diff --git a/content/xul/document/src/nsXULDocument.cpp b/content/xul/document/src/nsXULDocument.cpp
index 95cfe93c9687..3cae8c206d46 100644
--- a/content/xul/document/src/nsXULDocument.cpp
+++ b/content/xul/document/src/nsXULDocument.cpp
@@ -1315,14 +1315,33 @@ nsXULDocument::Persist(const nsAString& aID,
 }
 
 
+PRBool
+nsXULDocument::IsCapabilityEnabled(const char* aCapabilityLabel)
+{
+    nsresult rv;
+
+    // NodePrincipal is guarantied to be non-null
+    PRBool enabled = PR_FALSE;
+    rv = NodePrincipal()->IsCapabilityEnabled(aCapabilityLabel, nsnull, &enabled);
+    if (NS_FAILED(rv))
+        return PR_FALSE;
+ 
+    return enabled;
+}
+
+
 nsresult
 nsXULDocument::Persist(nsIContent* aElement, PRInt32 aNameSpaceID,
                        nsIAtom* aAttribute)
 {
+    // For non-chrome documents, persistance is simply broken
+    if (!IsCapabilityEnabled("UniversalBrowserWrite"))
+        return NS_ERROR_NOT_AVAILABLE;
+
     // First make sure we _have_ a local store to stuff the persisted
     // information into. (We might not have one if profile information
     // hasn't been loaded yet...)
-    if (! mLocalStore)
+    if (!mLocalStore)
         return NS_OK;
 
     nsresult rv;
@@ -2119,13 +2138,26 @@ nsXULDocument::PrepareToLoadPrototype(nsIURI* aURI, const char* aCommand,
 nsresult
 nsXULDocument::ApplyPersistentAttributes()
 {
+    // For non-chrome documents, persistance is simply broken
+    if (!IsCapabilityEnabled("UniversalBrowserRead"))
+        return NS_ERROR_NOT_AVAILABLE;
+
     // Add all of the 'persisted' attributes into the content
     // model.
-    if (! mLocalStore)
+    if (!mLocalStore)
         return NS_OK;
 
     mApplyingPersistedAttrs = PR_TRUE;
+    ApplyPersistentAttributesInternal();
+    mApplyingPersistedAttrs = PR_FALSE;
 
+    return NS_OK;
+}
+
+
+nsresult 
+nsXULDocument::ApplyPersistentAttributesInternal()
+{
     nsCOMArray<nsIContent> elements;
 
     nsCAutoString docurl;
@@ -2172,8 +2204,6 @@ nsXULDocument::ApplyPersistentAttributes()
         ApplyPersistentAttributesToElements(resource, elements);
     }
 
-    mApplyingPersistedAttrs = PR_FALSE;
-
     return NS_OK;
 }
 
@@ -3081,8 +3111,7 @@ nsXULDocument::ResumeWalk()
     rv = ResolveForwardReferences();
     if (NS_FAILED(rv)) return rv;
 
-    rv = ApplyPersistentAttributes();
-    if (NS_FAILED(rv)) return rv;
+    ApplyPersistentAttributes();
 
     mStillWalking = PR_FALSE;
     if (mPendingSheets == 0) {
diff --git a/content/xul/document/src/nsXULDocument.h b/content/xul/document/src/nsXULDocument.h
index 84e6d284279f..cf5b91d59e86 100644
--- a/content/xul/document/src/nsXULDocument.h
+++ b/content/xul/document/src/nsXULDocument.h
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@ protected:
                         PRBool* aFailureFromContent);
 
     nsresult ApplyPersistentAttributes();
+    nsresult ApplyPersistentAttributesInternal();
     nsresult ApplyPersistentAttributesToElements(nsIRDFResource* aResource,
                                                  nsCOMArray<nsIContent>& aElements);
 
@@ -261,6 +262,9 @@ protected:
 
     static PRLogModuleInfo* gXULLog;
 
+    PRBool
+    IsCapabilityEnabled(const char* aCapabilityLabel);
+
     nsresult
     Persist(nsIContent* aElement, PRInt32 aNameSpaceID, nsIAtom* aAttribute);