Services.obs.addObserver(gXPInstallObserver, "addon-install-complete", false);
-    Services.obs.addObserver(gGatherTelemetryObserver, "gather-telemetry", false);
     window.messageManager.addMessageListener("Browser:URIFixup", gKeywordURIFixup);
     window.messageManager.addMessageListener("Browser:LoadURI", RedirectLoad);
 
@@ -1534,7 +1506,6 @@ var gBrowserInit = {
       Services.obs.removeObserver(gXPInstallObserver, "addon-install-blocked");
       Services.obs.removeObserver(gXPInstallObserver, "addon-install-failed");
       Services.obs.removeObserver(gXPInstallObserver, "addon-install-complete");
-      Services.obs.removeObserver(gGatherTelemetryObserver, "gather-telemetry");
       window.messageManager.removeMessageListener("Browser:URIFixup", gKeywordURIFixup);
       window.messageManager.removeMessageListener("Browser:LoadURI", RedirectLoad);
 
diff --git a/browser/components/nsBrowserGlue.js b/browser/components/nsBrowserGlue.js
index a9f02ecda857..a89fd158a2ee 100644
--- a/browser/components/nsBrowserGlue.js
+++ b/browser/components/nsBrowserGlue.js
@@ -144,6 +144,28 @@ const BOOKMARKS_BACKUP_MIN_INTERVAL_DAYS = 1;
 // days we will try to create a new one more aggressively.
 const BOOKMARKS_BACKUP_MAX_INTERVAL_DAYS = 3;
 
+// Record the current default search engine in Telemetry.
+function recordDefaultSearchEngine() {
+  let engine;
+  try {
+    engine = Services.search.defaultEngine;
+  } catch (e) {}
+  let name;
+
+  if (!engine) {
+    name = "NONE";
+  } else if (engine.identifier) {
+    name = engine.identifier;
+  } else if (engine.name) {
+    name = "other-" + engine.name;
+  } else {
+    name = "UNDEFINED";
+  }
+
+  let engines = Services.telemetry.getKeyedHistogramById("SEARCH_DEFAULT_ENGINE");
+  engines.add(name, true)
+}
+
 // Factory object
 const BrowserGlueServiceFactory = {
   _instance: null,
@@ -402,12 +424,14 @@ BrowserGlue.prototype = {
           ss.defaultEngine = ss.currentEngine;
         else
           ss.currentEngine = ss.defaultEngine;
+        recordDefaultSearchEngine();
         break;
       case "browser-search-service":
         if (data != "init-complete")
           return;
         Services.obs.removeObserver(this, "browser-search-service");
         this._syncSearchEngines();
+        recordDefaultSearchEngine();
         break;
 #ifdef NIGHTLY_BUILD
       case "nsPref:changed":