--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/home/CombinedHistoryPanel.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/home/CombinedHistoryPanel.java
@@ -410,16 +410,17 @@ public class CombinedHistoryPanel extend
                             final JSONObject json = new JSONObject();
                             try {
                                 json.put("history", true);
                             } catch (JSONException e) {
                                 Log.e(LOGTAG, "JSON error", e);
                             }
 
                             GeckoAppShell.notifyObservers("Sanitize:ClearData", json.toString());
+                    mRecentTabsAdapter.clearLastSessionData();
                             Telemetry.sendUIEvent(TelemetryContract.Event.SANITIZE, TelemetryContract.Method.BUTTON, "history");
                         }
                     });
 
                     dialogBuilder.show();
                     break;
                 case CHILD_RECENT_TABS:
                     mRecentTabsAdapter.restoreAllTabs();

--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/home/RecentTabsAdapter.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/home/RecentTabsAdapter.java
@@ -169,16 +169,44 @@ public class RecentTabsAdapter extends R
                         // Update the "Tabs from last time" part of the tab list.
                         updateTabsList(prevClosedTabsCount, lastSessionTabs.length, getFirstLastSessionTabIndex(), getLastLastSessionTabIndex());
                     }
                 });
             }
         });
     }
 
+    public void clearLastSessionData() {
+        final ClosedTab[] emptyLastSessionTabs = new ClosedTab[0];
+
+        // Only modify mLastSessionTabs on the UI thread.
+        ThreadUtils.postToUiThread(new Runnable() {
+            @Override
+            public void run() {
+                // Save some data about the old panel state, so we can be
+                // smarter about notifying the recycler view which bits changed.
+                int prevClosedTabsCount = lastSessionTabs.length;
+                boolean prevSectionHeaderVisibility = isSectionHeaderVisible();
+                int prevSectionHeaderIndex = getSectionHeaderIndex();
+
+                lastSessionTabs = emptyLastSessionTabs;
+                recentTabsUpdateHandler.onRecentTabsCountUpdated(getClosedTabsCount());
+                panelStateUpdateHandler.onPanelStateUpdated();
+
+                // Handle the section header hiding.
+                updateHeaderVisibility(prevSectionHeaderVisibility, prevSectionHeaderIndex);
+
+                // Handle the "tabs from last time" being cleared.
+                if (prevClosedTabsCount > 0) {
+                    notifyItemRangeRemoved(getFirstLastSessionTabIndex(), prevClosedTabsCount);
+                }
+            }
+        });
+    }
+
     private void updateHeaderVisibility(boolean prevSectionHeaderVisibility, int prevSectionHeaderIndex) {
         if (prevSectionHeaderVisibility && !isSectionHeaderVisible()) {
             notifyItemRemoved(prevSectionHeaderIndex);
         } else if (!prevSectionHeaderVisibility && isSectionHeaderVisible()) {
             notifyItemInserted(getSectionHeaderIndex());
         }
     }