diff --git a/uriloader/exthandler/nsExternalHelperAppService.cpp b/uriloader/exthandler/nsExternalHelperAppService.cpp
index e5330c0beda2..9aad64042993 100644
--- a/uriloader/exthandler/nsExternalHelperAppService.cpp
+++ b/uriloader/exthandler/nsExternalHelperAppService.cpp
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@
 #include "nsIDocShellTreeOwner.h"
 #include "nsIDocShellTreeItem.h"
 #include "ExternalHelperAppChild.h"
+#include "nsILoadContext.h"
 
 #ifdef MOZ_WIDGET_ANDROID
 #include "AndroidBridge.h"
@@ -2192,9 +2193,21 @@ nsresult nsExternalAppHandler::OpenWithApplication()
                            false);
 #endif
 
+    // See whether the channel has been opened in private browsing mode
+    bool inPrivateBrowsing = false;
+    NS_ASSERTION(mRequest, "This should never be called with a null request");
+    nsCOMPtr<nsIChannel> channel = do_QueryInterface(mRequest);
+    if (channel) {
+      nsCOMPtr<nsILoadContext> ctx;
+      NS_QueryNotificationCallbacks(channel, ctx);
+      if (ctx) {
+        inPrivateBrowsing = ctx->UsePrivateBrowsing();
+      }
+    }
+
     // make the tmp file readonly so users won't edit it and lose the changes
     // only if we're going to delete the file
-    if (deleteTempFileOnExit || mExtProtSvc->InPrivateBrowsing())
+    if (deleteTempFileOnExit || inPrivateBrowsing)
       mFinalFileDestination->SetPermissions(0400);
 
     rv = mMimeInfo->LaunchWithFile(mFinalFileDestination);
@@ -2211,7 +2224,7 @@ nsresult nsExternalAppHandler::OpenWithApplication()
     else if (deleteTempFileOnExit) {
       mExtProtSvc->DeleteTemporaryFileOnExit(mFinalFileDestination);
     }
-    else if (mExtProtSvc->InPrivateBrowsing()) {
+    else if (inPrivateBrowsing) {
       mExtProtSvc->DeleteTemporaryPrivateFileWhenPossible(mFinalFileDestination);
     }
   }
diff --git a/uriloader/exthandler/nsExternalHelperAppService.h b/uriloader/exthandler/nsExternalHelperAppService.h
index 3813479ccd39..c677a72bfa22 100644
--- a/uriloader/exthandler/nsExternalHelperAppService.h
+++ b/uriloader/exthandler/nsExternalHelperAppService.h
@@ -111,12 +111,6 @@ public:
   virtual NS_HIDDEN_(nsresult) OSProtocolHandlerExists(const char *aScheme,
                                                        bool *aExists) = 0;
 
-  /**
-   * Simple accessor to let nsExternalAppHandler know if we are currently
-   * inside the private browsing mode.
-   */
-  bool InPrivateBrowsing() const { return mInPrivateBrowsing; }
-
 protected:
   /**
    * Searches the "extra" array of MIMEInfo objects for an object