--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/GeckoApplication.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/GeckoApplication.java
@@ -1,37 +1,36 @@
 /* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
  * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this file,
  * You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
 
 package org.mozilla.gecko;
 
-import org.mozilla.gecko.AdjustConstants;
-import org.mozilla.gecko.AppConstants;
+import android.app.Application;
+import android.content.Context;
+import android.content.SharedPreferences;
+import android.content.res.Configuration;
+import android.os.SystemClock;
+import android.util.Log;
+
+import com.squareup.leakcanary.LeakCanary;
+
 import org.mozilla.gecko.db.BrowserContract;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.db.BrowserDB;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.db.LocalBrowserDB;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.dlc.DownloadContentService;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.home.HomePanelsManager;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.lwt.LightweightTheme;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.mdns.MulticastDNSManager;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.util.Clipboard;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.util.HardwareUtils;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.util.ThreadUtils;
 
-import android.app.Application;
-import android.content.Context;
-import android.content.SharedPreferences;
-import android.content.res.Configuration;
-import android.os.SystemClock;
-import android.util.Log;
-
-import com.squareup.leakcanary.LeakCanary;
-
 import java.io.File;
+import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 
 public class GeckoApplication extends Application 
     implements ContextGetter {
     private static final String LOG_TAG = "GeckoApplication";
 
     private static volatile GeckoApplication instance;
 
     private boolean mInBackground;
@@ -160,16 +159,36 @@ public class GeckoApplication extends Ap
                 return new LocalBrowserDB(profileName);
             }
         });
 
         GeckoService.register();
 
         super.onCreate();
 
+        if (AppConstants.MOZ_ANDROID_GCM) {
+            // TODO: only run in main process.
+            ThreadUtils.postToBackgroundThread(new Runnable() {
+                @Override
+                public void run() {
+                    // It's fine to throw GCM initialization onto a background thread; the registration process requires
+                    // network access, so is naturally asynchronous.  This, of course, races against Gecko page load of
+                    // content requiring GCM-backed services, like Web Push.  There's nothing to be done here.
+                    try {
+                        final Class<?> clazz = Class.forName("org.mozilla.gecko.push.PushService");
+                        final Method onCreate = clazz.getMethod("onCreate", Context.class);
+                        onCreate.invoke(null, getApplicationContext()); // Method is static.
+                    } catch (Exception e) {
+                        Log.e(LOG_TAG, "Got exception during startup; ignoring.", e);
+                        return;
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+        }
+
         if (AppConstants.MOZ_ANDROID_DOWNLOAD_CONTENT_SERVICE) {
             DownloadContentService.startStudy(this);
         }
     }
 
     public boolean isApplicationInBackground() {
         return mInBackground;
     }

--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/push/PushService.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/push/PushService.java
@@ -12,16 +12,17 @@ import android.util.Log;
 
 import org.json.JSONException;
 import org.json.JSONObject;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.EventDispatcher;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.GeckoAppShell;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.GeckoEvent;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.GeckoProfile;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.GeckoThread;
+import org.mozilla.gecko.annotation.ReflectionTarget;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.gcm.GcmTokenClient;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.push.autopush.AutopushClientException;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.util.BundleEventListener;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.util.EventCallback;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.util.ThreadUtils;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -29,16 +30,17 @@ import java.util.Map;
 /**
  * Class that handles messages used in the Google Cloud Messaging and DOM push API integration.
  * <p/>
  * This singleton services Gecko messages from dom/push/PushServiceAndroidGCM.jsm and Google Cloud
  * Messaging requests.
  * <p/>
  * It's worth noting that we allow the DOM push API in restricted profiles.
  */
+@ReflectionTarget
 public class PushService implements BundleEventListener {
     private static final String LOG_TAG = "GeckoPushService";
 
     public static final String SERVICE_WEBPUSH = "webpush";
 
     private static PushService sInstance;
 
     private static final String[] GECKO_EVENTS = new String[]{
@@ -53,22 +55,25 @@ public class PushService implements Bund
 
     public static synchronized PushService getInstance() {
         if (sInstance == null) {
             throw new IllegalStateException("PushService not yet created!");
         }
         return sInstance;
     }
 
-    public static synchronized PushService createInstance(Context context) {
+    @ReflectionTarget
+    public static synchronized void onCreate(Context context) {
         if (sInstance != null) {
             throw new IllegalStateException("PushService already created!");
         }
         sInstance = new PushService(context);
-        return sInstance;
+
+        sInstance.registerGeckoEventListener();
+        sInstance.onStartup();
     }
 
     protected final PushManager pushManager;
 
     public PushService(Context context) {
         pushManager = new PushManager(new PushState(context, "GeckoPushState.json"), new GcmTokenClient(context), new PushManager.PushClientFactory() {
             @Override
             public PushClient getPushClient(String autopushEndpoint, boolean debug) {
@@ -175,24 +180,24 @@ public class PushService implements Bund
 
             Log.i(LOG_TAG, "Delivering dom/push message to Gecko!");
             GeckoAppShell.sendEventToGecko(GeckoEvent.createBroadcastEvent("PushServiceAndroidGCM:ReceivedPushMessage", data.toString()));
         } else {
             Log.e(LOG_TAG, "Message directed to unknown service; dropping: " + subscription.service);
         }
     }
 
-    public static void registerGeckoEventListener() {
+    protected void registerGeckoEventListener() {
         Log.d(LOG_TAG, "Registered Gecko event listener.");
-        EventDispatcher.getInstance().registerBackgroundThreadListener(getInstance(), GECKO_EVENTS);
+        EventDispatcher.getInstance().registerBackgroundThreadListener(this, GECKO_EVENTS);
     }
 
-    public static void unregisterGeckoEventListener() {
+    protected void unregisterGeckoEventListener() {
         Log.d(LOG_TAG, "Unregistered Gecko event listener.");
-        EventDispatcher.getInstance().unregisterBackgroundThreadListener(getInstance(), GECKO_EVENTS);
+        EventDispatcher.getInstance().unregisterBackgroundThreadListener(this, GECKO_EVENTS);
     }
 
     @Override
     public void handleMessage(final String event, final Bundle message, final EventCallback callback) {
         Log.i(LOG_TAG, "Handling event: " + event);
         ThreadUtils.assertOnBackgroundThread();
 
         // We're invoked in response to a Gecko message on a background thread.  We should always