diff --git a/build/util/count_ctors.py b/build/util/count_ctors.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 5b3745f1c047..000000000000
--- a/build/util/count_ctors.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,66 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
-import json
-
-import re
-import subprocess
-import sys
-
-
-def count_ctors(filename):
-    proc = subprocess.Popen(
-        ['readelf', '-W', '-S', filename], stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
-
-    # Some versions of ld produce both .init_array and .ctors.  So we have
-    # to check for both.
-    n_init_array_ctors = 0
-    have_init_array = False
-    n_ctors_ctors = 0
-    have_ctors = False
-
-    for line in proc.stdout:
-        f = line.split()
-        if len(f) != 11:
-            continue
-        # Don't try to int()-parse the header line for the section summaries.
-        if not re.match("\\[\\d+\\]", f[0]):
-            continue
-        section_name, contents, size, align = f[1], f[2], int(f[5], 16), int(f[10])
-        if section_name == ".ctors" and contents == "PROGBITS":
-            have_ctors = True
-            # Subtract 2 for the uintptr_t(-1) header and the null terminator.
-            n_ctors_ctors = size / align - 2
-        if section_name == ".init_array" and contents == "INIT_ARRAY":
-            have_init_array = True
-            n_init_array_ctors = size / align
-
-    if have_init_array:
-        # Even if we have .ctors, we shouldn't have any constructors in .ctors.
-        # Complain if .ctors does not look how we expect it to.
-        if have_ctors and n_ctors_ctors != 0:
-            print >>sys.stderr, "Unexpected .ctors contents for", filename
-            sys.exit(1)
-        return n_init_array_ctors
-    if have_ctors:
-        return n_ctors_ctors
-
-    # We didn't find anything; somebody switched initialization mechanisms on
-    # us, or the binary is completely busted.  Complain either way.
-    print >>sys.stderr, "Couldn't find .init_array or .ctors in", filename
-    sys.exit(1)
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    for f in sys.argv[1:]:
-        perfherder_data = {
-            "framework": {"name": "build_metrics"},
-            "suites": [{
-                "name": "compiler_metrics",
-                "subtests": [{
-                    "name": "num_static_constructors",
-                    "value": count_ctors(f),
-                    "alertChangeType": "absolute",
-                    "alertThreshold": 3
-                }]}
-            ]
-        }
-        print("PERFHERDER_DATA: %s" % json.dumps(perfherder_data))
diff --git a/config/rules.mk b/config/rules.mk
index d020f0d286af..e68334bafe0f 100644
--- a/config/rules.mk
+++ b/config/rules.mk
@@ -780,7 +780,7 @@ define syms_template
 syms:: $(2)
 $(2): $(1)
 ifdef MOZ_CRASHREPORTER
-	$$(call py_action,dumpsymbols,$$(abspath $$<) $$(abspath $$@))
+	$$(call py_action,dumpsymbols,$$(abspath $$<) $$(abspath $$@) $$(DUMP_SYMBOLS_FLAGS))
 endif
 endef
 
diff --git a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/action/dumpsymbols.py b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/action/dumpsymbols.py
index a7d43721f3b9..b4511275a78a 100644
--- a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/action/dumpsymbols.py
+++ b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/action/dumpsymbols.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import shutil
 import sys
 import os
 
-def dump_symbols(target, tracking_file):
+def dump_symbols(target, tracking_file, count_ctors=False):
     # Our tracking file, if present, will contain path(s) to the previously generated
     # symbols. Remove them in this case so we don't simply accumulate old symbols
     # during incremental builds.
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ def dump_symbols(target, tracking_file):
                                                                       'dist',
                                                                       'crashreporter-symbols'),
              os.path.abspath(target)])
+    if count_ctors:
+        args.append('--count-ctors')
     print('Running: %s' % ' '.join(args))
     out_files = subprocess.check_output(args)
     with open(tracking_file, 'w') as fh:
@@ -67,12 +69,19 @@ def dump_symbols(target, tracking_file):
         fh.flush()
 
 def main(argv):
-    if len(argv) != 2:
-        print("Usage: dumpsymbols.py <library or program> <tracking file>",
-              file=sys.stderr)
-        return 1
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        usage="Usage: dumpsymbols.py <library or program> <tracking file>")
+    parser.add_argument("--count-ctors",
+                        action="store_true", default=False,
+                        help="Count static initializers")
+    parser.add_argument("library_or_program",
+                        help="Path to library or program")
+    parser.add_argument("tracking_file",
+                        help="Tracking file")
+    args = parser.parse_args()
 
