diff --git a/browser/components/search/content/search.xml b/browser/components/search/content/search.xml
index 3dd21b0b3b7f..227658eb0995 100644
--- a/browser/components/search/content/search.xml
+++ b/browser/components/search/content/search.xml
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
                          .getService(Components.interfaces.nsIObserverService);
         os.addObserver(this, "browser-search-engine-modified", false);
 
-        this._destroyed = false;
+        this._addedObserver = true;
 
         this.searchService.init((function search_init_cb(aStatus) {
           // Bail out if the binding's been destroyed
@@ -103,9 +103,12 @@
       <destructor><![CDATA[
         this._destroyed = true;
 
-        var os = Components.classes["@mozilla.org/observer-service;1"]
-                           .getService(Components.interfaces.nsIObserverService);
-        os.removeObserver(this, "browser-search-engine-modified");
+        if (this._addedObserver) {
+          var os = Components.classes["@mozilla.org/observer-service;1"]
+                             .getService(Components.interfaces.nsIObserverService);
+          os.removeObserver(this, "browser-search-engine-modified");
+          this._addedObserver = false;
+        }
 
         // Make sure to break the cycle from _textbox to us. Otherwise we leak
         // the world. But make sure it's actually pointing to us.