diff --git a/mail/components/addrbook/content/abContactsPanel.js b/mail/components/addrbook/content/abContactsPanel.js
index 8d1698e1e631..575eb7881e53 100644
--- a/mail/components/addrbook/content/abContactsPanel.js
+++ b/mail/components/addrbook/content/abContactsPanel.js
@@ -39,6 +39,26 @@ function GetAbViewListener()
   // the ab panel doesn't care if the total changes, or if the selection changes
   return null;
 }
+
+
+function contactsListDoubleClick(event)
+{
+  // we only care about button 0 (left click) events
+  if (event.button != 0)
+    return;
+
+  var row = {}, colID = {}, childElt = {};
+  var contactsTree = document.getElementById("abResultsTree");
+  contactsTree.treeBoxObject.getCellAt(event.clientX, event.clientY, row, colID, childElt);
+  if (row.value == -1 || row.value > contactsTree.view.rowCount-1 || event.originalTarget.localName != "treechildren") 
+  {
+    // double clicking on a non valid row should not open the edit filter dialog
+    return;
+  }
+
+  // ok, go ahead and add the entry
+  addSelectedAddresses('addr_to');  
+}
 
 function addSelectedAddresses(recipientType)
 {
diff --git a/mail/components/addrbook/content/abContactsPanel.xul b/mail/components/addrbook/content/abContactsPanel.xul
index 9bd7090b3ce8..53e3ec0a8b24 100644
--- a/mail/components/addrbook/content/abContactsPanel.xul
+++ b/mail/components/addrbook/content/abContactsPanel.xul
@@ -97,14 +97,14 @@
 
     <separator class="thin"/> 
 
-    <tree id="abResultsTree" flex="1" context="cardProperties" class="plain" sortCol="GeneratedName" persist="sortCol" ondblclick="addSelectedAddresses('addr_to')">
+    <tree id="abResultsTree" flex="1" context="cardProperties" class="plain" sortCol="GeneratedName" persist="sortCol" ondblclick="contactsListDoubleClick(event);">
       <treecols>
         <!-- these column ids must match up to the mork column names, see nsIAddrDatabase.idl -->
         <treecol id="GeneratedName" class="sortDirectionIndicator" 
                  persist="hidden ordinal width sortDirection" flex="1" label="&GeneratedName.label;" primary="true"/>
         <splitter class="tree-splitter"/>
         <treecol id="PrimaryEmail" class="sortDirectionIndicator" 
-                 persist="hidden ordinal width sortDirection" hiddenbydefault="true"
+                 persist="hidden ordinal width sortDirection" hidden="true"
                  flex="1" label="&PrimaryEmail.label;"/>
       </treecols>
       <treechildren ondraggesture="nsDragAndDrop.startDrag(event, abResultsPaneObserver);"/>