diff --git a/browser/base/content/test/referrer/browser_referrer_open_link_in_private.js b/browser/base/content/test/referrer/browser_referrer_open_link_in_private.js
index 8f12e38248a9..b09118529436 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/test/referrer/browser_referrer_open_link_in_private.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/referrer/browser_referrer_open_link_in_private.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ function startNewPrivateWindowTestCase(aTestNumber) {
        getReferrerTestDescription(aTestNumber));
   contextMenuOpened(gTestWindow, "testlink").then(function(aContextMenu) {
     newWindowOpened().then(function(aNewWindow) {
-      BrowserTestUtils.firstBrowserLoaded(aNewWindow, false).then(function() {
+      someTabLoaded(aNewWindow).then(function() {
         checkReferrerAndStartNextTest(aTestNumber, aNewWindow, null,
                                       startNewPrivateWindowTestCase);
       });
diff --git a/browser/base/content/test/referrer/browser_referrer_open_link_in_window.js b/browser/base/content/test/referrer/browser_referrer_open_link_in_window.js
index 81e7b2648e94..7fb9a23e2d3e 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/test/referrer/browser_referrer_open_link_in_window.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/referrer/browser_referrer_open_link_in_window.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ function startNewWindowTestCase(aTestNumber) {
        getReferrerTestDescription(aTestNumber));
   contextMenuOpened(gTestWindow, "testlink").then(function(aContextMenu) {
     newWindowOpened().then(function(aNewWindow) {
-      BrowserTestUtils.firstBrowserLoaded(aNewWindow, false).then(function() {
+      someTabLoaded(aNewWindow).then(function() {
         checkReferrerAndStartNextTest(aTestNumber, aNewWindow, null,
                                       startNewWindowTestCase);
       });
diff --git a/browser/base/content/test/referrer/browser_referrer_open_link_in_window_in_container.js b/browser/base/content/test/referrer/browser_referrer_open_link_in_window_in_container.js
index d5ce8795256b..3c45c4dd57c6 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/test/referrer/browser_referrer_open_link_in_window_in_container.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/referrer/browser_referrer_open_link_in_window_in_container.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ function startNewWindowTestCase(aTestNumber) {
        getReferrerTestDescription(aTestNumber));
   contextMenuOpened(gTestWindow, "testlink").then(function(aContextMenu) {
     newWindowOpened().then(function(aNewWindow) {
-      BrowserTestUtils.firstBrowserLoaded(aNewWindow, false).then(function() {
+      someTabLoaded(aNewWindow).then(function() {
         checkReferrerAndStartNextTest(aTestNumber, aNewWindow, null,
                                       startNewWindowTestCase,
                                       { userContextId: 1 });
diff --git a/browser/base/content/test/referrer/head.js b/browser/base/content/test/referrer/head.js
index f83bd9fd9fb8..5175cddf035f 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/test/referrer/head.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/referrer/head.js
@@ -140,8 +140,18 @@ function delayedStartupFinished(aWindow) {
  * @resolves With the tab once it's loaded.
  */
 function someTabLoaded(aWindow) {
-  return BrowserTestUtils.waitForNewTab(gTestWindow.gBrowser).then((tab) => {
-    return BrowserTestUtils.browserStopped(tab.linkedBrowser).then(() => tab);
+  return new Promise(function(resolve) {
+    aWindow.gBrowser.addEventListener("load", function onLoad(aEvent) {
+      if (aWindow.location.href === "about:blank") {
+        return;
+      }
+      let tab = aWindow.gBrowser._getTabForContentWindow(
+          aEvent.target.defaultView.top);
+      if (tab) {
+        aWindow.gBrowser.removeEventListener("load", onLoad, true);
+        resolve(tab);
+      }
+    }, true);
   });
 }
 
@@ -199,7 +209,7 @@ function referrerTestCaseLoaded(aTestNumber, aParams) {
   let browser = gTestWindow.gBrowser;
   return BrowserTestUtils.openNewForegroundTab(browser, () => {
     browser.selectedTab = browser.addTab(url, aParams);
-  }, false, true);
+  });
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/testing/mochitest/BrowserTestUtils/BrowserTestUtils.jsm b/testing/mochitest/BrowserTestUtils/BrowserTestUtils.jsm
index b471ca3c6d08..48eae9c9c104 100644
--- a/testing/mochitest/BrowserTestUtils/BrowserTestUtils.jsm
+++ b/testing/mochitest/BrowserTestUtils/BrowserTestUtils.jsm
@@ -226,12 +226,11 @@ this.BrowserTestUtils = {
    * @return {Promise}
    * @resolves Once the selected browser fires its load event.
    */
-  firstBrowserLoaded(win, aboutBlank = true) {
+  firstBrowserLoaded(win) {
     let mm = win.messageManager;
     return this.waitForMessage(mm, "browser-test-utils:loadEvent", (msg) => {
       let selectedBrowser = win.gBrowser.selectedBrowser;
-      return msg.target == selectedBrowser &&
-             (aboutBlank || selectedBrowser.currentURI.spec != "about:blank")
+      return msg.target == selectedBrowser;
     });
   },