diff --git a/docshell/base/IHistory.h b/docshell/base/IHistory.h
index 2448784db96..b6d2bbcdde9 100644
--- a/docshell/base/IHistory.h
+++ b/docshell/base/IHistory.h
@@ -109,7 +109,16 @@ public:
         /**
          * Indicates whether the URI was loaded as part of a temporary redirect.
          */
-        REDIRECT_TEMPORARY = 1 << 2
+        REDIRECT_TEMPORARY = 1 << 2,
+        /**
+         * Indicates the URI is redirecting  (Response code 3xx).
+         */
+        REDIRECT_SOURCE = 1 << 3,
+        /**
+         * Indicates the URI caused an error that is unlikely fixable by a
+         * retry, like a not found or unfetchable page.
+         */
+        UNRECOVERABLE_ERROR = 1 << 4
     };
 
     /**
diff --git a/docshell/base/nsDocShell.cpp b/docshell/base/nsDocShell.cpp
index a43c51a613a..035b0fd9d62 100644
--- a/docshell/base/nsDocShell.cpp
+++ b/docshell/base/nsDocShell.cpp
@@ -6069,8 +6069,16 @@ nsDocShell::OnRedirectStateChange(nsIChannel* aOldChannel,
         (void)NS_GetReferrerFromChannel(aOldChannel,
                                         getter_AddRefs(referrer));
 
+        // Get the HTTP response code, if available.
+        PRUint32 responseStatus = 0;
+        nsCOMPtr<nsIHttpChannel> httpChannel = do_QueryInterface(aOldChannel);
+        if (httpChannel) {
+            (void)httpChannel->GetResponseStatus(&responseStatus);
+        }
+
         // Add visit N -1 => N
-        AddURIVisit(oldURI, referrer, previousURI, previousFlags);
+        AddURIVisit(oldURI, referrer, previousURI, previousFlags,
+                    responseStatus);
 
         // Since N + 1 could be the final destination, we will not save N => N + 1
         // here.  OnNewURI will do that, so we will cache it.
@@ -9265,7 +9273,8 @@ nsDocShell::OnNewURI(nsIURI * aURI, nsIChannel * aChannel, nsISupports* aOwner,
 
     bool equalUri = false;
 
-    // Get the post data from the channel
+    // Get the post data and the HTTP response code from the channel.
+    PRUint32 responseStatus = 0;
     nsCOMPtr<nsIInputStream> inputStream;
     if (aChannel) {
         nsCOMPtr<nsIHttpChannel> httpChannel(do_QueryInterface(aChannel));
@@ -9283,7 +9292,6 @@ nsDocShell::OnNewURI(nsIURI * aURI, nsIChannel * aChannel, nsISupports* aOwner,
 
             // If the response status indicates an error, unlink this session
             // history entry from any entries sharing its document.
-            PRUint32 responseStatus;
             nsresult rv = httpChannel->GetResponseStatus(&responseStatus);
             if (mLSHE && NS_SUCCEEDED(rv) && responseStatus >= 400) {
                 mLSHE->AbandonBFCacheEntry();
@@ -9447,7 +9455,7 @@ nsDocShell::OnNewURI(nsIURI * aURI, nsIChannel * aChannel, nsISupports* aOwner,
         // Treat referrer as null if there is an error getting it.
         (void)NS_GetReferrerFromChannel(aChannel, getter_AddRefs(referrer));
 
-        AddURIVisit(aURI, referrer, previousURI, previousFlags);
+        AddURIVisit(aURI, referrer, previousURI, previousFlags, responseStatus);
     }
 
     // If this was a history load or a refresh,
@@ -10593,9 +10601,13 @@ void
 nsDocShell::AddURIVisit(nsIURI* aURI,
                         nsIURI* aReferrerURI,
                         nsIURI* aPreviousURI,
-                        PRUint32 aChannelRedirectFlags)
+                        PRUint32 aChannelRedirectFlags,
+                        PRUint32 aResponseStatus)
 {
-    NS_ASSERTION(aURI, "Visited URI is null!");
+    MOZ_ASSERT(aURI, "Visited URI is null!");
+    MOZ_ASSERT(mLoadType != LOAD_ERROR_PAGE &&
+               mLoadType != LOAD_BYPASS_HISTORY,
+               "Do not add error or bypass pages to global history");
 
     // Only content-type docshells save URI visits.  Also don't do
     // anything here if we're not supposed to use global history.
@@ -10620,6 +10632,19 @@ nsDocShell::AddURIVisit(nsIURI* aURI,
             visitURIFlags |= IHistory::REDIRECT_PERMANENT;
         }
 
+        if (aResponseStatus >= 300 && aResponseStatus < 400) {
+            visitURIFlags |= IHistory::REDIRECT_SOURCE;
+        }
+        // Errors 400-501 and 505 are considered unrecoverable, in the sense a
+        // simple retry attempt by the user is unlikely to solve them.
+        // 408 is special cased, since may actually indicate a temporary
+        // connection problem.
+        else if (aResponseStatus != 408 &&
+                 (aResponseStatus >= 400 && aResponseStatus <= 501 ||
+                  aResponseStatus == 505)) {
+            visitURIFlags |= IHistory::UNRECOVERABLE_ERROR;
+        }
+
         (void)history->VisitURI(aURI, aPreviousURI, visitURIFlags);
     }
     else if (mGlobalHistory) {
diff --git a/docshell/base/nsDocShell.h b/docshell/base/nsDocShell.h
index 29fa6d0d416..f96700ee2ea 100644
--- a/docshell/base/nsDocShell.h
+++ b/docshell/base/nsDocShell.h
@@ -520,11 +520,14 @@ protected:
      * @param aChannelRedirectFlags
      *        For redirects, the redirect flags from nsIChannelEventSink
      *        (0 otherwise)
+     * @param aResponseStatus
+     *        For HTTP channels, the response code (0 otherwise).
      */
     void AddURIVisit(nsIURI* aURI,
                      nsIURI* aReferrerURI,
                      nsIURI* aPreviousURI,
-                     PRUint32 aChannelRedirectFlags);
+                     PRUint32 aChannelRedirectFlags,
+                     PRUint32 aResponseStatus=0);
 
     // Helper Routines
     nsresult   ConfirmRepost(bool * aRepost);