diff --git a/dom/events/EventDispatcher.cpp b/dom/events/EventDispatcher.cpp
index c32b5f83082f..a70f2ccb0db5 100644
--- a/dom/events/EventDispatcher.cpp
+++ b/dom/events/EventDispatcher.cpp
@@ -995,7 +995,6 @@ nsresult EventDispatcher::Dispatch(EventTarget* aTarget,
   if (preVisitor.mWantsActivationBehavior) {
     MOZ_ASSERT(&chain[0] == targetEtci);
     activationTargetItemIndex.emplace(0);
-    preVisitor.mEvent->mFlags.mMultiplePreActionsPrevented = true;
   }
 
   if (!preVisitor.mCanHandle) {
@@ -1065,7 +1064,6 @@ nsresult EventDispatcher::Dispatch(EventTarget* aTarget,
           activationTargetItemIndex.isNothing() && aEvent->mFlags.mBubbles) {
         MOZ_ASSERT(&chain.LastElement() == parentEtci);
         activationTargetItemIndex.emplace(chain.Length() - 1);
-        preVisitor.mEvent->mFlags.mMultiplePreActionsPrevented = true;
       }
 
       if (preVisitor.mCanHandle) {
diff --git a/dom/html/HTMLButtonElement.cpp b/dom/html/HTMLButtonElement.cpp
index fc5f3b779a1d..3343da4fe417 100644
--- a/dom/html/HTMLButtonElement.cpp
+++ b/dom/html/HTMLButtonElement.cpp
@@ -172,21 +172,25 @@ void HTMLButtonElement::GetEventTargetParent(EventChainPreVisitor& aVisitor) {
 
   if (outerActivateEvent) {
     aVisitor.mItemFlags |= NS_OUTER_ACTIVATE_EVENT;
-    if (mType == FormControlType::ButtonSubmit && mForm &&
-        !aVisitor.mEvent->mFlags.mMultiplePreActionsPrevented) {
-      aVisitor.mEvent->mFlags.mMultiplePreActionsPrevented = true;
-      aVisitor.mItemFlags |= NS_IN_SUBMIT_CLICK;
-      aVisitor.mItemData = static_cast<Element*>(mForm);
-      // tell the form that we are about to enter a click handler.
-      // that means that if there are scripted submissions, the
-      // latest one will be deferred until after the exit point of the handler.
-      mForm->OnSubmitClickBegin(this);
-    }
+    aVisitor.mWantsActivationBehavior = true;
   }
 
   nsGenericHTMLElement::GetEventTargetParent(aVisitor);
 }
 
+void HTMLButtonElement::LegacyPreActivationBehavior(
+    EventChainVisitor& aVisitor) {
+  // out-of-spec legacy pre-activation behavior needed because of bug 1803805
+  if (mType == FormControlType::ButtonSubmit && mForm) {
+    aVisitor.mItemFlags |= NS_IN_SUBMIT_CLICK;
+    aVisitor.mItemData = static_cast<Element*>(mForm);
+    // tell the form that we are about to enter a click handler.
+    // that means that if there are scripted submissions, the
+    // latest one will be deferred until after the exit point of the handler.
+    mForm->OnSubmitClickBegin(this);
+  }
+}
+
 nsresult HTMLButtonElement::PostHandleEvent(EventChainPostVisitor& aVisitor) {
   nsresult rv = NS_OK;
   if (!aVisitor.mPresContext) {
@@ -223,24 +227,19 @@ nsresult HTMLButtonElement::PostHandleEvent(EventChainPostVisitor& aVisitor) {
       HandleKeyboardActivation(aVisitor);
     }
 
-    if (aVisitor.mItemFlags & NS_OUTER_ACTIVATE_EVENT) {
-      if (mForm) {
-        // Hold a strong ref while dispatching
-        RefPtr<mozilla::dom::HTMLFormElement> form(mForm);
-        if (mType == FormControlType::ButtonReset) {
-          form->MaybeReset(this);
-          aVisitor.mEventStatus = nsEventStatus_eConsumeNoDefault;
-        } else if (mType == FormControlType::ButtonSubmit) {
-          form->MaybeSubmit(this);
-          aVisitor.mEventStatus = nsEventStatus_eConsumeNoDefault;
-        }
-        // https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/form-elements.html#attr-button-type-button-state
-        // NS_FORM_BUTTON_BUTTON do nothing.
-      }
-      HandlePopoverTargetAction();
+    // Bug 1459231: Temporarily needed till links respect activation target
+    // Then also remove NS_OUTER_ACTIVATE_EVENT
+    if ((aVisitor.mItemFlags & NS_OUTER_ACTIVATE_EVENT) && mForm &&
+        (mType == FormControlType::ButtonReset ||
+         mType == FormControlType::ButtonSubmit)) {
+      aVisitor.mEvent->mFlags.mMultipleActionsPrevented = true;
     }
   }
 
