--- a/browser/base/content/utilityOverlay.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/utilityOverlay.js
@@ -443,16 +443,21 @@ function openLinkIn(url, where, params) 
     targetBrowser.loadURIWithFlags(url, {
       triggeringPrincipal: aTriggeringPrincipal,
       flags,
       referrerURI: aNoReferrer ? null : aReferrerURI,
       referrerPolicy: aReferrerPolicy,
       postData: aPostData,
       userContextId: aUserContextId
     });
+
+    // Don't focus the content area if focus is in the address bar and we're
+    // loading the New Tab page.
+    focusUrlBar = w.document.activeElement == w.gURLBar.inputField &&
+                  w.isBlankPageURL(url);
     break;
   case "tabshifted":
     loadInBackground = !loadInBackground;
     // fall through
   case "tab":
     focusUrlBar = !loadInBackground && w.isBlankPageURL(url);
 
     let tabUsedForLoad = w.gBrowser.loadOneTab(url, {