diff --git a/mozilla/docshell/base/nsWebShell.cpp b/mozilla/docshell/base/nsWebShell.cpp
index f70c9949b01..09a2d6f6e96 100644
--- a/mozilla/docshell/base/nsWebShell.cpp
+++ b/mozilla/docshell/base/nsWebShell.cpp
@@ -3014,6 +3014,11 @@ nsWebShell::OnEndDocumentLoad(nsIDocumentLoader* loader,
   rv = channel->GetURI(getter_AddRefs(aURL));
   if (NS_FAILED(rv)) return rv;
 
+  /* one of many safeguards that prevent death and destruction if
+     someone is so very very rude as to bring this window down
+     during this load handler. */
+  nsCOMPtr<nsIWebShell> kungFuDeathGrip(this);
+
 //if (!mProcessedEndDocumentLoad) {
   if (loader == mDocLoader) {
     mProcessedEndDocumentLoad = PR_TRUE;
diff --git a/mozilla/uriloader/base/nsDocLoader.cpp b/mozilla/uriloader/base/nsDocLoader.cpp
index 2e567165e6d..3c5dc12e8a6 100644
--- a/mozilla/uriloader/base/nsDocLoader.cpp
+++ b/mozilla/uriloader/base/nsDocLoader.cpp
@@ -960,6 +960,11 @@ void nsDocLoaderImpl::DocLoaderIsEmpty(nsresult aStatus)
 {
   if (mIsLoadingDocument) {
     PRBool busy = PR_FALSE;
+    /* In the unimagineably rude circumstance that onload event handlers
+       triggered by this function actually kill the window ... ok, it's
+       not unimagineable; it's happened ... this deathgrip keeps this object
+       alive long enough to survive this function call. */
+    nsCOMPtr<nsIDocumentLoader> kungFuDeathGrip(this);
 
     IsBusy(busy);
     if (!busy) {
diff --git a/mozilla/webshell/src/nsDocLoader.cpp b/mozilla/webshell/src/nsDocLoader.cpp
index 2e567165e6d..3c5dc12e8a6 100644
--- a/mozilla/webshell/src/nsDocLoader.cpp
+++ b/mozilla/webshell/src/nsDocLoader.cpp
@@ -960,6 +960,11 @@ void nsDocLoaderImpl::DocLoaderIsEmpty(nsresult aStatus)
 {
   if (mIsLoadingDocument) {
     PRBool busy = PR_FALSE;
+    /* In the unimagineably rude circumstance that onload event handlers
+       triggered by this function actually kill the window ... ok, it's
+       not unimagineable; it's happened ... this deathgrip keeps this object
+       alive long enough to survive this function call. */
+    nsCOMPtr<nsIDocumentLoader> kungFuDeathGrip(this);
 
     IsBusy(busy);
     if (!busy) {
diff --git a/mozilla/webshell/src/nsWebShell.cpp b/mozilla/webshell/src/nsWebShell.cpp
index f70c9949b01..09a2d6f6e96 100644
--- a/mozilla/webshell/src/nsWebShell.cpp
+++ b/mozilla/webshell/src/nsWebShell.cpp
@@ -3014,6 +3014,11 @@ nsWebShell::OnEndDocumentLoad(nsIDocumentLoader* loader,
   rv = channel->GetURI(getter_AddRefs(aURL));
   if (NS_FAILED(rv)) return rv;
 
+  /* one of many safeguards that prevent death and destruction if
+     someone is so very very rude as to bring this window down
+     during this load handler. */
+  nsCOMPtr<nsIWebShell> kungFuDeathGrip(this);
+
 //if (!mProcessedEndDocumentLoad) {
   if (loader == mDocLoader) {
     mProcessedEndDocumentLoad = PR_TRUE;