+  return rv;
+}
+
+void EndSubmitClick(EventChainVisitor& aVisitor) {
   if ((aVisitor.mItemFlags & NS_IN_SUBMIT_CLICK)) {
     nsCOMPtr<nsIContent> content(do_QueryInterface(aVisitor.mItemData));
     RefPtr<HTMLFormElement> form = HTMLFormElement::FromNodeOrNull(content);
@@ -257,8 +256,40 @@ nsresult HTMLButtonElement::PostHandleEvent(EventChainPostVisitor& aVisitor) {
     // Note, NS_IN_SUBMIT_CLICK is set only when we're in outer activate event.
     form->FlushPendingSubmission();
   }
+}
 
-  return rv;
+void HTMLButtonElement::ActivationBehavior(EventChainPostVisitor& aVisitor) {
+  if (!aVisitor.mPresContext) {
+    // Should check whether EndSubmitClick is needed here.
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (!IsDisabled()) {
+    if (mForm) {
+      // Hold a strong ref while dispatching
+      RefPtr<mozilla::dom::HTMLFormElement> form(mForm);
+      if (mType == FormControlType::ButtonReset) {
+        form->MaybeReset(this);
+        aVisitor.mEventStatus = nsEventStatus_eConsumeNoDefault;
+      } else if (mType == FormControlType::ButtonSubmit) {
+        form->MaybeSubmit(this);
+        aVisitor.mEventStatus = nsEventStatus_eConsumeNoDefault;
+      }
+      // https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/form-elements.html#attr-button-type-button-state
+      // NS_FORM_BUTTON_BUTTON do nothing.
+    }
+    HandlePopoverTargetAction();
+  }
+
+  EndSubmitClick(aVisitor);
+}
+
+void HTMLButtonElement::LegacyCanceledActivationBehavior(
+    EventChainPostVisitor& aVisitor) {
+  // still need to end submission, see bug 1803805
+  // e.g. when parent element of button has event handler preventing default
+  // legacy canceled instead of activation behavior will be run
+  EndSubmitClick(aVisitor);
 }
 
 nsresult HTMLButtonElement::BindToTree(BindContext& aContext,
diff --git a/dom/html/HTMLButtonElement.h b/dom/html/HTMLButtonElement.h
index 15c00213d0d3..75839df7227d 100644
--- a/dom/html/HTMLButtonElement.h
+++ b/dom/html/HTMLButtonElement.h
@@ -53,6 +53,11 @@ class HTMLButtonElement final : public nsGenericHTMLFormControlElementWithState,
   void GetEventTargetParent(EventChainPreVisitor& aVisitor) override;
   MOZ_CAN_RUN_SCRIPT_BOUNDARY
   nsresult PostHandleEvent(EventChainPostVisitor& aVisitor) override;
+  void LegacyPreActivationBehavior(EventChainVisitor& aVisitor) override;
+  MOZ_CAN_RUN_SCRIPT
+  void ActivationBehavior(EventChainPostVisitor& aVisitor) override;
+  void LegacyCanceledActivationBehavior(
+      EventChainPostVisitor& aVisitor) override;
 
