diff --git a/mobile/android/base/AwesomeBarTabs.java b/mobile/android/base/AwesomeBarTabs.java
index 785a2c0bc469..edf566462058 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/AwesomeBarTabs.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/AwesomeBarTabs.java
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ package org.mozilla.gecko;
 import android.content.ContentResolver;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.res.Resources;
+import android.database.ContentObserver;
 import android.database.Cursor;
 import android.graphics.Bitmap;
 import android.graphics.BitmapFactory;
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ public class AwesomeBarTabs extends TabHost {
     private View.OnTouchListener mListTouchListener;
     private JSONArray mSearchEngines;
     private ContentResolver mContentResolver;
+    private ContentObserver mContentObserver;
 
     private BookmarksQueryTask mBookmarksQueryTask;
     private HistoryQueryTask mHistoryQueryTask;
@@ -581,6 +583,17 @@ public class AwesomeBarTabs extends TabHost {
                 result.second
             );
 
+            if (mContentObserver == null) {
+                // Register an observer to update the history tab contents if they change.
+                mContentObserver = new ContentObserver(GeckoAppShell.getHandler()) {
+                    public void onChange(boolean selfChange) {
+                        mHistoryQueryTask = new HistoryQueryTask();
+                        mHistoryQueryTask.execute();
+                    }
+                };
+                BrowserDB.registerHistoryObserver(mContentResolver, mContentObserver);
+            }
+
             final ExpandableListView historyList =
                     (ExpandableListView) findViewById(R.id.history_list);
 
@@ -738,6 +751,7 @@ public class AwesomeBarTabs extends TabHost {
         mInflated = false;
         mSearchEngines = new JSONArray();
         mContentResolver = context.getContentResolver();
+        mContentObserver = null;
         mInflater = (LayoutInflater) mContext.getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);
     }
 
@@ -1001,6 +1015,9 @@ public class AwesomeBarTabs extends TabHost {
             if (bookmarksCursor != null)
                 bookmarksCursor.close();
         }
+
+        if (mContentObserver != null)
+            BrowserDB.unregisterContentObserver(mContentResolver, mContentObserver);
     }
 
     public void filter(String searchTerm) {
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/Tab.java b/mobile/android/base/Tab.java
index 531ad8bff657..2bdd952f7984 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/Tab.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/Tab.java
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ public final class Tab {
 
     public void onDestroy() {
         mDoorHangers = new HashMap<String, DoorHanger>();
-        BrowserDB.unregisterBookmarkObserver(mContentResolver, mContentObserver);
+        BrowserDB.unregisterContentObserver(mContentResolver, mContentObserver);
     }
 
     public int getId() {
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/db/AndroidBrowserDB.java b/mobile/android/base/db/AndroidBrowserDB.java
index 10ce151d4765..fe3b6c2388f3 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/db/AndroidBrowserDB.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/db/AndroidBrowserDB.java
@@ -313,6 +313,10 @@ public class AndroidBrowserDB implements BrowserDB.BrowserDBIface {
             registerBookmarkObserverPre11(cr, observer);
     }
 
+    public void registerHistoryObserver(ContentResolver cr, ContentObserver observer) {
+        // Not implemented
+    }
+
     public BitmapDrawable getFaviconForUrl(ContentResolver cr, String uri) {
         Cursor c = cr.query(Browser.BOOKMARKS_URI,
                             new String[] { Browser.BookmarkColumns.FAVICON },
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/db/BrowserDB.java b/mobile/android/base/db/BrowserDB.java
index 62a956f70b73..4b9564e4c1c5 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/db/BrowserDB.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/db/BrowserDB.java
@@ -102,6 +102,8 @@ public class BrowserDB {
         public byte[] getThumbnailForUrl(ContentResolver cr, String uri);
 
         public void registerBookmarkObserver(ContentResolver cr, ContentObserver observer);
+
+        public void registerHistoryObserver(ContentResolver cr, ContentObserver observer);
     }
 
     static {
@@ -198,7 +200,11 @@ public class BrowserDB {
         sDb.registerBookmarkObserver(cr, observer);
     }
 
-    public static void unregisterBookmarkObserver(ContentResolver cr, ContentObserver observer) {
+    public static void registerHistoryObserver(ContentResolver cr, ContentObserver observer) {
+        sDb.registerHistoryObserver(cr, observer);
+    }
+
+    public static void unregisterContentObserver(ContentResolver cr, ContentObserver observer) {
         cr.unregisterContentObserver(observer);
     }
 }
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/db/LocalBrowserDB.java b/mobile/android/base/db/LocalBrowserDB.java
index d7a0db4ae9ce..624576d8ec03 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/db/LocalBrowserDB.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/db/LocalBrowserDB.java
@@ -508,8 +508,11 @@ public class LocalBrowserDB implements BrowserDB.BrowserDBIface {
     }
 
     public void registerBookmarkObserver(ContentResolver cr, ContentObserver observer) {
-        Uri uri = mBookmarksUriWithProfile;
-        cr.registerContentObserver(uri, false, observer);
+        cr.registerContentObserver(mBookmarksUriWithProfile, false, observer);
+    }
+
+    public void registerHistoryObserver(ContentResolver cr, ContentObserver observer) {
+        cr.registerContentObserver(mHistoryUriWithProfile, false, observer);
     }
 
     public void updateBookmark(ContentResolver cr, int id, String uri, String title, String keyword) {