--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/home/SimpleCursorLoader.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/home/SimpleCursorLoader.java
@@ -18,16 +18,18 @@
  */
 
 package org.mozilla.gecko.home;
 
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.database.Cursor;
 import android.support.v4.content.AsyncTaskLoader;
 
+import org.mozilla.gecko.GeckoApplication;
+
 abstract class SimpleCursorLoader extends AsyncTaskLoader<Cursor> {
     final ForceLoadContentObserver mObserver;
     Cursor mCursor;
 
     public SimpleCursorLoader(Context context) {
         super(context);
         mObserver = new ForceLoadContentObserver();
     }
@@ -67,16 +69,20 @@ abstract class SimpleCursorLoader extend
         Cursor oldCursor = mCursor;
         mCursor = cursor;
 
         if (isStarted()) {
             super.deliverResult(cursor);
         }
 
         if (oldCursor != null && oldCursor != cursor && !oldCursor.isClosed()) {
+            // Trying to read from the closed cursor will cause crashes, hence we should make
+            // sure that no adapters/LoaderCallbacks are holding onto this cursor.
+            GeckoApplication.getRefWatcher(getContext()).watch(oldCursor);
+
             oldCursor.close();
         }
     }
 
     /**
      * Starts an asynchronous load of the list data. When the result is ready the callbacks
      * will be called on the UI thread. If a previous load has been completed and is still valid
      * the result may be passed to the callbacks immediately.