diff --git a/modules/plugin/base/src/nsNPAPIPluginInstance.cpp b/modules/plugin/base/src/nsNPAPIPluginInstance.cpp
index ab20a9ddbf6..0222b1f1c26 100644
--- a/modules/plugin/base/src/nsNPAPIPluginInstance.cpp
+++ b/modules/plugin/base/src/nsNPAPIPluginInstance.cpp
@@ -841,6 +841,8 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsNPAPIPluginInstance::Stop(void)
   }
 
   if (!mStarted) {
+    // Break our cycle with the peer that owns us.
+    mPeer = nsnull;
     return NS_OK;
   }
 
@@ -859,6 +861,8 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsNPAPIPluginInstance::Stop(void)
   OnPluginDestroy(&fNPP);
 
   if (fCallbacks->destroy == NULL) {
+    // Break our cycle with the peer that owns us.
+    mPeer = nsnull;
     return NS_ERROR_FAILURE;
   }
 
@@ -886,6 +890,9 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsNPAPIPluginInstance::Stop(void)
 
   nsJSNPRuntime::OnPluginDestroy(&fNPP);
 
+  // Break our cycle with the peer that owns us.
+  mPeer = nsnull;
+
   if (error != NPERR_NO_ERROR)
     return NS_ERROR_FAILURE;
   else
diff --git a/modules/plugin/base/src/nsPluginHostImpl.cpp b/modules/plugin/base/src/nsPluginHostImpl.cpp
index bf8ac9b377a..8857b626fc3 100644
--- a/modules/plugin/base/src/nsPluginHostImpl.cpp
+++ b/modules/plugin/base/src/nsPluginHostImpl.cpp
@@ -5909,16 +5909,6 @@ nsPluginHostImpl::StopPluginInstance(nsIPluginInstance* aInstance)
       }
     }
   }
-
-  nsCOMPtr<nsIPluginInstancePeer> peer;
-  aInstance->GetPeer(getter_AddRefs(peer));
-
-  if (peer) {
-    // Break the reference cycle between the instance, peer, and
-    // owner.
-    ((nsPluginInstancePeerImpl*)peer.get())->SetOwner(nsnull);
-  }
-
   return NS_OK;
 }