diff --git a/layout/xul/base/src/tree/src/nsTreeBodyFrame.cpp b/layout/xul/base/src/tree/src/nsTreeBodyFrame.cpp
index 36a5e7df1818..f7e840f5f28e 100644
--- a/layout/xul/base/src/tree/src/nsTreeBodyFrame.cpp
+++ b/layout/xul/base/src/tree/src/nsTreeBodyFrame.cpp
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ nsTreeBodyFrame::InvalidateColumn(nsITreeColumn* aCol)
   if (mUpdateBatchNest)
     return NS_OK;
 
-  nsTreeColumn* col = GetColumnImpl(aCol);
+  nsRefPtr<nsTreeColumn> col = GetColumnImpl(aCol);
   if (!col)
     return NS_ERROR_INVALID_ARG;
 
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ nsTreeBodyFrame::InvalidateCell(PRInt32 aIndex, nsITreeColumn* aCol)
   if (aIndex < 0 || aIndex > mPageLength)
     return NS_OK;
 
-  nsTreeColumn* col = GetColumnImpl(aCol);
+  nsRefPtr<nsTreeColumn> col = GetColumnImpl(aCol);
   if (!col)
     return NS_ERROR_INVALID_ARG;
 
@@ -709,7 +709,7 @@ nsTreeBodyFrame::InvalidateColumnRange(PRInt32 aStart, PRInt32 aEnd, nsITreeColu
   if (mUpdateBatchNest)
     return NS_OK;
 
-  nsTreeColumn* col = GetColumnImpl(aCol);
+  nsRefPtr<nsTreeColumn> col = GetColumnImpl(aCol);
   if (!col)
     return NS_ERROR_INVALID_ARG;
 
@@ -1630,7 +1630,7 @@ nsTreeBodyFrame::IsCellCropped(PRInt32 aRow, nsITreeColumn* aCol, PRBool *_retva
   nsCOMPtr<nsIRenderingContext> rc;
   GetPresContext()->PresShell()->CreateRenderingContext(this, getter_AddRefs(rc));
 
-  nsTreeColumn* col = GetColumnImpl(aCol);
+  nsRefPtr<nsTreeColumn> col = GetColumnImpl(aCol);
   if (!col)
     return NS_ERROR_INVALID_ARG;
 
@@ -3645,7 +3645,7 @@ nsresult nsTreeBodyFrame::EnsureRowIsVisibleInternal(const ScrollParts& aParts,
 
 NS_IMETHODIMP nsTreeBodyFrame::EnsureCellIsVisible(PRInt32 aRow, nsITreeColumn* aCol)
 {
-  nsTreeColumn* col = GetColumnImpl(aCol);
+  nsRefPtr<nsTreeColumn> col = GetColumnImpl(aCol);
   if (!col)
     return NS_ERROR_INVALID_ARG;
 
@@ -3690,7 +3690,7 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsTreeBodyFrame::ScrollToColumn(nsITreeColumn* aCol)
 nsresult nsTreeBodyFrame::ScrollToColumnInternal(const ScrollParts& aParts,
                                                  nsITreeColumn* aCol)
 {
-  nsTreeColumn* col = GetColumnImpl(aCol);
+  nsRefPtr<nsTreeColumn> col = GetColumnImpl(aCol);
   if (!col)
     return NS_ERROR_INVALID_ARG;
   return ScrollHorzInternal(aParts, col->GetX());
diff --git a/layout/xul/base/src/tree/src/nsTreeBodyFrame.h b/layout/xul/base/src/tree/src/nsTreeBodyFrame.h
index 57f40ca06eed..002631cd6f94 100644
--- a/layout/xul/base/src/tree/src/nsTreeBodyFrame.h
+++ b/layout/xul/base/src/tree/src/nsTreeBodyFrame.h
@@ -356,14 +356,13 @@ protected:
       InvalidateRow(aRow + aOrientation);
   };
 
-  nsTreeColumn* GetColumnImpl(nsITreeColumn* aUnknownCol) {
+  already_AddRefed<nsTreeColumn> GetColumnImpl(nsITreeColumn* aUnknownCol) {
     if (!aUnknownCol)
       return nsnull;
 
-    nsRefPtr<nsTreeColumn> col;
-    nsresult rv = aUnknownCol->QueryInterface(kTreeColumnImplCID,
-                                              getter_AddRefs(col));
-    return NS_SUCCEEDED(rv) ? col.get() : nsnull;
+    nsTreeColumn* col;
+    aUnknownCol->QueryInterface(kTreeColumnImplCID, (void**)&col);
+    return col;
   }
 
   // Create a new timer. This method is used to delay various actions like