diff --git a/uriloader/exthandler/ExternalHelperAppChild.cpp b/uriloader/exthandler/ExternalHelperAppChild.cpp
index 47670c034e5..10f7e2006bd 100644
--- a/uriloader/exthandler/ExternalHelperAppChild.cpp
+++ b/uriloader/exthandler/ExternalHelperAppChild.cpp
@@ -89,8 +89,9 @@ ExternalHelperAppChild::OnDataAvailable(nsIRequest *request,
 NS_IMETHODIMP
 ExternalHelperAppChild::OnStartRequest(nsIRequest *request, nsISupports *ctx)
 {
-  // FIXME: Eventually we should implement this:
-  // mHandler->OnStartRequest(request, ctx);
+  nsresult rv = mHandler->OnStartRequest(request, ctx);
+  NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, NS_ERROR_UNEXPECTED);
+
   nsCString entityID;
   nsCOMPtr<nsIResumableChannel> resumable(do_QueryInterface(request));
   if (resumable)
@@ -105,9 +106,10 @@ ExternalHelperAppChild::OnStopRequest(nsIRequest *request,
                                       nsISupports *ctx,
                                       nsresult status)
 {
-  // FIXME: Eventually we should implement this:
-  // mHandler->OnStopRequest(request, ctx, status);
+  nsresult rv = mHandler->OnStopRequest(request, ctx, status);
   SendOnStopRequest(status);
+
+  NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, NS_ERROR_UNEXPECTED);
   return NS_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/uriloader/exthandler/nsExternalHelperAppService.cpp b/uriloader/exthandler/nsExternalHelperAppService.cpp
index 156b3d11adb..12d1b0ad093 100644
--- a/uriloader/exthandler/nsExternalHelperAppService.cpp
+++ b/uriloader/exthandler/nsExternalHelperAppService.cpp
@@ -719,18 +719,13 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsExternalHelperAppService::DoContent(const nsACString& aMimeConte
 
     NS_ADDREF(*aStreamListener = childListener);
 
-    // FIXME:  Eventually we'll use this original listener to finish up client-side
-    // work, such as closing a no-longer-needed window.  (Bug 588255)
-    // nsExternalAppHandler * handler = new nsExternalAppHandler(nsnull,
-    //                                                           EmptyCString(),
-    //                                                           aWindowContext,
-    //                                                           fileName,
-    //                                                           reason,
-    //                                                           aForceSave);
-    // if (!handler)
-    //   return NS_ERROR_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
-    //
-    // childListener->SetHandler(handler);
+    nsRefPtr<nsExternalAppHandler> handler =
+      new nsExternalAppHandler(nsnull, EmptyCString(), aWindowContext, fileName,
+                               reason, aForceSave);
+    if (!handler)
+      return NS_ERROR_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+    
+    childListener->SetHandler(handler);
 
     return NS_OK;
   }
@@ -1578,21 +1573,6 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsExternalAppHandler::OnStartRequest(nsIRequest *request, nsISuppo
     aChannel->GetURI(getter_AddRefs(mSourceUrl));
   }
 
-  rv = SetUpTempFile(aChannel);
-  if (NS_FAILED(rv)) {
-    mCanceled = PR_TRUE;
-    request->Cancel(rv);
-    nsAutoString path;
-    if (mTempFile)
-      mTempFile->GetPath(path);
-    SendStatusChange(kWriteError, rv, request, path);
-    return NS_OK;
-  }
-
-  // Extract mime type for later use below.
-  nsCAutoString MIMEType;
-  mMimeInfo->GetMIMEType(MIMEType);
-
   // retarget all load notifications to our docloader instead of the original window's docloader...
   RetargetLoadNotifications(request);
 
@@ -1613,6 +1593,22 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsExternalAppHandler::OnStartRequest(nsIRequest *request, nsISuppo
   // and it was opened specifically for the download
   MaybeCloseWindow();
 
+  // At this point, the child process has done everything it can usefully do
+  // for OnStartRequest.
+  if (XRE_GetProcessType() == GeckoProcessType_Content)
+     return NS_OK;
+
+  rv = SetUpTempFile(aChannel);
+  if (NS_FAILED(rv)) {
+    mCanceled = PR_TRUE;
+    request->Cancel(rv);
+    nsAutoString path;
+    if (mTempFile)
+      mTempFile->GetPath(path);
+    SendStatusChange(kWriteError, rv, request, path);
+    return NS_OK;
+  }
+
   nsCOMPtr<nsIEncodedChannel> encChannel = do_QueryInterface( aChannel );
   if (encChannel) 
   {
@@ -1687,6 +1683,9 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsExternalAppHandler::OnStartRequest(nsIRequest *request, nsISuppo
       handlerSvc->Exists(mMimeInfo, &mimeTypeIsInDatastore);
     if (!handlerSvc || !mimeTypeIsInDatastore)
     {
+      nsCAutoString MIMEType;
+      mMimeInfo->GetMIMEType(MIMEType);
+
       if (!GetNeverAskFlagFromPref(NEVER_ASK_FOR_SAVE_TO_DISK_PREF, MIMEType.get()))
       {
         // Don't need to ask after all.