--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/BrowserApp.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/BrowserApp.java
@@ -1982,17 +1982,17 @@ public class BrowserApp extends GeckoApp
                 final BrowserDB db = BrowserDB.from(getProfile());
                 final ContentResolver cr = getContentResolver();
 
                 Telemetry.addToHistogram("PLACES_PAGES_COUNT", db.getCount(cr, "history"));
                 Telemetry.addToHistogram("FENNEC_BOOKMARKS_COUNT", db.getCount(cr, "bookmarks"));
                 Telemetry.addToHistogram("BROWSER_IS_USER_DEFAULT",
                         (isDefaultBrowser(Intent.ACTION_VIEW) ? 1 : 0));
                 Telemetry.addToHistogram("FENNEC_CUSTOM_HOMEPAGE",
-                        (TextUtils.isEmpty(Tabs.getHomepage(this)) ? 0 : 1));
+                        (Tabs.hasHomepage(this) ? 1 : 0));
 
                 final SharedPreferences prefs = GeckoSharedPrefs.forProfile(getContext());
                 final boolean hasCustomHomepanels =
                         prefs.contains(HomeConfigPrefsBackend.PREFS_CONFIG_KEY) ||
                         prefs.contains(HomeConfigPrefsBackend.PREFS_CONFIG_KEY_OLD);
 
                 Telemetry.addToHistogram("FENNEC_HOMEPANELS_CUSTOM", hasCustomHomepanels ? 1 : 0);
 
@@ -2762,17 +2762,17 @@ public class BrowserApp extends GeckoApp
         if (mFirstrunAnimationContainer == null) {
             final ViewStub firstrunPagerStub = (ViewStub) findViewById(R.id.firstrun_pager_stub);
             mFirstrunAnimationContainer = (FirstrunAnimationContainer) firstrunPagerStub.inflate();
             mFirstrunAnimationContainer.load(getApplicationContext(), getSupportFragmentManager());
             mFirstrunAnimationContainer.registerOnFinishListener(new FirstrunAnimationContainer.OnFinishListener() {
                 @Override
                 public void onFinish() {
                     if (mFirstrunAnimationContainer.showBrowserHint() &&
-                        TextUtils.isEmpty(Tabs.getHomepage(BrowserApp.this))) {
+                        !Tabs.hasHomepage(BrowserApp.this)) {
                         enterEditingMode();
                     }
                 }
             });
         }
 
         mHomeScreenContainer.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
     }

--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/GeckoApp.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/GeckoApp.java
@@ -1640,18 +1640,17 @@ public abstract class GeckoApp
      */
     protected void loadStartupTab(final int flags, String action) {
         if (!mShouldRestore || Intent.ACTION_VIEW.equals(action)) {
             if (mLastSessionCrashed) {
                 // The Recent Tabs panel no longer exists, but BrowserApp will redirect us
                 // to the Recent Tabs folder of the Combined History panel.
                 Tabs.getInstance().loadUrl(AboutPages.getURLForBuiltinPanelType(PanelType.DEPRECATED_RECENT_TABS), flags);
             } else {
-                final String homepage = Tabs.getHomepage(this);
-                Tabs.getInstance().loadUrl(!TextUtils.isEmpty(homepage) ? homepage : AboutPages.HOME, flags);
+                Tabs.getInstance().loadUrl(Tabs.getHomepageForStartupTab(this), flags);
             }
         }
     }
 
     /**
      * Loads the initial tab at Fennec startup. This tab will load with the given
      * external URL. If that URL is invalid, a startup tab will be loaded.
      *

--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/Tabs.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/Tabs.java
@@ -1167,16 +1167,20 @@ public class Tabs implements BundleEvent
         // Load favicon instantly for about:home page because it's already cached
         if (AboutPages.isBuiltinIconPage(url)) {
             tabToSelect.loadFavicon();
         }
 
         return tabToSelect;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Opens a new tab and loads either about:home or, if PREFS_HOMEPAGE_FOR_EVERY_NEW_TAB is set,
+     * the user's homepage.
+     */
     public Tab addTab() {
         return loadUrl(getHomepageForNewTab(mAppContext), Tabs.LOADURL_NEW_TAB);
     }
 
     public Tab addPrivateTab() {
         return loadUrl(AboutPages.PRIVATEBROWSING, Tabs.LOADURL_NEW_TAB | Tabs.LOADURL_PRIVATE);
     }
 
@@ -1333,30 +1337,45 @@ public class Tabs implements BundleEvent
         final GeckoBundle data = new GeckoBundle();
         data.putInt("fromTabId", fromTabId);
         data.putInt("fromPosition", fromPosition);
         data.putInt("toTabId", toTabId);
         data.putInt("toPosition", toPosition);
         EventDispatcher.getInstance().dispatch("Tab:Move", data);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @return True if the homepage preference is not empty.
+     */
+    public static boolean hasHomepage(Context context) {
+        return !TextUtils.isEmpty(getHomepage(context));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Note: For opening a new tab while respecting the user's preferences, just use
+     *       {@link Tabs#addTab()} instead.
+     *
+     * @return The user's homepage (falling back to about:home) if PREFS_HOMEPAGE_FOR_EVERY_NEW_TAB
+     *         is enabled, or else about:home.
+     */
     @NonNull
-    public static String getHomepageForNewTab(Context context) {
+    private static String getHomepageForNewTab(Context context) {
         final SharedPreferences preferences = GeckoSharedPrefs.forApp(context);
         final boolean forEveryNewTab = preferences.getBoolean(GeckoPreferences.PREFS_HOMEPAGE_FOR_EVERY_NEW_TAB, false);
 
-        if (forEveryNewTab) {
-            final String homePage = getHomepage(context);
-            if (TextUtils.isEmpty(homePage)) {
-                return AboutPages.HOME;
-            } else {
-                return homePage;
-            }
-        }
-        return AboutPages.HOME;
+        return forEveryNewTab ? getHomepageForStartupTab(context) : AboutPages.HOME;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return The user's homepage, or about:home if none is set.
+     */
+    @NonNull
+    public static String getHomepageForStartupTab(Context context) {
+        final String homepage = Tabs.getHomepage(context);
+        return TextUtils.isEmpty(homepage) ? AboutPages.HOME : homepage;
     }
 
     @Nullable
     public static String getHomepage(Context context) {
         final SharedPreferences preferences = GeckoSharedPrefs.forProfile(context);
         final String homepagePreference = preferences.getString(GeckoPreferences.PREFS_HOMEPAGE, AboutPages.HOME);
 
         final boolean readFromPartnerProvider = preferences.getBoolean(