--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/toolbar/PhoneTabsButton.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/toolbar/PhoneTabsButton.java
@@ -2,21 +2,30 @@
  * 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.toolbar;
 
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
 
+import org.mozilla.gecko.AppConstants;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.tabs.TabCurve;
 
 public class PhoneTabsButton extends ShapedButton {
     public PhoneTabsButton(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
         super(context, attrs);
+
+        if (!AppConstants.Versions.preLollipop) {
+            // The Android N preview has issues rendering our tabs button during animations
+            // unless we use hardware layers, see bug 1264783. For consistency we should
+            // try and set this across all devices, however on 4.X devices the background
+            // isn't drawn when we use hardware layers - hence we need to disable this there.
+            setLayerType(LAYER_TYPE_HARDWARE, null);
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
     protected void onSizeChanged(int width, int height, int oldWidth, int oldHeight) {
         super.onSizeChanged(width, height, oldWidth, oldHeight);
 
         mPath.reset();