--- a/dom/html/nsTextEditorState.cpp
+++ b/dom/html/nsTextEditorState.cpp
@@ -2677,16 +2677,33 @@ nsTextEditorState::SetValue(const nsAStr
   ValueWasChanged(!!mRootNode);
 
   mTextCtrlElement->OnValueChanged(/* aNotify = */ !!mRootNode,
                                    /* aWasInteractiveUserChange = */ false);
 
   return true;
 }
 
+bool
+nsTextEditorState::HasNonEmptyValue()
+{
+  if (mEditor && mBoundFrame && mEditorInitialized &&
+      !mIsCommittingComposition) {
+    bool empty;
+    nsresult rv = mEditor->GetDocumentIsEmpty(&empty);
+    if (NS_SUCCEEDED(rv)) {
+      return !empty;
+    }
+  }
+
+  nsAutoString value;
+  GetValue(value, true);
+  return !value.IsEmpty();
+}
+
 void
 nsTextEditorState::InitializeKeyboardEventListeners()
 {
   //register key listeners
   nsCOMPtr<EventTarget> target = do_QueryInterface(mTextCtrlElement);
   EventListenerManager* manager = target->GetOrCreateListenerManager();
   if (manager) {
     manager->AddEventListenerByType(mTextListener,
@@ -2760,21 +2777,21 @@ nsTextEditorState::GetPreviewText(nsAStr
   aValue.Truncate();
   text->AppendTo(aValue);
 }
 
 void
 nsTextEditorState::UpdateOverlayTextVisibility(bool aNotify)
 {
   nsAutoString value, previewValue;
-  GetValue(value, true);
+  bool valueIsEmpty = !HasNonEmptyValue();
   GetPreviewText(previewValue);
 
-  mPreviewVisibility = value.IsEmpty() && !previewValue.IsEmpty();
-  mPlaceholderVisibility = value.IsEmpty() && previewValue.IsEmpty();
+  mPreviewVisibility = valueIsEmpty && !previewValue.IsEmpty();
+  mPlaceholderVisibility = valueIsEmpty && previewValue.IsEmpty();
 
   if (mPlaceholderVisibility &&
       !Preferences::GetBool("dom.placeholder.show_on_focus", true)) {
     nsCOMPtr<nsIContent> content = do_QueryInterface(mTextCtrlElement);
     mPlaceholderVisibility = !nsContentUtils::IsFocusedContent(content);
   }
 
   if (mBoundFrame && aNotify) {

--- a/dom/html/nsTextEditorState.h
+++ b/dom/html/nsTextEditorState.h
@@ -176,16 +176,21 @@ public:
     // cached selection offsets), in the case when the value has changed.  If
     // this is not set, the cached selection offsets will simply be clamped to
     // be within the length of the new value.  In either case, if the value has
     // not changed the cursor won't move.
     eSetValue_MoveCursorToEndIfValueChanged = 1 << 3,
   };
   MOZ_MUST_USE bool SetValue(const nsAString& aValue, uint32_t aFlags);
   void GetValue(nsAString& aValue, bool aIgnoreWrap) const;
+  bool HasNonEmptyValue();
+  // The following methods are for textarea element to use whether default
+  // value or not.
+  // XXX We might have to add assertion when it is into editable,
+  // or reconsider fixing bug 597525 to remove these.
   void EmptyValue() { if (mValue) mValue->Truncate(); }
   bool IsEmpty() const { return mValue ? mValue->IsEmpty() : true; }
 
   nsresult CreatePlaceholderNode();
   nsresult CreatePreviewNode();
   mozilla::dom::Element* CreateEmptyDivNode();
 
   mozilla::dom::Element* GetRootNode() {