diff --git a/mozilla/browser/base/content/tabbrowser.xml b/mozilla/browser/base/content/tabbrowser.xml
index 75b1f809173..013e2193980 100644
--- a/mozilla/browser/base/content/tabbrowser.xml
+++ b/mozilla/browser/base/content/tabbrowser.xml
@@ -1019,11 +1019,11 @@
         <parameter name="aAllowThirdPartyFixup"/>
         <body>
           <![CDATA[
-            var owner = aLoadInBackground ? null : this.selectedTab;
-            var tab = this.addTab(aURI, aReferrerURI, aCharset, aPostData, owner,
-                                  aAllowThirdPartyFixup);
             var bgLoad = (aLoadInBackground != null) ? aLoadInBackground :
                          this.mPrefs.getBoolPref("browser.tabs.loadInBackground");
+            var owner = bgLoad ? null : this.selectedTab;
+            var tab = this.addTab(aURI, aReferrerURI, aCharset, aPostData, owner,
+                                  aAllowThirdPartyFixup);
             // Set newly selected tab after quick timeout, otherwise hideous focus problems
             // can occur when "browser.tabs.loadInBackground" is false and presshell is not ready
             if (!bgLoad) {
