diff --git a/toolkit/components/telemetry/Scalars.yaml b/toolkit/components/telemetry/Scalars.yaml
index d8aa5d83de7d..3ab389937e10 100644
--- a/toolkit/components/telemetry/Scalars.yaml
+++ b/toolkit/components/telemetry/Scalars.yaml
@@ -3114,6 +3114,24 @@ update:
     operating_systems:
       - windows
 
+  fix_permissions_attempted:
+    bug_numbers:
+      - 1577317
+    description: Set when we attempt to fix update directory permissions.
+    expires: "76"
+    kind: boolean
+    notification_emails:
+      - application-update-telemetry-alerts@mozilla.com
+      - agashlin@mozilla.com
+      - rstrong@mozilla.com
+    release_channel_collection: opt-out
+    products:
+      - 'firefox'
+    record_in_processes:
+      - main
+    operating_systems:
+      - windows
+
 update.startup:
   from_app_version:
     bug_numbers:
diff --git a/toolkit/mozapps/update/UpdateService.jsm b/toolkit/mozapps/update/UpdateService.jsm
index 442d3e5185ae..ca83dcfeba2d 100644
--- a/toolkit/mozapps/update/UpdateService.jsm
+++ b/toolkit/mozapps/update/UpdateService.jsm
@@ -1392,6 +1392,8 @@ function fixUpdateDirectoryPermissions() {
   if (!gUpdateDirPermissionFixAttempted) {
     // Never try to fix permissions more than one time during a session.
     gUpdateDirPermissionFixAttempted = true;
+    AUSTLMY.pingFixUpdateDirectoryPermissionsAttempted();
+
     LOG("Attempting to fix update directory permissions");
     try {
       Cc["@mozilla.org/updates/update-processor;1"]
diff --git a/toolkit/mozapps/update/UpdateTelemetry.jsm b/toolkit/mozapps/update/UpdateTelemetry.jsm
index 5dbdde6fc413..074ebcfeb3da 100644
--- a/toolkit/mozapps/update/UpdateTelemetry.jsm
+++ b/toolkit/mozapps/update/UpdateTelemetry.jsm
@@ -642,6 +642,18 @@ var AUSTLMY = {
     }
   },
 
+  /**
+   * Submit a telemetry ping for a boolean scalar when we attempt to fix
+   * the update directory permissions this session.
+   */
+  pingFixUpdateDirectoryPermissionsAttempted: function UT_PFUDPA() {
+    try {
+      Services.telemetry.scalarSet("update.fix_permissions_attempted", true);
+    } catch (e) {
+      Cu.reportError(e);
+    }
+  },
+
   /**
    * Submit a telemetry ping for a count type histogram when the expected value
    * does not equal the boolean value of a pref or if the pref isn't present