diff --git a/b2g/chrome/content/shell.js b/b2g/chrome/content/shell.js
index 18747463440..89b6001f5b8 100644
--- a/b2g/chrome/content/shell.js
+++ b/b2g/chrome/content/shell.js
@@ -84,6 +84,10 @@ var shell = {
     return Services.prefs.getCharPref('browser.homescreenURL');
   },
 
+  get manifestURL() {
+    return Services.prefs.getCharPref('browser.manifestURL');
+   },
+
   start: function shell_start() {
     let homeURL = this.homeURL;
     if (!homeURL) {
@@ -92,6 +96,21 @@ var shell = {
       return;
     }
 
+    let manifestURL = this.manifestURL;
+    // <html:iframe id="homescreen"
+    //              mozbrowser="true" mozallowfullscreen="true"
+    //              style="overflow: hidden; -moz-box-flex: 1; border: none;"
+    //              src="data:text/html;charset=utf-8,%3C!DOCTYPE html>%3Cbody style='background:black;'>"/>
+    let browserFrame =
+      document.createElementNS('http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml', 'html:iframe');
+    browserFrame.setAttribute('id', 'homescreen');
+    browserFrame.setAttribute('mozbrowser', 'true');
+    browserFrame.setAttribute('mozapp', manifestURL);
+    browserFrame.setAttribute('mozallowfullscreen', 'true');
+    browserFrame.setAttribute('style', "overflow: hidden; -moz-box-flex: 1; border: none;");
+    browserFrame.setAttribute('src', "data:text/html;charset=utf-8,%3C!DOCTYPE html>%3Cbody style='background:black;");
+    document.getElementById('shell').appendChild(browserFrame);
+
     ['keydown', 'keypress', 'keyup'].forEach((function listenKey(type) {
       window.addEventListener(type, this, false, true);
       window.addEventListener(type, this, true, true);
@@ -100,7 +119,7 @@ var shell = {
     window.addEventListener('MozApplicationManifest', this);
     window.addEventListener('mozfullscreenchange', this);
     window.addEventListener('sizemodechange', this);
-    this.contentBrowser.addEventListener('load', this, true);
+    this.contentBrowser.addEventListener('mozbrowserloadstart', this, true);
 
     // Until the volume can be set from the content side, set it to a
     // a specific value when the device starts. This way the front-end
@@ -120,14 +139,6 @@ var shell = {
 
     addPermissions(domains.split(","));
 
-    // Load webapi.js as a frame script
-    let webapiUrl = 'chrome://browser/content/webapi.js';
-    try {
-      messageManager.loadFrameScript(webapiUrl, true);
-    } catch (e) {
-      dump('shell.js: Error loading ' + webapiUrl + ' as a frame script: ' + e + '\n');
-    }
-
     CustomEventManager.init();
 
     WebappsHelper.init();
@@ -140,9 +151,7 @@ var shell = {
       Services.prefs.setBoolPref("nglayout.debug.paint_flashing", value);
     });
 
-    let browser = this.contentBrowser;
-    browser.homePage = homeURL;
-    browser.goHome();
+    this.contentBrowser.src = homeURL;
   },
 
   stop: function shell_stop() {
@@ -151,11 +160,10 @@ var shell = {
       window.removeEventListener(type, this, true, true);
     }).bind(this));
 
-    window.addEventListener('MozApplicationManifest', this);
     window.removeEventListener('MozApplicationManifest', this);
     window.removeEventListener('mozfullscreenchange', this);
     window.removeEventListener('sizemodechange', this);
-    this.contentBrowser.removeEventListener('load', this, true);
+    this.contentBrowser.removeEventListener('mozbrowserloadstart', this, true);
 
