--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/GeckoApp.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/GeckoApp.java
@@ -1870,24 +1870,28 @@ public abstract class GeckoApp
         }
 
         final GeckoBundle restoreData = new GeckoBundle(1);
         restoreData.putString("sessionString", sessionString);
         return restoreData;
     }
 
     @RobocopTarget
-    public static EventDispatcher getEventDispatcher() {
+    public static @NonNull EventDispatcher getEventDispatcher() {
         final GeckoApp geckoApp = (GeckoApp) GeckoAppShell.getGeckoInterface();
         return geckoApp.getAppEventDispatcher();
     }
 
     @Override
-    public EventDispatcher getAppEventDispatcher() {
-        return mLayerView != null ? mLayerView.getEventDispatcher() : null;
+    public @NonNull EventDispatcher getAppEventDispatcher() {
+        if (mLayerView == null) {
+            throw new IllegalStateException("Must not call getAppEventDispatcher() until after onCreate()");
+        }
+
+        return mLayerView.getEventDispatcher();
     }
 
     @Override
     public GeckoProfile getProfile() {
         return GeckoThread.getActiveProfile();
     }
 
     /**

--- a/mobile/android/geckoview/src/main/java/org/mozilla/gecko/GeckoAppShell.java
+++ b/mobile/android/geckoview/src/main/java/org/mozilla/gecko/GeckoAppShell.java
@@ -71,16 +71,17 @@ import android.location.LocationManager;
 import android.net.ConnectivityManager;
 import android.net.NetworkInfo;
 import android.net.Uri;
 import android.os.Build;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.os.Looper;
 import android.os.Vibrator;
 import android.provider.Settings;
+import android.support.annotation.NonNull;
 import android.telephony.TelephonyManager;
 import android.text.TextUtils;
 import android.util.Log;
 import android.view.ContextThemeWrapper;
 import android.view.Display;
 import android.view.HapticFeedbackConstants;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.view.WindowManager;
@@ -1655,17 +1656,17 @@ public class GeckoAppShell
 
     public interface AppStateListener {
         public void onPause();
         public void onResume();
         public void onOrientationChanged();
     }
 
     public interface GeckoInterface {
-        public EventDispatcher getAppEventDispatcher();
+        public @NonNull EventDispatcher getAppEventDispatcher();
         public GeckoProfile getProfile();
         public Activity getActivity();
         public String getDefaultUAString();
         public void doRestart();
 
         /**
          * This API doesn't make sense for arbitrary GeckoView consumers. In future, consider an
          * API like Android WebView's, which provides a View to the consumer to display fullscreen.