diff --git a/xpfe/global/resources/content/bindings/tabbrowser.xml b/xpfe/global/resources/content/bindings/tabbrowser.xml
index 16b74ce66d64..142c11760be1 100644
--- a/xpfe/global/resources/content/bindings/tabbrowser.xml
+++ b/xpfe/global/resources/content/bindings/tabbrowser.xml
@@ -250,7 +250,6 @@
                 var location = aRequest.QueryInterface(nsIChannel).URI;
                 if (this.mIcon) {
                   this.mTab.setAttribute("image", this.mIcon);
-                  this.mIcon = "";
                 }
                 else if (this.mTabBrowser.shouldLoadFavIcon(location))
                   this.mTabBrowser.loadFavIcon(location, "image", this.mTab);
@@ -324,6 +323,13 @@
               }
             },
 
+            setIcon : function(aURI)
+            {
+              this.mIcon = aURI;
+              if (!this.mTab.hasAttribute("busy"))
+                this.mTab.setAttribute("image", aURI);
+            },
+
             QueryInterface : function(aIID)
             {
               if (aIID.equals(Components.interfaces.nsIWebProgressListener) ||
@@ -723,7 +729,7 @@
                                                null) != nsIContentPolicy.ACCEPT)
                     return;
 
-                  this.mTabListeners[i].mIcon = href;
+                  this.mTabListeners[i].setIcon(href);
                   notifyListeners = (this.browsers[i] == this.mCurrentBrowser);
                   break;
                 }