   // nsINode
   nsresult Clone(dom::NodeInfo*, nsINode** aResult) const override;
diff --git a/dom/html/HTMLInputElement.cpp b/dom/html/HTMLInputElement.cpp
index 082dff60cd1c..609a7bd93954 100644
--- a/dom/html/HTMLInputElement.cpp
+++ b/dom/html/HTMLInputElement.cpp
@@ -3125,8 +3125,7 @@ bool HTMLInputElement::CheckActivationBehaviorPreconditions(
       if (outerActivateEvent) {
         aVisitor.mItemFlags |= NS_OUTER_ACTIVATE_EVENT;
       }
-      return outerActivateEvent &&
-             !aVisitor.mEvent->mFlags.mMultiplePreActionsPrevented;
+      return outerActivateEvent;
     }
     default:
       return false;
diff --git a/testing/web-platform/meta/dom/events/Event-dispatch-single-activation-behavior.html.ini b/testing/web-platform/meta/dom/events/Event-dispatch-single-activation-behavior.html.ini
index 7160d8c33d73..be6e34a1ce00 100644
--- a/testing/web-platform/meta/dom/events/Event-dispatch-single-activation-behavior.html.ini
+++ b/testing/web-platform/meta/dom/events/Event-dispatch-single-activation-behavior.html.ini
@@ -1,10 +1,4 @@
 [Event-dispatch-single-activation-behavior.html]
-  [When clicking child <FORM><BUTTON type=reset></BUTTON></FORM> of parent <INPUT type=checkbox></INPUT>, only child should be activated.]
-    expected: FAIL
-
-  [When clicking child <FORM><BUTTON type=reset></BUTTON></FORM> of parent <INPUT type=radio></INPUT>, only child should be activated.]
-    expected: FAIL
-
   [When clicking child <LABEL><INPUT type=checkbox></INPUT><SPAN></SPAN></LABEL> of parent <INPUT type=checkbox></INPUT>, only child should be activated.]
     expected: FAIL
 
@@ -38,47 +32,8 @@
   [When clicking child <LABEL><INPUT type=checkbox></INPUT><SPAN></SPAN></LABEL> of parent <FORM><BUTTON type=reset></BUTTON></FORM>, only child should be activated.]
     expected: FAIL
 
-  [When clicking child <LABEL><BUTTON type=button></BUTTON></LABEL> of parent <INPUT type=checkbox></INPUT>, only child should be activated.]
-    expected: FAIL
-
-  [When clicking child <LABEL><BUTTON type=button></BUTTON></LABEL> of parent <FORM><INPUT type=submit></INPUT></FORM>, only child should be activated.]
-    expected: FAIL
-
-  [When clicking child <LABEL><BUTTON type=button></BUTTON></LABEL> of parent <FORM><INPUT type=image></INPUT></FORM>, only child should be activated.]
-    expected: FAIL
-
-  [When clicking child <LABEL><BUTTON type=button></BUTTON></LABEL> of parent <FORM><INPUT type=reset></INPUT></FORM>, only child should be activated.]
-    expected: FAIL
-
-  [When clicking child <LABEL><BUTTON type=button></BUTTON></LABEL> of parent <FORM><BUTTON type=submit></BUTTON></FORM>, only child should be activated.]
-    expected: FAIL
-
-  [When clicking child <LABEL><BUTTON type=button></BUTTON></LABEL> of parent <FORM><BUTTON type=reset></BUTTON></FORM>, only child should be activated.]
-    expected: FAIL
-
   [When clicking child <LABEL><BUTTON type=button></BUTTON></LABEL> of parent <A></A>, only child should be activated.]
     expected: FAIL
 
   [When clicking child <LABEL><BUTTON type=button></BUTTON></LABEL> of parent <AREA></AREA>, only child should be activated.]
     expected: FAIL
-
-  [When clicking child <LABEL><BUTTON type=button></BUTTON></LABEL> of parent <INPUT type=radio></INPUT>, only child should be activated.]
-    expected: FAIL
-
-  [When clicking child <FORM><INPUT type=submit></INPUT></FORM> of parent <FORM><BUTTON type=submit></BUTTON></FORM>, only child should be activated.]
-    expected: FAIL
-
-  [When clicking child <FORM><INPUT type=submit></INPUT></FORM> of parent <FORM><BUTTON type=reset></BUTTON></FORM>, only child should be activated.]
-    expected: FAIL
-
-  [When clicking child <FORM><INPUT type=image></INPUT></FORM> of parent <FORM><BUTTON type=submit></BUTTON></FORM>, only child should be activated.]
-    expected: FAIL
-
-  [When clicking child <FORM><INPUT type=image></INPUT></FORM> of parent <FORM><BUTTON type=reset></BUTTON></FORM>, only child should be activated.]
-    expected: FAIL
-
-  [When clicking child <FORM><INPUT type=reset></INPUT></FORM> of parent <FORM><BUTTON type=submit></BUTTON></FORM>, only child should be activated.]
-    expected: FAIL
-
-  [When clicking child <FORM><INPUT type=reset></INPUT></FORM> of parent <FORM><BUTTON type=reset></BUTTON></FORM>, only child should be activated.]
-    expected: FAIL
diff --git a/testing/web-platform/tests/html/semantics/forms/the-button-element/button-click-submits.html b/testing/web-platform/tests/html/semantics/forms/the-button-element/button-click-submits.html
index f09d06080fbe..86b92402e468 100644
--- a/testing/web-platform/tests/html/semantics/forms/the-button-element/button-click-submits.html
+++ b/testing/web-platform/tests/html/semantics/forms/the-button-element/button-click-submits.html
@@ -198,7 +198,6 @@ async_test(t => {
   }));
 
