diff --git a/mailnews/base/src/nsMessengerBootstrap.cpp b/mailnews/base/src/nsMessengerBootstrap.cpp
index d5f2eb586654..b3b708957321 100644
--- a/mailnews/base/src/nsMessengerBootstrap.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/base/src/nsMessengerBootstrap.cpp
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ CMDLINEHANDLER3_IMPL(nsMessengerBootstrap,"-mail","general.startup.mail","Start
 
 NS_IMETHODIMP nsMessengerBootstrap::GetChromeUrlForTask(char **aChromeUrlForTask) 
 { 
+#ifndef MOZ_THUNDERBIRD
   if (!aChromeUrlForTask) return NS_ERROR_FAILURE; 
   nsresult rv;
   nsCOMPtr<nsIPref> prefService(do_GetService(kPrefServiceCID, &rv));
@@ -92,6 +93,11 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsMessengerBootstrap::GetChromeUrlForTask(char **aChromeUrlForTask
     }	
   }
   *aChromeUrlForTask = PL_strdup("chrome://messenger/content/messenger.xul"); 
+#else
+  NS_ENSURE_ARG_POINTER(aChromeUrlForTask);
+  *aChromeUrlForTask = PL_strdup("chrome://messenger/content/"); 
+#endif
+
   return NS_OK; 
 }
 
diff --git a/mailnews/news/src/nsNntpService.cpp b/mailnews/news/src/nsNntpService.cpp
index 34ea52fab4b8..1f45b98c18f7 100644
--- a/mailnews/news/src/nsNntpService.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/news/src/nsNntpService.cpp
@@ -1721,6 +1721,7 @@ CMDLINEHANDLER3_IMPL(nsNntpService,"-news","general.startup.news","Start with ne
 
 NS_IMETHODIMP nsNntpService::GetChromeUrlForTask(char **aChromeUrlForTask) 
 { 
+#ifndef MOZ_THUNDERBIRD
     if (!aChromeUrlForTask) return NS_ERROR_FAILURE; 
 	nsresult rv;
 	nsCOMPtr<nsIPrefBranch> prefBranch(do_GetService(NS_PREFSERVICE_CONTRACTID, &rv));
@@ -1741,6 +1742,10 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsNntpService::GetChromeUrlForTask(char **aChromeUrlForTask)
 	}
 	*aChromeUrlForTask = PL_strdup("chrome://messenger/content/messenger.xul"); 
     return NS_OK; 
+#else
+  NS_ENSURE_ARG_POINTER(aChromeUrlForTask);
+  *aChromeUrlForTask = PL_strdup("chrome://messenger/content/"); 
+#endif
 }