diff --git a/layout/base/ServoRestyleManager.cpp b/layout/base/ServoRestyleManager.cpp
index 08652ec6ac63..47362bd19771 100644
--- a/layout/base/ServoRestyleManager.cpp
+++ b/layout/base/ServoRestyleManager.cpp
@@ -280,17 +280,21 @@ ServoRestyleManager::ProcessPendingRestyles()
 {
   MOZ_ASSERT(PresContext()->Document(), "No document?  Pshaw!");
   MOZ_ASSERT(!nsContentUtils::IsSafeToRunScript(), "Missing a script blocker!");
+
+  if (MOZ_UNLIKELY(!PresContext()->PresShell()->DidInitialize())) {
+    // PresShell::FlushPendingNotifications doesn't early-return in the case
+    // where the PreShell hasn't yet been initialized (and therefore we haven't
+    // yet done the initial style traversal of the DOM tree). We should arguably
+    // fix up the callers and assert against this case, but we just detect and
+    // handle it for now.
+    return;
+  }
+
   if (!HasPendingRestyles()) {
     return;
   }
 
   ServoStyleSet* styleSet = StyleSet();
-  if (!styleSet->StylingStarted()) {
-    // If something caused us to restyle, and we haven't started styling yet,
-    // do nothing. Everything is dirty, and we'll style it all later.
-    return;
-  }
-
   nsIDocument* doc = PresContext()->Document();
   Element* root = doc->GetRootElement();
   if (root) {
@@ -331,7 +335,7 @@ ServoRestyleManager::ProcessPendingRestyles()
   }
 
   MOZ_ASSERT(!doc->IsDirtyForServo());
-  MOZ_ASSERT(!doc->HasDirtyDescendantsForServo());
+  doc->UnsetHasDirtyDescendantsForServo();
 
   mModifiedElements.Clear();
 
@@ -354,6 +358,20 @@ ServoRestyleManager::RestyleForInsertOrChange(nsINode* aContainer,
 void
 ServoRestyleManager::ContentInserted(nsINode* aContainer, nsIContent* aChild)
 {
+  if (aContainer == aContainer->OwnerDoc()) {
+    // If we're getting this notification for the insertion of a root element,
+    // that means either:
+    //   (a) We initialized the PresShell before the root element existed, or
+    //   (b) The root element was removed and it or another root is being
+    //       inserted.
+    //
+    // Either way the whole tree is dirty, so we should style the document.
+    MOZ_ASSERT(aChild == aChild->OwnerDoc()->GetRootElement());
+    MOZ_ASSERT(aChild->IsDirtyForServo());
+    StyleSet()->StyleDocument(/* aLeaveDirtyBits = */ false);
+    return;
+  }
+
   if (!aContainer->ServoData().get()) {
     // This can happen with display:none. Bug 1297249 tracks more investigation
     // and assertions here.
diff --git a/layout/base/nsPresShell.cpp b/layout/base/nsPresShell.cpp
index f97378067f12..6f76d4c5ff0e 100644
--- a/layout/base/nsPresShell.cpp
+++ b/layout/base/nsPresShell.cpp
@@ -1682,8 +1682,15 @@ PresShell::Initialize(nscoord aWidth, nscoord aHeight)
 
   mPresContext->SetVisibleArea(nsRect(0, 0, aWidth, aHeight));
 
-  if (mStyleSet->IsServo()) {
-    mStyleSet->AsServo()->StartStyling(GetPresContext());
+  if (mStyleSet->IsServo() && mDocument->GetRootElement()) {
+    // If we have the root element already, go ahead style it along with any
+    // descendants.
+    //
+    // Some things, like nsDocumentViewer::GetPageMode, recreate the PresShell
+    // while keeping the content tree alive (see bug 1292280) - so we
+    // unconditionally mark the root as dirty.
+    mDocument->GetRootElement()->SetIsDirtyForServo();
+    mStyleSet->AsServo()->StyleDocument(/* aLeaveDirtyBits = */ false);
   }
 
