diff --git a/dom/base/nsFrameLoader.cpp b/dom/base/nsFrameLoader.cpp
index d6ffe41e0107..fcc15f3fb539 100644
--- a/dom/base/nsFrameLoader.cpp
+++ b/dom/base/nsFrameLoader.cpp
@@ -2562,6 +2562,10 @@ nsFrameLoader::TryRemoteBrowser()
 {
   NS_ASSERTION(!mRemoteBrowser, "TryRemoteBrowser called with a remote browser already?");
 
+  if (!mOwnerContent) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
   //XXXsmaug Per spec (2014/08/21) frameloader should not work in case the
   //         element isn't in document, only in shadow dom, but that will change
   //         https://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=26365#c0