 #ifndef MOZ_WIDGET_GONK
     delete Services.audioManager;
@@ -186,6 +194,7 @@ var shell = {
   },
 
   forwardKeyToContent: function shell_forwardKeyToContent(evt) {
+    let content = shell.contentBrowser.contentWindow;
     let generatedEvent = content.document.createEvent('KeyboardEvent');
     generatedEvent.initKeyEvent(evt.type, true, true, evt.view, evt.ctrlKey,
                                 evt.altKey, evt.shiftKey, evt.metaKey,
@@ -195,6 +204,7 @@ var shell = {
   },
 
   handleEvent: function shell_handleEvent(evt) {
+    let content = this.contentBrowser.contentWindow;
     switch (evt.type) {
       case 'keydown':
       case 'keyup':
@@ -233,13 +243,13 @@ var shell = {
         break;
       case 'sizemodechange':
         if (window.windowState == window.STATE_MINIMIZED) {
-          this.contentBrowser.docShell.isActive = false;
+          this.contentBrowser.setVisible(false);
         } else {
-          this.contentBrowser.docShell.isActive = true;
+          this.contentBrowser.setVisible(true);
         }
         break;
-      case 'load':
-        this.contentBrowser.removeEventListener('load', this, true);
+      case 'mozbrowserloadstart':
+        this.contentBrowser.removeEventListener('mozbrowserloadstart', this, true);
 
         let chromeWindow = window.QueryInterface(Ci.nsIDOMChromeWindow);
         chromeWindow.browserDOMWindow = new nsBrowserAccess();
@@ -297,6 +307,7 @@ nsBrowserAccess.prototype = {
 
   openURI: function openURI(uri, opener, where, context) {
     // TODO This should be replaced by an 'open-browser-window' intent
+    let content = shell.contentBrowser.contentWindow;
     let contentWindow = content.wrappedJSObject;
     if (!('getApplicationManager' in contentWindow))
       return null;
@@ -368,6 +379,7 @@ nsBrowserAccess.prototype = {
 var CustomEventManager = {
   init: function custevt_init() {
     window.addEventListener("ContentStart", (function(evt) {
+      let content = shell.contentBrowser.contentWindow;
       content.addEventListener("mozContentEvent", this, false, true);
     }).bind(this), false);
   },
@@ -418,6 +430,7 @@ var AlertsHelper = {
   showAlertNotification: function alert_showAlertNotification(imageUrl, title, text, textClickable, 
                                                               cookie, alertListener, name) {
     let id = this.registerListener(cookie, alertListener);
+    let content = shell.contentBrowser.contentWindow;
     shell.sendEvent(content, "mozChromeEvent", { type: "desktop-notification", id: id, icon: imageUrl, 
                                                  title: title, text: text } );
   }
@@ -454,6 +467,7 @@ var WebappsHelper = {
   },
 
   observe: function webapps_observe(subject, topic, data) {
+    let content = shell.contentBrowser.contentWindow;
     let json = JSON.parse(data);
     switch(topic) {
       case "webapps-launch":
@@ -576,6 +590,7 @@ window.addEventListener('ContentStart', function(evt) {
 // detail.type set to 'saved-screenshot' and detail.filename set to
 // the filename.
 window.addEventListener('ContentStart', function ss_onContentStart() {
+  let content = shell.contentBrowser.contentWindow;
   content.addEventListener('mozContentEvent', function ss_onMozContentEvent(e) {
     if (e.detail.type !== 'save-screenshot')
       return;
diff --git a/b2g/chrome/content/shell.xul b/b2g/chrome/content/shell.xul
index 080dc817cbe..551604b8f08 100644
--- a/b2g/chrome/content/shell.xul
+++ b/b2g/chrome/content/shell.xul
@@ -16,15 +16,10 @@
 
   <script type="application/javascript" src="chrome://browser/content/settings.js"/>
   <script type="application/javascript" src="chrome://browser/content/shell.js"/>
- 
+
 #ifndef ANDROID
   <!-- this script handles the screen argument for desktop builds -->
   <script type="application/javascript" src="chrome://browser/content/screen.js"/>
 #endif
-  <browser id="homescreen"
-           type="content-primary"
-           flex="1"
-           style="overflow: hidden;"
-           src="data:text/html;charset=utf-8,%3C!DOCTYPE html>%3Cbody style='background:black;'>"/>
+  <!-- The html:iframe containing the UI is created here. -->
 </window>
-