   // Get the root frame from the frame manager
diff --git a/layout/style/ServoStyleSet.cpp b/layout/style/ServoStyleSet.cpp
index 5f0ab284292d..d6b321376837 100644
--- a/layout/style/ServoStyleSet.cpp
+++ b/layout/style/ServoStyleSet.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ ServoStyleSet::ServoStyleSet()
   : mPresContext(nullptr)
   , mRawSet(Servo_StyleSet_Init())
   , mBatching(0)
-  , mStylingStarted(false)
 {
 }
 
@@ -73,24 +72,6 @@ ServoStyleSet::EndUpdate()
   return NS_OK;
 }
 
-void
-ServoStyleSet::StartStyling(nsPresContext* aPresContext)
-{
-  MOZ_ASSERT(!mStylingStarted);
-
-  // Some things, like nsDocumentViewer::GetPageMode, recreate the presShell,
-  // while keeping the content tree alive. See bug 1292280.
-  //
-  // That's why we need to force a restyle.
-  nsIContent* root = mPresContext->Document()->GetRootElement();
-  if (root) {
-    root->SetIsDirtyForServo();
-  }
-
-  StyleDocument(/* aLeaveDirtyBits = */ false);
-  mStylingStarted = true;
-}
-
 already_AddRefed<nsStyleContext>
 ServoStyleSet::ResolveStyleFor(Element* aElement,
                                nsStyleContext* aParentContext)
@@ -484,21 +465,16 @@ ClearDirtyBits(nsIContent* aContent)
 void
 ServoStyleSet::StyleDocument(bool aLeaveDirtyBits)
 {
-  // Unconditionally clear the flag on the document so that HasPendingRestyles
-  // returns false.
-  nsIDocument* doc = mPresContext->Document();
-  doc->UnsetHasDirtyDescendantsForServo();
-
   // Grab the root.
-  nsIContent* root = mPresContext->Document()->GetRootElement();
-  if (!root) {
-    return;
-  }
+  nsIDocument* doc = mPresContext->Document();
+  nsIContent* root = doc->GetRootElement();
+  MOZ_ASSERT(root);
 
   // Restyle the document, clearing the dirty bits if requested.
   Servo_RestyleSubtree(root, mRawSet.get());
   if (!aLeaveDirtyBits) {
     ClearDirtyBits(root);
+    doc->UnsetHasDirtyDescendantsForServo();
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/layout/style/ServoStyleSet.h b/layout/style/ServoStyleSet.h
index 6fb17b27c2c1..031b471cd634 100644
--- a/layout/style/ServoStyleSet.h
+++ b/layout/style/ServoStyleSet.h
@@ -55,8 +55,6 @@ public:
   void BeginUpdate();
   nsresult EndUpdate();
 
-  void StartStyling(nsPresContext* aPresContext);
-
   already_AddRefed<nsStyleContext>
   ResolveStyleFor(dom::Element* aElement,
                   nsStyleContext* aParentContext);
@@ -128,7 +126,7 @@ public:
 
   /**
    * Performs a Servo traversal to compute style for all dirty nodes in the
-   * document.
+   * document. The root element must be non-null.
    *
    * If aLeaveDirtyBits is true, the dirty/dirty-descendant bits are not
    * cleared.
@@ -155,8 +153,6 @@ public:
    */
   void StyleNewChildren(nsIContent* aParent);
 
-  bool StylingStarted() const { return mStylingStarted; }
-
 private:
   already_AddRefed<nsStyleContext> GetContext(already_AddRefed<ServoComputedValues>,
                                               nsStyleContext* aParentContext,
@@ -173,7 +169,6 @@ private:
   EnumeratedArray<SheetType, SheetType::Count,
                   nsTArray<RefPtr<ServoStyleSheet>>> mSheets;
   int32_t mBatching;
-  bool mStylingStarted;
 };
 
 } // namespace mozilla