--- a/browser/components/downloads/DownloadsCommon.jsm
+++ b/browser/components/downloads/DownloadsCommon.jsm
@@ -765,24 +765,16 @@ DownloadsDataCtor.prototype = {
                           JSON.stringify(downloadMetaData), 0,
                           PlacesUtils.annotations.EXPIRE_WITH_HISTORY);
           } catch (ex) {
             Cu.reportError(ex);
           }
         }
       }
 
-      for (let view of this._views) {
-        try {
-          view.onDownloadStateChanged(download);
-        } catch (ex) {
-          Cu.reportError(ex);
-        }
-      }
-
       if (download.succeeded ||
           (download.error && download.error.becauseBlocked)) {
         this._notifyDownloadEvent("finish");
       }
     }
 
     if (!download.newDownloadNotified) {
       download.newDownloadNotified = true;
@@ -906,16 +898,23 @@ XPCOMUtils.defineLazyGetter(this, "Downl
 
 // DownloadsViewPrototype
 
 /**
  * A prototype for an object that registers itself with DownloadsData as soon
  * as a view is registered with it.
  */
 const DownloadsViewPrototype = {
+  /**
+   * Contains all the available Download objects and their current state value.
+   *
+   * SUBCLASSES MUST OVERRIDE THIS PROPERTY.
+   */
+  _oldDownloadStates: null,
+
   // Registration of views
 
   /**
    * Array of view objects that should be notified when the available status
    * data changes.
    *
    * SUBCLASSES MUST OVERRIDE THIS PROPERTY.
    */
@@ -1012,17 +1011,18 @@ const DownloadsViewPrototype = {
    * asynchronous data load or when a new download is started.
    *
    * @param download
    *        Download object that was just added.
    *
    * @note Subclasses should override this.
    */
   onDownloadAdded(download) {
-    throw Components.results.NS_ERROR_NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
+    this._oldDownloadStates.set(download,
+                                DownloadsCommon.stateOfDownload(download));
   },
 
   /**
    * Called when the overall state of a Download has changed. In particular,
    * this is called only once when the download succeeds or is blocked
    * permanently, and is never called if only the current progress changed.
    *
    * The onDownloadChanged notification will always be sent afterwards.
@@ -1038,17 +1038,23 @@ const DownloadsViewPrototype = {
    * including progress properties.
    *
    * Note that progress notification changes are throttled at the Downloads.jsm
    * API level, and there is no throttling mechanism in the front-end.
    *
    * @note Subclasses should override this.
    */
   onDownloadChanged(download) {
-    throw Components.results.NS_ERROR_NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
+    let oldState = this._oldDownloadStates.get(download);
+    let newState = DownloadsCommon.stateOfDownload(download);
+    this._oldDownloadStates.set(download, newState);
+
+    if (oldState != newState) {
+      this.onDownloadStateChanged(download);
+    }
   },
 
   /**
    * Called when a data item is removed, ensures that the widget associated with
    * the view item is removed from the user interface.
    *
    * @param download
    *        Download object that is being removed.
@@ -1087,16 +1093,17 @@ const DownloadsViewPrototype = {
  * the registered download status indicators.
  *
  * Note that using this object does not automatically start the Download Manager
  * service.  Consumers will see an empty list of downloads until the service is
  * actually started.  This is useful to display a neutral progress indicator in
  * the main browser window until the autostart timeout elapses.
  */
 function DownloadsIndicatorDataCtor(aPrivate) {
+  this._oldDownloadStates = new WeakMap();
   this._isPrivate = aPrivate;
   this._views = [];
 }
 DownloadsIndicatorDataCtor.prototype = {
   __proto__: DownloadsViewPrototype,
 
   /**
    * Removes an object previously added using addView.
@@ -1115,16 +1122,17 @@ DownloadsIndicatorDataCtor.prototype = {
   // Callback functions from DownloadsData
 
   onDataLoadCompleted() {
     DownloadsViewPrototype.onDataLoadCompleted.call(this);
     this._updateViews();
   },
 
   onDownloadAdded(download) {
+    DownloadsViewPrototype.onDownloadAdded.call(this, download);
     this._itemCount++;
     this._updateViews();
   },
 
   onDownloadStateChanged(download) {
     if (!download.succeeded && download.error && download.error.reputationCheckVerdict) {
       switch (download.error.reputationCheckVerdict) {
         case Downloads.Error.BLOCK_VERDICT_UNCOMMON: // fall-through
@@ -1152,16 +1160,17 @@ DownloadsIndicatorDataCtor.prototype = {
       // Existing higher level attention indication trumps ATTENTION_WARNING.
       if (this._attention != DownloadsCommon.ATTENTION_SEVERE) {
         this.attention = DownloadsCommon.ATTENTION_WARNING;
       }
     }
   },
 
   onDownloadChanged(download) {
+    DownloadsViewPrototype.onDownloadChanged.call(this, download);
     this._updateViews();
   },
 
   onDownloadRemoved(download) {
     this._itemCount--;
     this._updateViews();
   },
 
@@ -1317,16 +1326,17 @@ function DownloadsSummaryData(aIsPrivate
   // The following properties are updated by _refreshProperties and are then
   // propagated to the views.
   this._showingProgress = false;
   this._details = "";
   this._description = "";
   this._numActive = 0;
   this._percentComplete = -1;
 
+  this._oldDownloadStates = new WeakMap();
   this._isPrivate = aIsPrivate;
   this._views = [];
 }
 
 DownloadsSummaryData.prototype = {
   __proto__: DownloadsViewPrototype,
 
   /**
@@ -1350,27 +1360,29 @@ DownloadsSummaryData.prototype = {
   // are used for.
 
