--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/BrowserApp.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/BrowserApp.java
@@ -1176,23 +1176,16 @@ public class BrowserApp extends GeckoApp
 
         for (BrowserAppDelegate delegate : delegates) {
             delegate.onResume(this);
         }
     }
 
     @Override
     protected void restoreLastSelectedTab() {
-        if (mIgnoreLastSelectedTab) {
-            // We're either the first activity to run, so our startup code will (have) handle(d) tab
-            // selection, or else we've received a new intent and want to open and select a new tab
-            // as well.
-            return;
-        }
-
         if (mLastSelectedTabId < 0) {
             // Normally, session restore will select the correct tab when starting up, however this
             // is linked to Gecko powering up. If we're not the first activity to launch, the
             // previously running activity might have already overwritten this by selecting a tab of
             // its own.
             // Therefore we check whether the session file parser has left a note for us with the
             // correct tab to be initially selected on *BrowserApp* startup.
             SharedPreferences prefs = getSharedPreferencesForProfile();

--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/GeckoApp.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/GeckoApp.java
@@ -432,16 +432,20 @@ public abstract class GeckoApp extends G
                     resetFormAssistPopup();
                 }
                 break;
 
             case SELECTED:
                 resetOptionsMenu();
                 resetFormAssistPopup();
 
+                if (foregrounded) {
+                    tab.setWasSelectedInForeground(true);
+                }
+
                 if (mLastSelectedTabId != INVALID_TAB_ID && foregrounded &&
                         // mSuppressActivitySwitch implies that we want to defer a pending
                         // activity switch because we're actually about to leave the app.
                         !mSuppressActivitySwitch && !tab.matchesActivity(this)) {
                     startActivity(IntentHelper.getTabSwitchIntent(tab));
                 } else if (saveAsLastSelectedTab(tab)) {
                     mLastSelectedTabId = tab.getId();
                     mLastSessionUUID = GeckoApplication.getSessionUUID();
@@ -2279,26 +2283,41 @@ public abstract class GeckoApp extends G
             return;
         }
 
         foregrounded = true;
 
         GeckoAppShell.setGeckoInterface(this);
         GeckoAppShell.setScreenOrientationDelegate(this);
 
-        // When backing out of the app triggers a tab close and therefore selects another tab, we
-        // don't switch activities even if the new selected tab is of a different type, because
-        // doing so would bring us into the foreground again.
-        // As this means that the currently selected tab doesn't match the last active GeckoApp, we
-        // need to check mSuppressActivitySwitch as well here.
-        if (mLastActiveGeckoApp == null || mLastActiveGeckoApp.get() != this ||
-                mSuppressActivitySwitch) {
-            mSuppressActivitySwitch = false;
-            restoreLastSelectedTab();
+        // If mIgnoreLastSelectedTab is set, we're either the first activity to run, so our startup
+        // code will (have) handle(d) tab selection, or else we've received a new intent and want to
+        // open and select a new tab as well.
+        if (!mIgnoreLastSelectedTab) {
+            Tab selectedTab = Tabs.getInstance().getSelectedTab();
+
+            // We need to check if we've selected a different tab while no GeckoApp-based activity
+            // was in foreground and catch up with any activity switches that might be needed.
+            if (selectedTab != null && !selectedTab.getWasSelectedInForeground()) {
+                selectedTab.setWasSelectedInForeground(true);
+                if (!selectedTab.matchesActivity(this)) {
+                    startActivity(IntentHelper.getTabSwitchIntent(selectedTab));
+                }
+
+                // When backing out of the app closes the current tab and therefore selects
+                // another tab, we don't switch activities even if the newly selected tab has a
+                // different type, because doing so would bring us into the foreground again.
+                // As this means that the currently selected tab doesn't match the last active
+                // GeckoApp, we need to check mSuppressActivitySwitch here as well.
+            } else if (mLastActiveGeckoApp == null || mLastActiveGeckoApp.get() != this ||
+                    mSuppressActivitySwitch) {
+                restoreLastSelectedTab();
+            }
         }
+        mSuppressActivitySwitch = false;
         mIgnoreLastSelectedTab = false;
 
         int newOrientation = getResources().getConfiguration().orientation;
         if (GeckoScreenOrientation.getInstance().update(newOrientation)) {
             refreshChrome();
         }
 
         if (mAppStateListeners != null) {

--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/Tab.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/Tab.java
@@ -85,16 +85,17 @@ public class Tab {
     private final Context mAppContext;
     private ErrorType mErrorType = ErrorType.NONE;
     private volatile int mLoadProgress;
     private volatile int mRecordingCount;
     private volatile boolean mIsAudioPlaying;
     private volatile boolean mIsMediaPlaying;
     private String mMostRecentHomePanel;
     private boolean mShouldShowToolbarWithoutAnimationOnFirstSelection;
+    private boolean mWasSelectedInForeground;
 
     /*
      * Bundle containing restore data for the panel referenced in mMostRecentHomePanel. This can be
      * e.g. the most recent folder for the bookmarks panel, or any other state that should be
      * persisted. This is then used e.g. when returning to homepanels via history.
      */
     private Bundle mMostRecentHomePanelData;
 
@@ -788,16 +789,24 @@ public class Tab {
     public boolean getDesktopMode() {
         return mDesktopMode;
     }
 
     public boolean isPrivate() {
         return false;
     }
 
+    public void setWasSelectedInForeground(boolean state) {
+        mWasSelectedInForeground = state;
+    }
+
+    public boolean getWasSelectedInForeground() {
+        return mWasSelectedInForeground;
+    }
+
     public TabType getType() {
         return mType;
     }
 
     public enum TabType {
         BROWSING,
         CUSTOMTAB,
         WEBAPP