   span.addEventListener("click", t.step_func(ev => {
-    ev.preventDefault();
     t.step_timeout(() => t.done(), 500);
   }));
 
@@ -207,4 +206,27 @@ async_test(t => {
 
 }, "clicking the child of a button by dispatching a non-bubbling event should not trigger submit");
 
+async_test(t => {
+
+  const form = document.createElement("form");
+  const button = document.createElement("button");
+  button.disabled = true;
+  const span = document.createElement("span");
+  button.appendChild(span);
+  form.appendChild(button);
+  document.body.appendChild(form);
+
+  form.addEventListener("submit", t.step_func_done(ev => {
+    ev.preventDefault();
+    assert_unreached("Form should not be submitted");
+  }));
+
+  span.addEventListener("click", t.step_func(ev => {
+    assert_true(true, "span was clicked");
+    t.step_timeout(() => t.done(), 500);
+  }));
+
+  span.click();
+
+}, "clicking the child of a disabled button with .click() should not trigger submit");
 </script>
diff --git a/testing/web-platform/tests/html/semantics/forms/the-button-element/button-submit-children.html b/testing/web-platform/tests/html/semantics/forms/the-button-element/button-submit-children.html
index 06218f4fc9e9..9cec2bd87586 100644
--- a/testing/web-platform/tests/html/semantics/forms/the-button-element/button-submit-children.html
+++ b/testing/web-platform/tests/html/semantics/forms/the-button-element/button-submit-children.html
@@ -7,11 +7,13 @@
 
 <iframe name=frame1 id=frame1></iframe>
 <form id=form1 target=frame1 action="does_not_exist.html">
-  <button id=submitbutton type=submit>
-    <div id=buttonchilddiv>
-      button child div text
-    </div>
-  </button>
+  <div id=parentdiv>
+    <button id=submitbutton type=submit>
+      <div id=buttonchilddiv>
+        button child div text
+      </div>
+    </button>
+  </div>
 </form>
 
 <script>
@@ -31,4 +33,26 @@ async_test(t => {
     buttonChildDiv.click();
   });
 }, 'This test will pass if a form navigation successfully occurs when clicking a child element of a <button type=submit> element with a onclick event handler which prevents the default form submission and manually calls form.submit() instead.');
+
+async_test(t => {
+  window.addEventListener('load', () => {
+    const frame1 = document.getElementById('frame1');
+    frame1.addEventListener('load', t.step_func_done(() => {}));
+
+    const submitButton = document.getElementById('submitbutton');
+    submitButton.addEventListener('click', event => {
+      const form = document.getElementById('form1');
+      form.submit();
+    });
+
+    const parentDiv = document.getElementById("parentdiv");
+    parentDiv.addEventListener("click", event => {
+      // event was already handled for the button
+      // but it's activation behavior won't have run yet and we prevent that now
+      event.preventDefault();
+    })
+
+    submitButton.click();
+  });
+}, "clicking a submit button, which calls form.submit and has a parent calling e.prevenDefault() should still submit the form");
 </script>
diff --git a/widget/BasicEvents.h b/widget/BasicEvents.h
index 04711fad54a5..b3707f1cf4d5 100644
--- a/widget/BasicEvents.h
+++ b/widget/BasicEvents.h
@@ -99,8 +99,6 @@ struct BaseEventFlags {
   // the first <label> element is clicked, that one may set this true.
   // Then, the second <label> element won't handle the event.
   bool mMultipleActionsPrevented : 1;
-  // Similar to above but expected to be used during PreHandleEvent phase.
-  bool mMultiplePreActionsPrevented : 1;
   // If mIsBeingDispatched is true, the DOM event created from the event is
   // dispatching into the DOM tree and not completed.
   bool mIsBeingDispatched : 1;