-    return dump_symbols(*argv)
+    return dump_symbols(args.library_or_program, args.tracking_file,
+                        args.count_ctors)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
diff --git a/taskcluster/ci/build/linux.yml b/taskcluster/ci/build/linux.yml
index c9a8a85bcb35..82964ef4cdf0 100644
--- a/taskcluster/ci/build/linux.yml
+++ b/taskcluster/ci/build/linux.yml
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ linux64/opt:
         config:
             - builds/releng_base_firefox.py
             - builds/releng_base_linux_64_builds.py
-            - builds/releng_sub_linux_configs/enable_count_ctors.py
         script: "mozharness/scripts/fx_desktop_build.py"
         secrets: true
         tooltool-downloads: public
@@ -103,7 +102,6 @@ linux64/pgo:
         config:
             - builds/releng_base_firefox.py
             - builds/releng_base_linux_64_builds.py
-            - builds/releng_sub_linux_configs/enable_count_ctors.py
         script: "mozharness/scripts/fx_desktop_build.py"
         secrets: true
         tooltool-downloads: public
@@ -312,7 +310,6 @@ linux/opt:
         config:
             - builds/releng_base_firefox.py
             - builds/releng_base_linux_32_builds.py
-            - builds/releng_sub_linux_configs/enable_count_ctors.py
         script: "mozharness/scripts/fx_desktop_build.py"
         secrets: true
         tooltool-downloads: public
@@ -371,7 +368,6 @@ linux/pgo:
         config:
             - builds/releng_base_firefox.py
             - builds/releng_base_linux_32_builds.py
-            - builds/releng_sub_linux_configs/enable_count_ctors.py
         script: "mozharness/scripts/fx_desktop_build.py"
         secrets: true
         tooltool-downloads: public
diff --git a/testing/mozharness/configs/builds/releng_sub_linux_configs/64_tup.py b/testing/mozharness/configs/builds/releng_sub_linux_configs/64_tup.py
index 07811d10a024..bccbacc277a8 100644
--- a/testing/mozharness/configs/builds/releng_sub_linux_configs/64_tup.py
+++ b/testing/mozharness/configs/builds/releng_sub_linux_configs/64_tup.py
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ config = {
         'SCCACHE_DISABLE': '1',
     },
     'mozconfig_variant': 'tup',
-    'enable_count_ctors': False, # TODO: libxul.so needs to be linked for this to work
     'disable_package_metrics': True, # TODO: the package needs to be created for this to work
     'artifact_flag_build_variant_in_try': None,
 }
diff --git a/testing/mozharness/configs/builds/releng_sub_linux_configs/enable_count_ctors.py b/testing/mozharness/configs/builds/releng_sub_linux_configs/enable_count_ctors.py
deleted file mode 100644
index ba281be26727..000000000000
--- a/testing/mozharness/configs/builds/releng_sub_linux_configs/enable_count_ctors.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-config = {
-    # this enables counting constructors, which we only want to do on a
-    # very small number of variants (see bug 1261081)
-    'enable_count_ctors': True
-}
diff --git a/testing/mozharness/mozharness/mozilla/building/buildbase.py b/testing/mozharness/mozharness/mozilla/building/buildbase.py
index 839c6c35dfef..7f392f57e986 100755
--- a/testing/mozharness/mozharness/mozilla/building/buildbase.py
+++ b/testing/mozharness/mozharness/mozilla/building/buildbase.py
@@ -1083,24 +1083,6 @@ or run without that action (ie: --no-{action})"
             )
         return revision.encode('ascii', 'replace') if revision else None
 
-    def _count_ctors(self):
-        """count num of ctors and set testresults."""
-        dirs = self.query_abs_dirs()
-        python_path = os.path.join(dirs['abs_work_dir'], 'venv', 'bin',
-                                   'python')
-        abs_count_ctors_path = os.path.join(dirs['abs_src_dir'],
-                                            'build',
-                                            'util',
-                                            'count_ctors.py')
-        abs_libxul_path = os.path.join(dirs['abs_obj_dir'],
-                                       'dist',
-                                       'bin',
-                                       'libxul.so')
-
-        cmd = [python_path, abs_count_ctors_path, abs_libxul_path]
-        self.get_output_from_command(cmd, cwd=dirs['abs_src_dir'],
-                                     throw_exception=True)
-
     def _query_props_set_by_mach(self, console_output=True, error_level=FATAL):
         mach_properties_path = os.path.join(
             self.query_abs_dirs()['abs_obj_dir'], 'dist', 'mach_build_properties.json'
@@ -1717,12 +1699,6 @@ or run without that action (ie: --no-{action})"
 
         c = self.config
 
-        if c.get('enable_count_ctors'):
-            self.info("counting ctors...")
-            self._count_ctors()
-        else:
-            self.info("ctors counts are disabled for this build.")
-
         # Report some important file sizes for display in treeherder
 
         perfherder_data = {
diff --git a/toolkit/crashreporter/tools/symbolstore.py b/toolkit/crashreporter/tools/symbolstore.py
index 7edd4f206240..11a726d36b31 100755
--- a/toolkit/crashreporter/tools/symbolstore.py
+++ b/toolkit/crashreporter/tools/symbolstore.py
@@ -492,12 +492,12 @@ class Dumper:
     def CopyDebug(self, file, debug_file, guid, code_file, code_id):
         pass
 
