diff --git a/toolkit/components/downloads/nsDownloadManager.cpp b/toolkit/components/downloads/nsDownloadManager.cpp
index f550acfca3e5..7c5cbec752cf 100644
--- a/toolkit/components/downloads/nsDownloadManager.cpp
+++ b/toolkit/components/downloads/nsDownloadManager.cpp
@@ -2879,8 +2879,13 @@ nsDownload::OpenWithApplication()
 
     // Even if we are unable to get this service we return the result
     // of LaunchWithFile() which makes more sense.
-    if (appLauncher)
-      (void)appLauncher->DeleteTemporaryFileOnExit(target);
+    if (appLauncher) {
+      if (nsDownloadManager::gDownloadManagerService->mInPrivateBrowsing) {
+        (void)appLauncher->DeleteTemporaryPrivateFileWhenPossible(target);
+      } else {
+        (void)appLauncher->DeleteTemporaryFileOnExit(target);
+      }
+    }
   }
 
   return retVal;