diff --git a/mozilla/xpfe/components/sidebar/resources/sidebarOverlay.js b/mozilla/xpfe/components/sidebar/resources/sidebarOverlay.js
index ec509ab817e..242bda0bbd5 100644
--- a/mozilla/xpfe/components/sidebar/resources/sidebarOverlay.js
+++ b/mozilla/xpfe/components/sidebar/resources/sidebarOverlay.js
@@ -303,10 +303,14 @@ function (force_reload)
   }
 
   var no_panels_iframe = document.getElementById('sidebar-iframe-no-panels');
-  if (is_after_selected) {
+  if (have_set_top) {
       no_panels_iframe.setAttribute('hidden','true');
+      // The hide and show of 'sidebar-panels' should not be needed,
+      // but some old profiles may have this persisted as hidden (50973).
+      this.node.removeAttribute('hidden');
   } else {
       no_panels_iframe.removeAttribute('hidden');
+      this.node.setAttribute('hidden','true');
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/mozilla/xpfe/components/sidebar/resources/sidebarOverlay.xul b/mozilla/xpfe/components/sidebar/resources/sidebarOverlay.xul
index f8a5a2423bf..94a70a84518 100644
--- a/mozilla/xpfe/components/sidebar/resources/sidebarOverlay.xul
+++ b/mozilla/xpfe/components/sidebar/resources/sidebarOverlay.xul
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
       <box id="sidebar-panels" align="vertical"
         datasources="rdf:null"
         ref="urn:sidebar:current-panel-list" 
-        persist='last-selected-panel height collapsed hidden' flex="1*">
+        persist='last-selected-panel height collapsed' flex="1*">
         <template id="sidebar-template">
           <rule>
             <conditions>