--- a/browser/base/content/tabbrowser.xml
+++ b/browser/base/content/tabbrowser.xml
@@ -1617,21 +1617,26 @@
         if (!("_lastAccessed" in this)) {
           this.updateLastAccessed();
         }
       ]]></constructor>
 
       <property name="_visuallySelected">
         <setter>
           <![CDATA[
-          if (val)
+          if (val == (this.getAttribute("visuallyselected") == "true")) {
+            return val;
+          }
+
+          if (val) {
             this.setAttribute("visuallyselected", "true");
-          else
+          } else {
             this.removeAttribute("visuallyselected");
-          this.parentNode.tabbrowser._tabAttrModified(this, ["visuallyselected"]);
+          }
+          gBrowser._tabAttrModified(this, ["visuallyselected"]);
 
           return val;
           ]]>
         </setter>
       </property>
 
       <property name="_selected">
         <setter>