   onDataLoadCompleted() {
     DownloadsViewPrototype.onDataLoadCompleted.call(this);
     this._updateViews();
   },
 
   onDownloadAdded(download) {
+    DownloadsViewPrototype.onDownloadAdded.call(this, download);
     this._downloads.unshift(download);
     this._updateViews();
   },
 
   onDownloadStateChanged() {
     // Since the state of a download changed, reset the estimated time left.
     this._lastRawTimeLeft = -1;
     this._lastTimeLeft = -1;
   },
 
-  onDownloadChanged() {
+  onDownloadChanged(download) {
+    DownloadsViewPrototype.onDownloadChanged.call(this, download);
     this._updateViews();
   },
 
   onDownloadRemoved(download) {
     let itemIndex = this._downloads.indexOf(download);
     this._downloads.splice(itemIndex, 1);
     this._updateViews();
   },

--- a/browser/components/downloads/content/allDownloadsViewOverlay.js
+++ b/browser/components/downloads/content/allDownloadsViewOverlay.js
@@ -173,17 +173,17 @@ HistoryDownload.prototype = {
  * both a history and a session download are present, the session download gets
  * priority and its information is displayed.
  *
  * On construction, a new richlistitem is created, and can be accessed through
  * the |element| getter. The shell doesn't insert the item in a richlistbox, the
  * caller must do it and remove the element when it's no longer needed.
  *
  * The caller is also responsible for forwarding status notifications for
- * session downloads, calling the onStateChanged and onChanged methods.
+ * session downloads, calling the onSessionDownloadChanged method.
  *
  * @param [optional] aSessionDownload
  *        The session download, required if aHistoryDownload is not set.
  * @param [optional] aHistoryDownload
  *        The history download, required if aSessionDownload is not set.
  */
 function HistoryDownloadElementShell(aSessionDownload, aHistoryDownload) {
   this.element = document.createElement("richlistitem");
@@ -234,16 +234,19 @@ HistoryDownloadElementShell.prototype = 
   },
   set sessionDownload(aValue) {
     if (this._sessionDownload != aValue) {
       if (!aValue && !this._historyDownload) {
         throw new Error("Should always have either a Download or a HistoryDownload");
       }
 
       this._sessionDownload = aValue;
+      if (aValue) {
+        this.sessionDownloadState = DownloadsCommon.stateOfDownload(aValue);
+      }
 
       this.ensureActive();
       this._updateUI();
     }
     return aValue;
   },
 
   _historyDownload: null,
@@ -286,17 +289,23 @@ HistoryDownloadElementShell.prototype = 
       goUpdateDownloadCommands();
     } else {
       // If a state change occurs in an item that is not currently selected,
       // this is the only command that may be affected.
       goUpdateCommand("downloadsCmd_clearDownloads");
     }
   },
 
-  onChanged() {
+  onSessionDownloadChanged() {
+    let newState = DownloadsCommon.stateOfDownload(this.sessionDownload);
+    if (this.sessionDownloadState != newState) {
+      this.sessionDownloadState = newState;
+      this.onStateChanged();
+    }
+
     // This cannot be placed within onStateChanged because
     // when a download goes from hasBlockedData to !hasBlockedData
     // it will still remain in the same state.
     this.element.classList.toggle("temporary-block",
                                   !!this.download.hasBlockedData);
     this._updateProgress();
   },
 
@@ -1099,22 +1108,18 @@ DownloadsPlacesView.prototype = {
   onDataLoadCompleted() {
     this._ensureInitialSelection();
   },
 
   onDownloadAdded(download) {
     this._addDownloadData(download, null, true);
   },
 
-  onDownloadStateChanged(download) {
-    this._viewItemsForDownloads.get(download).onStateChanged();
-  },
-
   onDownloadChanged(download) {
-    this._viewItemsForDownloads.get(download).onChanged();
+    this._viewItemsForDownloads.get(download).onSessionDownloadChanged();
   },
 
   onDownloadRemoved(download) {
     this._removeSessionDownloadFromView(download);
   },
 
   // nsIController
   supportsCommand(aCommand) {

--- a/browser/components/downloads/content/downloads.js
+++ b/browser/components/downloads/content/downloads.js
@@ -1048,16 +1048,17 @@ XPCOMUtils.defineConstant(this, "Downloa
  *
  * @param download
  *        Download object to be associated with the view item.
  * @param aElement
  *        XUL element corresponding to the single download item in the view.
  */
 function DownloadsViewItem(download, aElement) {
   this.download = download;
+  this.downloadState = DownloadsCommon.stateOfDownload(download);
   this.element = aElement;
   this.element._shell = this;
 
   this.element.setAttribute("type", "download");
   this.element.classList.add("download-state");
 
   this._updateState();
 }
@@ -1065,21 +1066,22 @@ function DownloadsViewItem(download, aEl
 DownloadsViewItem.prototype = {
   __proto__: DownloadsViewUI.DownloadElementShell.prototype,
 
   /**
    * The XUL element corresponding to the associated richlistbox item.
    */
   _element: null,
 
-  onStateChanged() {
-    this._updateState();
-  },
-
   onChanged() {
+    let newState = DownloadsCommon.stateOfDownload(this.download);
+    if (this.downloadState != newState) {
+      this.downloadState = newState;
+      this._updateState();
+    }
     this._updateProgress();
   },
 
   isCommandEnabled(aCommand) {
     switch (aCommand) {
       case "downloadsCmd_open": {
         if (!this.download.succeeded) {
           return false;