diff --git a/browser/base/content/tabview/groupitems.js b/browser/base/content/tabview/groupitems.js
index 9c30414d19a..224e90af64e 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/tabview/groupitems.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/tabview/groupitems.js
@@ -1747,18 +1747,35 @@ let GroupItems = {
       }
 
       if (groupItemData) {
+        var toClose = this.groupItems.concat();
         for (var id in groupItemData) {
-          let groupItem = groupItemData[id];
-          if (this.groupItemStorageSanity(groupItem)) {
-            var options = {
-              dontPush: true,
-              immediately: true
-            };
-
-            new GroupItem([], Utils.extend({}, groupItem, options));
+          let data = groupItemData[id];
+          if (this.groupItemStorageSanity(data)) {
+            let groupItem = this.groupItem(data.id); 
+            if (groupItem) {
+              groupItem.userSize = data.userSize;
+              groupItem.setTitle(data.title);
+              groupItem.setBounds(data.bounds, true);
+              
+              let index = toClose.indexOf(groupItem);
+              if (index != -1)
+                toClose.splice(index, 1);
+            } else {
+              var options = {
+                dontPush: true,
+                immediately: true
+              };
+  
+              new GroupItem([], Utils.extend({}, data, options));
+            }
           }
         }
+
+        toClose.forEach(function(groupItem) {
+          groupItem.close();
+        });
       }
+
       // set active group item
       if (activeGroupId) {
         let activeGroupItem = this.groupItem(activeGroupId);
@@ -1778,11 +1795,6 @@ let GroupItems = {
   // Loads the storage data for groups. 
   // Returns true if there was global group data.
   load: function GroupItems_load() {
-    var toClose = this.groupItems.concat();
-    toClose.forEach(function(groupItem) {
-      groupItem.close();
-    });
-
     let groupItemsData = Storage.readGroupItemsData(gWindow);
     let groupItemData = Storage.readGroupItemData(gWindow);
     this.reconstitute(groupItemsData, groupItemData);
diff --git a/browser/base/content/tabview/ui.js b/browser/base/content/tabview/ui.js
index b74d8515f9d..495a53c2f63 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/tabview/ui.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/tabview/ui.js
@@ -106,6 +106,10 @@ let UI = {
     transitionMode: "",
     wasInTabView: false 
   },
+  
+  // Variable: _storageBusyCount
+  // Used to keep track of how many calls to storageBusy vs storageReady.
+  _storageBusyCount: 0,
 
   // ----------
   // Function: init
@@ -509,26 +513,53 @@ let UI = {
   },
 #endif
 
+  // ----------
+  // Function: storageBusy
+  // Pauses the storage activity that conflicts with sessionstore updates and 
+  // private browsing mode switches. Calls can be nested. 
+  storageBusy: function UI_storageBusy() {
+    if (!this._storageBusyCount)
+      TabItems.pauseReconnecting();
+    
+    this._storageBusyCount++;
+  },
+  
+  // ----------
+  // Function: storageReady
+  // Resumes the activity paused by storageBusy, and updates for any new group
+  // information in sessionstore. Calls can be nested. 
+  storageReady: function UI_storageReady() {
+    this._storageBusyCount--;
+    if (!this._storageBusyCount) {
+      let hasGroupItemsData = GroupItems.load();
+      if (!hasGroupItemsData)
+        this.reset(false);
+  
+      TabItems.resumeReconnecting();
+    }
+  },
+
   // ----------
   // Function: _addTabActionHandlers
   // Adds handlers to handle tab actions.
   _addTabActionHandlers: function UI__addTabActionHandlers() {
     var self = this;
 
-    // session restore
-    function srObserver(aSubject, aTopic, aData) {
-      if (aTopic != "sessionstore-browser-state-restored")
-        return;
-        
-      let hasGroupItemsData = GroupItems.load();
-      if (!hasGroupItemsData)
-        self.reset(false);
+    // session restore events
+    function handleSSWindowStateBusy() {
+      self.storageBusy();
     }
-
-    Services.obs.addObserver(srObserver, "sessionstore-browser-state-restored", false);
+    
+    function handleSSWindowStateReady() {
+      self.storageReady();
+    }
+    
+    gWindow.addEventListener("SSWindowStateBusy", handleSSWindowStateBusy, false);
+    gWindow.addEventListener("SSWindowStateReady", handleSSWindowStateReady, false);
 
     this._cleanupFunctions.push(function() {
-      Services.obs.removeObserver(srObserver, "sessionstore-browser-state-restored");
+      gWindow.removeEventListener("SSWindowStateBusy", handleSSWindowStateBusy, false);
+      gWindow.removeEventListener("SSWindowStateReady", handleSSWindowStateReady, false);
     });
 
     // Private Browsing:
@@ -551,7 +582,7 @@ let UI = {
         if (aData == "enter" || aData == "exit") {
           self._privateBrowsing.transitionMode = aData;
           GroupItems.pauseUpdatingTabBar();
-          TabItems.pauseReconnecting();
+          self.storageBusy();
         }
       } else if (aTopic == "private-browsing-transition-complete") {
         // We use .transitionMode here, as aData is empty.
@@ -560,7 +591,7 @@ let UI = {
           self.showTabView(false);
 
         self._privateBrowsing.transitionMode = "";
-        TabItems.resumeReconnecting();
+        self.storageReady();
         GroupItems.resumeUpdatingTabBar();
       }
     }
diff --git a/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug608037.js b/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug608037.js
index ddcc6a819e3..42ad7cc9658 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug608037.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug608037.js
@@ -83,17 +83,21 @@ function onTabViewWindowLoaded() {
   is(groupItems[0].getChildren().length, 2, "The group has two tab items");
 
   tabTwo = undoCloseTab(0);
-  ok(TabView.isVisible(), "Tab View is still visible after restoring a tab");
-  is(groupItems[0].getChildren().length, 3, "The group has three tab items");
+  tabTwo.tabItem.addSubscriber(tabTwo, "reconnected", function() {
+    tabTwo.tabItem.removeSubscriber(tabTwo, "reconnected");
 
-  // clean up and finish
-  let endGame = function() {
-    window.removeEventListener("tabviewhidden", endGame, false);
-
-    gBrowser.removeTab(tabOne);
-    gBrowser.removeTab(tabTwo);
-    finish();
-  }
-  window.addEventListener("tabviewhidden", endGame, false);
-  TabView.toggle();
+    ok(TabView.isVisible(), "Tab View is still visible after restoring a tab");
+    is(groupItems[0].getChildren().length, 3, "The group still has three tab items");
+  
+    // clean up and finish
+    let endGame = function() {
+      window.removeEventListener("tabviewhidden", endGame, false);
+  
+      gBrowser.removeTab(tabOne);
+      gBrowser.removeTab(tabTwo);
+      finish();
+    }
+    window.addEventListener("tabviewhidden", endGame, false);
+    TabView.toggle();
+  });
 }