diff --git a/suite/browser/navigator.js b/suite/browser/navigator.js
index 445d78bfc11..a225d1a419c 100644
--- a/suite/browser/navigator.js
+++ b/suite/browser/navigator.js
@@ -74,6 +74,12 @@ var gFocusedDocument = null;
 const gButtonPrefListener =
 {
   domain: "browser.toolbars.showbutton",
+  init: function()
+  {
+    var array = pref.getChildList(this.domain, {});
+    for (var i in array)
+      this.observe(pref, "nsPref:changed", array[i]);
+  },
   observe: function(subject, topic, prefName)
   {
     // verify that we're changing a button pref
@@ -460,6 +466,9 @@ function Startup()
 
   // Do all UI building here:
 
+  // Ensure button visibility matches prefs
+  gButtonPrefListener.init();
+
   // set home button tooltip text
   updateHomeButtonTooltip();