diff --git a/mobile/android/base/gfx/FloatSize.java b/mobile/android/base/gfx/FloatSize.java
index 1824b27edda..07dfc9fe845 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/gfx/FloatSize.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/gfx/FloatSize.java
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ public class FloatSize {
     @Override
     public String toString() { return "(" + width + "," + height + ")"; }
 
+    public boolean isPositive() {
+        return (width > 0 && height > 0);
+    }
+
     public boolean fuzzyEquals(FloatSize size) {
         return (FloatUtils.fuzzyEquals(size.width, width) &&
                 FloatUtils.fuzzyEquals(size.height, height));
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/gfx/GeckoSoftwareLayerClient.java b/mobile/android/base/gfx/GeckoSoftwareLayerClient.java
index f5e0ee52b52..cec9e83988d 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/gfx/GeckoSoftwareLayerClient.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/gfx/GeckoSoftwareLayerClient.java
@@ -429,8 +429,14 @@ public class GeckoSoftwareLayerClient extends LayerClient implements GeckoEventL
         DisplayMetrics metrics = new DisplayMetrics();
         GeckoApp.mAppContext.getWindowManager().getDefaultDisplay().getMetrics(metrics);
 
-        if (!force && metrics.widthPixels == mScreenSize.width &&
-            metrics.heightPixels == mScreenSize.height) {
+        // Return immediately if the screen size hasn't changed or the viewport
+        // size is zero (which indicates that the rendering surface hasn't been
+        // allocated yet).
+        boolean screenSizeChanged = (metrics.widthPixels != mScreenSize.width ||
+                                     metrics.heightPixels != mScreenSize.height);
+        boolean viewportSizeValid = (getLayerController() != null &&
+                                     getLayerController().getViewportSize().isPositive());
+        if (!(force || (screenSizeChanged && viewportSizeValid))) {
             return;
         }