diff --git a/gfx/ipc/CompositorOptions.h b/gfx/ipc/CompositorOptions.h
index f2d498839e5e..31f2878ebdf3 100644
--- a/gfx/ipc/CompositorOptions.h
+++ b/gfx/ipc/CompositorOptions.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ public:
     : mUseAPZ(false)
     , mUseWebRender(false)
     , mUseAdvancedLayers(false)
+    , mInitiallyPaused(false)
   {
   }
 
@@ -41,17 +42,23 @@ public:
     : mUseAPZ(aUseAPZ)
     , mUseWebRender(aUseWebRender)
     , mUseAdvancedLayers(false)
+    , mInitiallyPaused(false)
   {
   }
 
   bool UseAPZ() const { return mUseAPZ; }
   bool UseWebRender() const { return mUseWebRender; }
   bool UseAdvancedLayers() const { return mUseAdvancedLayers; }
+  bool InitiallyPaused() const { return mInitiallyPaused; }
 
   void SetUseAdvancedLayers(bool aUseAdvancedLayers) {
     mUseAdvancedLayers = aUseAdvancedLayers;
   }
 
+  void SetInitiallyPaused(bool aPauseAtStartup) {
+    mInitiallyPaused = aPauseAtStartup;
+  }
+
   bool operator==(const CompositorOptions& aOther) const {
     return mUseAPZ == aOther.mUseAPZ &&
            mUseWebRender == aOther.mUseWebRender &&
@@ -64,8 +71,10 @@ private:
   bool mUseAPZ;
   bool mUseWebRender;
   bool mUseAdvancedLayers;
+  bool mInitiallyPaused;
 
   // Make sure to add new fields to the ParamTraits implementation
+  // in LayersMessageUtils.h
 };
 
 } // namespace layers
diff --git a/gfx/layers/ipc/CompositorBridgeParent.cpp b/gfx/layers/ipc/CompositorBridgeParent.cpp
index 96f02bf323fb..40eb1aa5ae07 100644
--- a/gfx/layers/ipc/CompositorBridgeParent.cpp
+++ b/gfx/layers/ipc/CompositorBridgeParent.cpp
@@ -411,6 +411,8 @@ CompositorBridgeParent::Initialize()
     mApzUpdater = new APZUpdater(mApzcTreeManager, mOptions.UseWebRender());
   }
 
+  mPaused = mOptions.InitiallyPaused();
+
   mCompositorBridgeID = 0;
   // FIXME: This holds on the the fact that right now the only thing that
   // can destroy this instance is initialized on the compositor thread after
diff --git a/gfx/layers/ipc/LayersMessageUtils.h b/gfx/layers/ipc/LayersMessageUtils.h
index 27fa7a3ca2ca..6d008d018cf1 100644
--- a/gfx/layers/ipc/LayersMessageUtils.h
+++ b/gfx/layers/ipc/LayersMessageUtils.h
@@ -635,12 +635,14 @@ struct ParamTraits<mozilla::layers::CompositorOptions>
     WriteParam(aMsg, aParam.mUseAPZ);
     WriteParam(aMsg, aParam.mUseWebRender);
     WriteParam(aMsg, aParam.mUseAdvancedLayers);
+    WriteParam(aMsg, aParam.mInitiallyPaused);
   }
 
   static bool Read(const Message* aMsg, PickleIterator* aIter, paramType* aResult) {
     return ReadParam(aMsg, aIter, &aResult->mUseAPZ)
         && ReadParam(aMsg, aIter, &aResult->mUseWebRender)
-        && ReadParam(aMsg, aIter, &aResult->mUseAdvancedLayers);
+        && ReadParam(aMsg, aIter, &aResult->mUseAdvancedLayers)
+        && ReadParam(aMsg, aIter, &aResult->mInitiallyPaused);
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/widget/nsBaseWidget.cpp b/widget/nsBaseWidget.cpp
index 87aee3c4e137..f9bdcd4b647b 100644
--- a/widget/nsBaseWidget.cpp
+++ b/widget/nsBaseWidget.cpp
@@ -1323,6 +1323,12 @@ nsBaseWidget::CreateCompositorSession(int aWidth,
     bool enableAL = gfx::gfxConfig::IsEnabled(gfx::Feature::ADVANCED_LAYERS);
     options.SetUseAdvancedLayers(enableAL);
 
+#ifdef MOZ_WIDGET_ANDROID
+    if (!GetNativeData(NS_JAVA_SURFACE)) {
+      options.SetInitiallyPaused(true);
+    }
+#endif
+
     RefPtr<LayerManager> lm;
     if (options.UseWebRender()) {
       lm = new WebRenderLayerManager(this);