--- a/browser/extensions/shield-recipe-client/lib/ShieldPreferences.jsm
+++ b/browser/extensions/shield-recipe-client/lib/ShieldPreferences.jsm
@@ -113,37 +113,45 @@ this.ShieldPreferences = {
     let allowedByPolicy = Services.policies.isAllowed("Shield");
     if (allowedByPolicy) {
       // If Shield is not allowed by policy, don't tie this checkbox to the preference,
       // so that the checkbox remains unchecked.
       // Otherwise, it would be grayed out but still checked, which looks confusing
       // because it appears it's enabled with no way to disable it.
       checkbox.setAttribute("preference", OPT_OUT_STUDIES_ENABLED_PREF);
     }
-    checkbox.setAttribute("disabled", Services.prefs.prefIsLocked(FHR_UPLOAD_ENABLED_PREF) ||
-                                      !AppConstants.MOZ_TELEMETRY_REPORTING ||
-                                      !allowedByPolicy);
     hContainer.appendChild(checkbox);
 
     const viewStudies = doc.createElementNS(XUL_NS, "label");
     viewStudies.setAttribute("id", "viewShieldStudies");
     viewStudies.setAttribute("href", "about:studies");
     viewStudies.setAttribute("useoriginprincipal", true);
     viewStudies.textContent = "View Firefox Studies";
     viewStudies.classList.add("learnMore", "text-link");
     hContainer.appendChild(viewStudies);
 
     // Preference instances for prefs that we need to monitor while the page is open.
     doc.defaultView.Preferences.add({ id: OPT_OUT_STUDIES_ENABLED_PREF, type: "bool" });
 
     // Weirdly, FHR doesn't have a Preference instance on the page, so we create it.
     const fhrPref = doc.defaultView.Preferences.add({ id: FHR_UPLOAD_ENABLED_PREF, type: "bool" });
-    function onChangeFHRPref(event) {
-      checkbox.disabled = !Services.prefs.getBoolPref(FHR_UPLOAD_ENABLED_PREF) || !allowedByPolicy;
+    function onChangeFHRPref() {
+      let isDisabled = Services.prefs.prefIsLocked(FHR_UPLOAD_ENABLED_PREF) ||
+                       !AppConstants.MOZ_TELEMETRY_REPORTING ||
+                       !Services.prefs.getBoolPref(FHR_UPLOAD_ENABLED_PREF) ||
+                       !allowedByPolicy;
+      // We can't use checkbox.disabled here because the XBL binding may not be present,
+      // in which case setting the property won't work properly.
+      if (isDisabled) {
+        checkbox.setAttribute("disabled", "true");
+      } else {
+        checkbox.removeAttribute("disabled");
+      }
     }
     fhrPref.on("change", onChangeFHRPref);
+    onChangeFHRPref();
     doc.defaultView.addEventListener("unload", () => fhrPref.off("change", onChangeFHRPref), { once: true });
 
     // Actually inject the elements we've created.
     const parent = doc.getElementById("submitHealthReportBox").closest("description");
     parent.appendChild(container);
   },
 };