--- a/mobile/android/geckoview/src/androidTest/java/org/mozilla/geckoview/test/TestRunnerActivity.java
+++ b/mobile/android/geckoview/src/androidTest/java/org/mozilla/geckoview/test/TestRunnerActivity.java
@@ -96,22 +96,19 @@ public class TestRunnerActivity extends 
         session.openWindow(this);
         return session;
     }
 
     @Override
     protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
 
-        Intent intent = getIntent();
-        GeckoLoader.setLastIntent(new SafeIntent(getIntent()));
-
-        final String intentArgs = intent.getStringExtra("args");
-        final String args = intentArgs != null ? "-purgecaches " + intentArgs : "-purgecaches";
-        GeckoSession.preload(this, args, false /* no multiprocess, see below */);
+        final Intent intent = getIntent();
+        GeckoSession.preload(this, new String[] { "-purgecaches" },
+                             intent.getExtras(), false /* no multiprocess, see below */);
 
         // We can't use e10s because we get deadlocked when quickly creating and
         // destroying sessions. Bug 1348361.
         mSession = createSession();
 
         // If we were passed a URI in the Intent, open it
         final Uri uri = intent.getData();
         if (uri != null) {

--- a/mobile/android/geckoview/src/main/java/org/mozilla/geckoview/GeckoSession.java
+++ b/mobile/android/geckoview/src/main/java/org/mozilla/geckoview/GeckoSession.java
@@ -26,21 +26,23 @@ import org.mozilla.gecko.util.GeckoBundl
 import org.mozilla.gecko.util.ThreadUtils;
 
 import android.content.ContentResolver;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.res.Resources;
 import android.database.Cursor;
 import android.net.Uri;
 import android.os.Binder;
+import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.os.IBinder;
 import android.os.IInterface;
 import android.os.Parcel;
 import android.os.Parcelable;
 import android.os.SystemClock;
+import android.support.annotation.Nullable;
 import android.support.annotation.NonNull;
 import android.util.Log;
 
 public class GeckoSession extends LayerSession
                           implements Parcelable {
     private static final String LOGTAG = "GeckoSession";
     private static final boolean DEBUG = false;
 
@@ -540,62 +542,73 @@ public class GeckoSession extends LayerS
         }
     };
 
     /**
      * Preload GeckoSession by starting Gecko in the background, if Gecko is not already running.
      *
      * @param context Activity or Application Context for starting GeckoSession.
      */
-    public static void preload(final Context context) {
-        preload(context, /* geckoArgs */ null, /* multiprocess */ false);
+    public static void preload(final @NonNull Context context) {
+        preload(context, /* geckoArgs */ null,
+                /* extras */ null, /* multiprocess */ false);
     }
 
     /**
      * Preload GeckoSession by starting Gecko with the specified arguments in the background,
      * if Gecko is not already running.
      *
      * @param context Activity or Application Context for starting GeckoSession.
      * @param geckoArgs Arguments to be passed to Gecko, if Gecko is not already running.
      * @param multiprocess True if child process in multiprocess mode should be preloaded.
      */
-    public static void preload(final Context context, final String geckoArgs,
+    public static void preload(final @NonNull Context context,
+                               final @Nullable String[] geckoArgs,
+                               final @Nullable Bundle extras,
                                final boolean multiprocess) {
         final Context appContext = context.getApplicationContext();
-        if (GeckoAppShell.getApplicationContext() == null) {
+        if (!appContext.equals(GeckoAppShell.getApplicationContext())) {
             GeckoAppShell.setApplicationContext(appContext);
         }
 
+        if (GeckoThread.isLaunched()) {
+            return;
+        }
+
         final int flags = multiprocess ? GeckoThread.FLAG_PRELOAD_CHILD : 0;
-        if (GeckoThread.initMainProcess(/* profile */ null, geckoArgs, flags)) {
+        if (GeckoThread.initMainProcess(/* profile */ null, geckoArgs, extras, flags)) {
             GeckoThread.launch();
         }
     }
 
     public boolean isOpen() {
         return mWindow != null;
     }
 
     /* package */ boolean isReady() {
         return mNativeQueue.isReady();
     }
 
-    public void openWindow(final Context appContext) {
+    public void openWindow(final @Nullable Context appContext) {
         ThreadUtils.assertOnUiThread();
 
         if (isOpen()) {
             throw new IllegalStateException("Session is open");
         }
 
-        if (!GeckoThread.isLaunched()) {
+        if (appContext != null) {
             final boolean multiprocess =
                     mSettings.getBoolean(GeckoSessionSettings.USE_MULTIPROCESS);
-            preload(appContext, /* geckoArgs */ null, multiprocess);
+            preload(appContext, /* geckoArgs */ null, /* extras */ null, multiprocess);
         }
 
+        openWindow();
+    }
+
+    private void openWindow() {
         final String chromeUri = mSettings.getString(GeckoSessionSettings.CHROME_URI);
         final int screenId = mSettings.getInt(GeckoSessionSettings.SCREEN_ID);
         final boolean isPrivate = mSettings.getBoolean(GeckoSessionSettings.USE_PRIVATE_MODE);
 
         mWindow = new Window(mNativeQueue);
 
         if (GeckoThread.isStateAtLeast(GeckoThread.State.PROFILE_READY)) {
             Window.open(mWindow, mCompositor, mEventDispatcher,

--- a/mobile/android/geckoview_example/src/main/java/org/mozilla/geckoview_example/GeckoViewActivity.java
+++ b/mobile/android/geckoview_example/src/main/java/org/mozilla/geckoview_example/GeckoViewActivity.java
@@ -43,35 +43,28 @@ public class GeckoViewActivity extends A
     private GeckoView mGeckoView;
 
     @Override
     protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
         Log.i(LOGTAG, "zerdatime " + SystemClock.elapsedRealtime() +
               " - application start");
 
-        String geckoArgs = null;
-        final String intentArgs = getIntent().getStringExtra("args");
+        final String[] geckoArgs;
 
         if (BuildConfig.DEBUG) {
             // In debug builds, we want to load JavaScript resources fresh with each build.
-            geckoArgs = "-purgecaches";
-        }
-
-        if (!TextUtils.isEmpty(intentArgs)) {
-            if (geckoArgs == null) {
-                geckoArgs = intentArgs;
-            } else {
-                geckoArgs += " " + intentArgs;
-            }
+            geckoArgs = new String[] { "-purgecaches" };
+        } else {
+            geckoArgs = null;
         }
 
         final boolean useMultiprocess = getIntent().getBooleanExtra(USE_MULTIPROCESS_EXTRA,
                                                                     true);
-        GeckoSession.preload(this, geckoArgs, useMultiprocess);
+        GeckoSession.preload(this, geckoArgs, getIntent().getExtras(), useMultiprocess);
 
         setContentView(R.layout.geckoview_activity);
 
         mGeckoView = (GeckoView) findViewById(R.id.gecko_view);
         mGeckoSession = new GeckoSession();
         mGeckoView.setSession(mGeckoSession);
 
         mGeckoSession.setContentDelegate(new MyGeckoViewContent());