-    def Process(self, file_to_process):
+    def Process(self, file_to_process, count_ctors=False):
         """Process the given file."""
         if self.ShouldProcess(os.path.abspath(file_to_process)):
-            self.ProcessFile(file_to_process)
+            self.ProcessFile(file_to_process, count_ctors=count_ctors)
 
-    def ProcessFile(self, file, dsymbundle=None):
+    def ProcessFile(self, file, dsymbundle=None, count_ctors=False):
         """Dump symbols from these files into a symbol file, stored
         in the proper directory structure in  |symbol_path|; processing is performed
         asynchronously, and Finish must be called to wait for it complete and cleanup.
@@ -509,7 +509,8 @@ class Dumper:
         # the tinderbox vcs path will be assigned further down
         vcs_root = os.environ.get('MOZ_SOURCE_REPO')
         for arch_num, arch in enumerate(self.archs):
-            self.ProcessFileWork(file, arch_num, arch, vcs_root, dsymbundle)
+            self.ProcessFileWork(file, arch_num, arch, vcs_root, dsymbundle,
+                                 count_ctors=count_ctors)
 
     def dump_syms_cmdline(self, file, arch, dsymbundle=None):
         '''
@@ -518,7 +519,9 @@ class Dumper:
         # The Mac dumper overrides this.
         return [self.dump_syms, file]
 
-    def ProcessFileWork(self, file, arch_num, arch, vcs_root, dsymbundle=None):
+    def ProcessFileWork(self, file, arch_num, arch, vcs_root, dsymbundle=None,
+                        count_ctors=False):
+        ctors = 0
         t_start = time.time()
         print("Processing file: %s" % file, file=sys.stderr)
 
@@ -582,6 +585,16 @@ class Dumper:
                             code_id, code_file = bits[2:]
                         f.write(line)
                     else:
+                        if count_ctors and line.startswith("FUNC "):
+                            # Static initializers, as created by clang and gcc
+                            # have symbols that start with "_GLOBAL_sub"
+                            if '_GLOBAL__sub_' in line:
+                                ctors += 1
+                            # MSVC creates `dynamic initializer for '...'`
+                            # symbols.
+                            elif "`dynamic initializer for '" in line:
+                                ctors += 1
+
                         # pass through all other lines unchanged
                         f.write(line)
                 f.close()
@@ -605,6 +618,24 @@ class Dumper:
         if dsymbundle:
             shutil.rmtree(dsymbundle)
 
+        if count_ctors:
+            import json
+
+            perfherder_data = {
+                "framework": {"name": "build_metrics"},
+                "suites": [{
+                    "name": "compiler_metrics",
+                    "subtests": [{
+                        "name": "num_static_constructors",
+                        "value": ctors,
+                        "alertChangeType": "absolute",
+                        "alertThreshold": 3
+                    }]}
+                ]
+            }
+            print('PERFHERDER_DATA: %s' % json.dumps(perfherder_data),
+                  file=sys.stderr)
+
         elapsed = time.time() - t_start
         print('Finished processing %s in %.2fs' % (file, elapsed),
               file=sys.stderr)
@@ -768,13 +799,14 @@ class Dumper_Mac(Dumper):
             return self.RunFileCommand(file).startswith("Mach-O")
         return False
 
-    def ProcessFile(self, file):
+    def ProcessFile(self, file, count_ctors=False):
         print("Starting Mac pre-processing on file: %s" % file,
               file=sys.stderr)
         dsymbundle = self.GenerateDSYM(file)
         if dsymbundle:
             # kick off new jobs per-arch with our new list of files
-            Dumper.ProcessFile(self, file, dsymbundle=dsymbundle)
+            Dumper.ProcessFile(self, file, dsymbundle=dsymbundle,
+                               count_ctors=count_ctors)
 
     def dump_syms_cmdline(self, file, arch, dsymbundle=None):
         '''
@@ -863,6 +895,9 @@ def main():
 to canonical locations in the source repository. Specify
 <install manifest filename>,<install destination> as a comma-separated pair.
 """)
+    parser.add_option("--count-ctors",
+                      action="store_true", dest="count_ctors", default=False,
+                      help="Count static initializers")
     (options, args) = parser.parse_args()
 
     #check to see if the pdbstr.exe exists
@@ -897,7 +932,7 @@ to canonical locations in the source repository. Specify
                                        s3_bucket=bucket,
                                        file_mapping=file_mapping)
 
-    dumper.Process(args[2])
+    dumper.Process(args[2], options.count_ctors)
 
 # run main if run directly
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/toolkit/library/Makefile.in b/toolkit/library/Makefile.in
index bbc7a8602fbc..09cb47679d1c 100644
--- a/toolkit/library/Makefile.in
+++ b/toolkit/library/Makefile.in
@@ -11,3 +11,5 @@ include $(topsrcdir)/config/rules.mk
 .PHONY: gtestxul
 gtestxul:
 	$(MAKE) -C $(DEPTH) toolkit/library/gtest/target LINK_GTEST_DURING_COMPILE=1
+
+DUMP_SYMBOLS_FLAGS = --count-ctors