diff --git a/mobile/android/base/GeckoApp.java b/mobile/android/base/GeckoApp.java
index 2757c7b75fc7..7e4444d1db40 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/GeckoApp.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/GeckoApp.java
@@ -1773,6 +1773,11 @@ abstract public class GeckoApp
         }
 
         GeckoAppShell.loadMozGlue();
+        sGeckoThread = new GeckoThread();
+        String uri = getURIFromIntent(getIntent());
+        if (uri != null && uri.length() > 0 && !uri.equals("about:home"))
+            sGeckoThread.start();
+
         mMainHandler = new Handler();
         Log.w(LOGTAG, "zerdatime " + SystemClock.uptimeMillis() + " - onCreate");
 
@@ -1871,17 +1876,17 @@ abstract public class GeckoApp
             passedUri = "about:empty";
         }
 
-        sGeckoThread = new GeckoThread(intent, passedUri, mRestoreMode);
+        sGeckoThread.init(intent, passedUri, mRestoreMode);
         if (!ACTION_DEBUG.equals(action) &&
             checkAndSetLaunchState(LaunchState.Launching, LaunchState.Launched)) {
-            sGeckoThread.start();
+            sGeckoThread.reallyStart();
         } else if (ACTION_DEBUG.equals(action) &&
             checkAndSetLaunchState(LaunchState.Launching, LaunchState.WaitForDebugger)) {
             mMainHandler.postDelayed(new Runnable() {
                 public void run() {
                     Log.i(LOGTAG, "Launching from debug intent after 5s wait");
                     setLaunchState(LaunchState.Launching);
-                    sGeckoThread.start();
+                    sGeckoThread.reallyStart();
                 }
             }, 1000 * 5 /* 5 seconds */);
             Log.i(LOGTAG, "Intent : ACTION_DEBUG - waiting 5s before launching");
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/GeckoThread.java b/mobile/android/base/GeckoThread.java
index 732b9958b22d..5ced67ff03ed 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/GeckoThread.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/GeckoThread.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import java.io.PrintWriter;
 import java.io.StringWriter;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.Locale;
+import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
 
 public class GeckoThread extends Thread {
     private static final String LOGTAG = "GeckoThread";
@@ -25,13 +26,23 @@ public class GeckoThread extends Thread {
     Intent mIntent;
     String mUri;
     int mRestoreMode;
+    CountDownLatch mStartSignal;
 
-    GeckoThread(Intent intent, String uri, int restoreMode) {
+    GeckoThread() {
+        mStartSignal = new CountDownLatch(1);
+        setName("Gecko");
+    }
+
+    public void init(Intent intent, String uri, int restoreMode) {
         mIntent = intent;
         mUri = uri;
         mRestoreMode = restoreMode;
+    }
 
-        setName("Gecko");
+    public void reallyStart() {
+        mStartSignal.countDown();
+        if (getState() == Thread.State.NEW)
+            start();
     }
 
     public void run() {
@@ -48,6 +59,11 @@ public class GeckoThread extends Thread {
         GeckoAppShell.loadGeckoLibs(resourcePath);
 
         Locale.setDefault(locale);
+
+        try {
+            mStartSignal.await();
+        } catch (Exception e) { }
+
         Resources res = app.getBaseContext().getResources();
         Configuration config = res.getConfiguration();
         config.locale = locale;