diff --git a/dom/xhr/XMLHttpRequestWorker.cpp b/dom/xhr/XMLHttpRequestWorker.cpp
index 9c4972b8c472..d3e6face2190 100644
--- a/dom/xhr/XMLHttpRequestWorker.cpp
+++ b/dom/xhr/XMLHttpRequestWorker.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "mozilla/dom/URLSearchParams.h"
 #include "mozilla/dom/WorkerScope.h"
 #include "mozilla/dom/WorkerPrivate.h"
+#include "mozilla/dom/WorkerRef.h"
 #include "mozilla/dom/WorkerRunnable.h"
 #include "mozilla/Telemetry.h"
 #include "nsComponentManagerUtils.h"
@@ -1527,10 +1528,14 @@ SendRunnable::RunOnMainThread(ErrorResult& aRv)
 }
 
 XMLHttpRequestWorker::XMLHttpRequestWorker(WorkerPrivate* aWorkerPrivate)
-: WorkerHolder("XMLHttpRequestWorker"), mWorkerPrivate(aWorkerPrivate),
-  mResponseType(XMLHttpRequestResponseType::Text), mTimeout(0),
-  mRooted(false), mBackgroundRequest(false), mWithCredentials(false),
-  mCanceled(false), mMozAnon(false), mMozSystem(false)
+  : mWorkerPrivate(aWorkerPrivate)
+  , mResponseType(XMLHttpRequestResponseType::Text)
+  , mTimeout(0)
+  , mBackgroundRequest(false)
+  , mWithCredentials(false)
+  , mCanceled(false)
+  , mMozAnon(false)
+  , mMozSystem(false)
 {
   mWorkerPrivate->AssertIsOnWorkerThread();
 
@@ -1543,7 +1548,7 @@ XMLHttpRequestWorker::~XMLHttpRequestWorker()
 
   ReleaseProxy(XHRIsGoingAway);
 
-  MOZ_ASSERT(!mRooted);
+  MOZ_ASSERT(!mWorkerRef);
 
   mozilla::DropJSObjects(this);
 }
@@ -1638,18 +1643,25 @@ XMLHttpRequestWorker::MaybePin(ErrorResult& aRv)
 {
   mWorkerPrivate->AssertIsOnWorkerThread();
 
-  if (mRooted) {
+  if (mWorkerRef) {
     return;
   }
 
-  if (!HoldWorker(mWorkerPrivate, Canceling)) {
+  RefPtr<XMLHttpRequestWorker> self = this;
+  mWorkerRef =
+    StrongWorkerRef::Create(mWorkerPrivate, "XMLHttpRequestWorker",
+                            [self]() {
+      if (!self->mCanceled) {
+        self->mCanceled = true;
+        self->ReleaseProxy(WorkerIsGoingAway);
+      }
+    });
+  if (NS_WARN_IF(!mWorkerRef)) {
     aRv.Throw(NS_ERROR_FAILURE);
     return;
   }
 
   NS_ADDREF_THIS();
-
-  mRooted = true;
 }
 
 void
@@ -1760,11 +1772,8 @@ XMLHttpRequestWorker::Unpin()
 {
   mWorkerPrivate->AssertIsOnWorkerThread();
 
-  MOZ_ASSERT(mRooted, "Mismatched calls to Unpin!");
-
-  ReleaseWorker();
-
-  mRooted = false;
+  MOZ_ASSERT(mWorkerRef, "Mismatched calls to Unpin!");
+  mWorkerRef = nullptr;
 
   NS_RELEASE_THIS();
 }
@@ -1814,7 +1823,7 @@ XMLHttpRequestWorker::SendInternal(SendRunnable* aRunnable,
   if (aRv.Failed()) {
     // Dispatch() may have spun the event loop and we may have already unrooted.
     // If so we don't want autoUnpin to try again.
-    if (!mRooted) {
+    if (!mWorkerRef) {
       autoUnpin.Clear();
     }
     return;
@@ -1841,19 +1850,6 @@ XMLHttpRequestWorker::SendInternal(SendRunnable* aRunnable,
   }
 }
 
-bool
-XMLHttpRequestWorker::Notify(WorkerStatus aStatus)
-{
-  mWorkerPrivate->AssertIsOnWorkerThread();
-
-  if (aStatus >= Canceling && !mCanceled) {
-    mCanceled = true;
-    ReleaseProxy(WorkerIsGoingAway);
-  }
-
-  return true;
-}
-
 void
 XMLHttpRequestWorker::Open(const nsACString& aMethod,
                            const nsAString& aUrl, bool aAsync,
diff --git a/dom/xhr/XMLHttpRequestWorker.h b/dom/xhr/XMLHttpRequestWorker.h
index b7b2fae48414..0db99916acd1 100644
--- a/dom/xhr/XMLHttpRequestWorker.h
+++ b/dom/xhr/XMLHttpRequestWorker.h
@@ -10,18 +10,17 @@
 #include "XMLHttpRequest.h"
 #include "XMLHttpRequestString.h"
 #include "mozilla/dom/TypedArray.h"
-#include "mozilla/dom/WorkerHolder.h"
 
 namespace mozilla {
 namespace dom {
 
 class Proxy;
-class SendRunnable;
 class DOMString;
+class SendRunnable;
+class StrongWorkerRef;
 class WorkerPrivate;
 
-class XMLHttpRequestWorker final : public XMLHttpRequest,
-                                   public WorkerHolder
+class XMLHttpRequestWorker final : public XMLHttpRequest
 {
 public:
   struct StateData
@@ -49,13 +48,13 @@ public:
 private:
   RefPtr<XMLHttpRequestUpload> mUpload;
   WorkerPrivate* mWorkerPrivate;
+  RefPtr<StrongWorkerRef> mWorkerRef;
   RefPtr<Proxy> mProxy;
   XMLHttpRequestResponseType mResponseType;
   StateData mStateData;
 
   uint32_t mTimeout;
 
-  bool mRooted;
   bool mBackgroundRequest;
   bool mWithCredentials;
   bool mCanceled;
@@ -77,9 +76,6 @@ public:
   void
   Unpin();
 
-  bool
-  Notify(WorkerStatus aStatus) override;
-
   virtual uint16_t
   ReadyState() const override
   {
@@ -266,7 +262,7 @@ public:
   bool
   SendInProgress() const
   {
-    return mRooted;
+    return !!mWorkerRef;
   }
 
 private: