diff --git a/layout/base/nsRefreshDriver.cpp b/layout/base/nsRefreshDriver.cpp
index 74f4c34f53f2..dfd111f19387 100644
--- a/layout/base/nsRefreshDriver.cpp
+++ b/layout/base/nsRefreshDriver.cpp
@@ -1009,13 +1009,13 @@ nsRefreshDriver::nsRefreshDriver(nsPresContext* aPresContext)
     mInRefresh(false),
     mWaitingForTransaction(false),
     mSkippedPaints(false),
-    mResizeSuppressed(false),
-    mWarningThreshold(1)
+    mResizeSuppressed(false)
 {
   MOZ_ASSERT(NS_IsMainThread());
   MOZ_ASSERT(mPresContext,
              "Need a pres context to tell us to call Disconnect() later "
              "and decrement sRefreshDriverCount.");
+
   mMostRecentRefreshEpochTime = JS_Now();
   mMostRecentRefresh = TimeStamp::Now();
   mMostRecentTick = mMostRecentRefresh;
@@ -1065,7 +1065,6 @@ nsRefreshDriver::AdvanceTimeAndRefresh(int64_t aMilliseconds)
       // Disable any refresh driver throttling when entering test mode
       mWaitingForTransaction = false;
       mSkippedPaints = false;
-      mWarningThreshold = 1;
     }
   }
 
@@ -1656,7 +1655,6 @@ nsRefreshDriver::Tick(int64_t aNowEpoch, TimeStamp aNowTime)
     mRootRefresh = nullptr;
   }
   mSkippedPaints = false;
-  mWarningThreshold = 1;
 
   nsCOMPtr<nsIPresShell> presShell = mPresContext->GetPresShell();
   if (!presShell || (ObserverCount() == 0 && ImageRequestCount() == 0)) {
@@ -1994,7 +1992,6 @@ nsRefreshDriver::FinishedWaitingForTransaction()
     profiler_tracing("Paint", "RD", TRACING_INTERVAL_END);
   }
   mSkippedPaints = false;
-  mWarningThreshold = 1;
 }
 
 uint64_t
@@ -2007,7 +2004,6 @@ nsRefreshDriver::GetTransactionId()
       !mTestControllingRefreshes) {
     mWaitingForTransaction = true;
     mSkippedPaints = false;
-    mWarningThreshold = 1;
   }
 
   return mPendingTransaction;
@@ -2067,14 +2063,17 @@ nsRefreshDriver::IsWaitingForPaint(mozilla::TimeStamp aTime)
   if (mTestControllingRefreshes) {
     return false;
   }
-
-  if (aTime > (mMostRecentTick + TimeDuration::FromMilliseconds(mWarningThreshold * 1000))) {
-    gfxCriticalNote << "Refresh driver waiting for the compositor for"
-                    << (aTime - mMostRecentTick).ToSeconds()
-                    << " seconds.";
-    mWarningThreshold *= 2;
+  // If we've skipped too many ticks then it's possible
+  // that something went wrong and we're waiting on
+  // a notification that will never arrive.
+  if (aTime > (mMostRecentTick + TimeDuration::FromMilliseconds(200))) {
+    mSkippedPaints = false;
+    mWaitingForTransaction = false;
+    if (mRootRefresh) {
+      mRootRefresh->RemoveRefreshObserver(this, Flush_Style);
+    }
+    return false;
   }
-
   if (mWaitingForTransaction) {
     mSkippedPaints = true;
     return true;
diff --git a/layout/base/nsRefreshDriver.h b/layout/base/nsRefreshDriver.h
index 7c3495d991a7..b7fe1a180515 100644
--- a/layout/base/nsRefreshDriver.h
+++ b/layout/base/nsRefreshDriver.h
@@ -424,10 +424,6 @@ private:
   bool mResizeSuppressed;
 
   int64_t mMostRecentRefreshEpochTime;
-  // Number of seconds that the refresh driver is blocked waiting for a compositor
-  // transaction to be completed before we append a note to the gfx critical log.
-  // The number is doubled every time the threshold is hit.
-  uint64_t mWarningThreshold;
   mozilla::TimeStamp mMostRecentRefresh;
   mozilla::TimeStamp mMostRecentTick;
   mozilla::TimeStamp mTickStart;