diff --git a/mobile/android/base/GeckoApp.java b/mobile/android/base/GeckoApp.java
index fbb80e6ea06..a83c89d3e9b 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/GeckoApp.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/GeckoApp.java
@@ -1683,12 +1683,7 @@ abstract public class GeckoApp
              * run experience, perhaps?
              */
             mLayerController = new LayerController(this);
-            View v = mLayerController.getView();
-
-            // Instead of flickering the checkerboard, show a white screen until Gecko paints
-            v.setBackgroundColor(Color.WHITE);
-
-            mGeckoLayout.addView(v, 0);
+            mLayerController.setView((LayerView)findViewById(R.id.layer_view));
         }
 
         mPluginContainer = (AbsoluteLayout) findViewById(R.id.plugin_container);
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/GeckoViewsFactory.java b/mobile/android/base/GeckoViewsFactory.java
index 2aef99fe6a1..7418a1d1fbf 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/GeckoViewsFactory.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/GeckoViewsFactory.java
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import android.util.AttributeSet;
 import android.util.Log;
 import android.view.LayoutInflater;
 import android.view.View;
+import org.mozilla.gecko.gfx.LayerView;
 
 public final class GeckoViewsFactory implements LayoutInflater.Factory {
     private static final String LOGTAG = "GeckoViewsFactory";
@@ -50,6 +51,10 @@ public final class GeckoViewsFactory implements LayoutInflater.Factory {
                 return new TabsPanel(context, attrs);
             else if (TextUtils.equals(viewName, "TextSelectionHandle"))
                 return new TextSelectionHandle(context, attrs);
+            else if (TextUtils.equals(viewName, "gfx.LayerView"))
+                return new LayerView(context, attrs);
+            else
+                Log.e(LOGTAG, "Error: unknown custom view: " + viewName);
         }
 
         return null;
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/gfx/LayerController.java b/mobile/android/base/gfx/LayerController.java
index f84a8a2bb2d..7ceb68c0efe 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/gfx/LayerController.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/gfx/LayerController.java
@@ -68,10 +68,14 @@ public class LayerController {
         mForceRedraw = true;
         mViewportMetrics = new ImmutableViewportMetrics(new ViewportMetrics());
         mPanZoomController = new PanZoomController(this);
-        mView = new LayerView(context, this);
         mCheckerboardShouldShowChecks = true;
     }
 
+    public void setView(LayerView v) {
+        mView = v;
+        mView.connect(this);
+    }
+
     public void setRoot(Layer layer) { mRootLayer = layer; }
 
     public void setLayerClient(GeckoLayerClient layerClient) {
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/gfx/LayerView.java b/mobile/android/base/gfx/LayerView.java
index aadbb574769..698e2bbf163 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/gfx/LayerView.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/gfx/LayerView.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import android.view.KeyEvent;
 import android.view.MotionEvent;
 import android.view.inputmethod.EditorInfo;
 import android.view.inputmethod.InputConnection;
+import android.util.AttributeSet;
 import android.util.Log;
 import android.graphics.PixelFormat;
 import android.view.SurfaceHolder;
@@ -31,7 +32,6 @@ import java.nio.IntBuffer;
 public class LayerView extends SurfaceView implements SurfaceHolder.Callback {
     private static String LOGTAG = "GeckoLayerView";
 
-    private Context mContext;
     private LayerController mController;
     private TouchEventHandler mTouchEventHandler;
     private GLController mGLController;
@@ -48,18 +48,18 @@ public class LayerView extends SurfaceView implements SurfaceHolder.Callback {
     public static final int PAINT_BEFORE_FIRST = 1;
     public static final int PAINT_AFTER_FIRST = 2;
 
-
-    public LayerView(Context context, LayerController controller) {
-        super(context);
+    public LayerView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
+        super(context, attrs);
 
         SurfaceHolder holder = getHolder();
         holder.addCallback(this);
         holder.setFormat(PixelFormat.RGB_565);
-
         mGLController = new GLController(this);
-        mContext = context;
+    }
+
+    void connect(LayerController controller) {
         mController = controller;
-        mTouchEventHandler = new TouchEventHandler(context, this, mController);
+        mTouchEventHandler = new TouchEventHandler(getContext(), this, mController);
         mRenderer = new LayerRenderer(this);
         mInputConnectionHandler = null;
 
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/resources/layout/shared_ui_components.xml b/mobile/android/base/resources/layout/shared_ui_components.xml
index 583bff911f4..51b7119c6a3 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/resources/layout/shared_ui_components.xml
+++ b/mobile/android/base/resources/layout/shared_ui_components.xml
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@
 
 <merge xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
 
+    <org.mozilla.gecko.gfx.LayerView android:id="@+id/layer_view"
+                                     android:layout_width="fill_parent"
+                                     android:layout_height="fill_parent"
+                                     android:background="#FFF"/>
+
     <AbsoluteLayout android:id="@+id/plugin_container"
                     android:background="@android:color/transparent"
                     android:layout_width="fill_parent"