diff --git a/browser/app/profile/firefox.js b/browser/app/profile/firefox.js
index f91a38adbe0..68bcaa15057 100644
--- a/browser/app/profile/firefox.js
+++ b/browser/app/profile/firefox.js
@@ -567,6 +567,7 @@ pref("plugins.hide_infobar_for_missing_plugin", false);
 pref("plugins.hide_infobar_for_outdated_plugin", false);
 
 #ifdef XP_MACOSX
+pref("plugins.use_layers", false);
 pref("plugins.hide_infobar_for_carbon_failure_plugin", false);
 #endif
 
diff --git a/dom/plugins/base/PluginPRLibrary.cpp b/dom/plugins/base/PluginPRLibrary.cpp
index 2ae125e02da..6076cf8eb4c 100644
--- a/dom/plugins/base/PluginPRLibrary.cpp
+++ b/dom/plugins/base/PluginPRLibrary.cpp
@@ -252,6 +252,17 @@ PluginPRLibrary::GetImage(NPP instance, ImageContainer* aContainer, Image** aIma
   return NS_ERROR_NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
 }
 
+#if defined(XP_MACOSX)
+nsresult
+PluginPRLibrary::IsRemoteDrawingCoreAnimation(NPP instance, PRBool *aDrawing)
+{
+  nsNPAPIPluginInstance* inst = (nsNPAPIPluginInstance*)instance->ndata;
+  NS_ENSURE_TRUE(inst, NS_ERROR_NULL_POINTER);
+  *aDrawing = PR_FALSE; 
+  return NS_OK;
+}
+#endif
+
 nsresult
 PluginPRLibrary::GetImageSize(NPP instance, nsIntSize* aSize)
 {
diff --git a/dom/plugins/base/PluginPRLibrary.h b/dom/plugins/base/PluginPRLibrary.h
index 8169887a86a..f796921d28e 100644
--- a/dom/plugins/base/PluginPRLibrary.h
+++ b/dom/plugins/base/PluginPRLibrary.h
@@ -143,6 +143,9 @@ public:
     virtual nsresult GetImage(NPP instance, ImageContainer* aContainer, Image** aImage);
     virtual nsresult GetImageSize(NPP instance, nsIntSize* aSize);
     NS_OVERRIDE virtual bool UseAsyncPainting() { return false; }
+#if defined(XP_MACOSX)
+    virtual nsresult IsRemoteDrawingCoreAnimation(NPP instance, PRBool *aDrawing);
+#endif
     NS_OVERRIDE
     virtual nsresult SetBackgroundUnknown(NPP instance);
     NS_OVERRIDE
diff --git a/dom/plugins/base/nsNPAPIPluginInstance.cpp b/dom/plugins/base/nsNPAPIPluginInstance.cpp
index 046f34bd872..50026fa2fc7 100644
--- a/dom/plugins/base/nsNPAPIPluginInstance.cpp
+++ b/dom/plugins/base/nsNPAPIPluginInstance.cpp
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ nsNPAPIPluginInstance::nsNPAPIPluginInstance(nsNPAPIPlugin* plugin)
     mMIMEType(nsnull),
     mOwner(nsnull),
     mCurrentPluginEvent(nsnull),
-#if defined(MOZ_X11) || defined(XP_WIN) || defined(XP_MACOSX)
+#if defined(MOZ_X11) || defined(XP_WIN)
     mUsePluginLayersPref(PR_TRUE)
 #else
     mUsePluginLayersPref(PR_FALSE)
@@ -722,6 +722,22 @@ nsresult nsNPAPIPluginInstance::GetDrawingModel(PRInt32* aModel)
 #endif
 }
 
+nsresult nsNPAPIPluginInstance::IsRemoteDrawingCoreAnimation(PRBool* aDrawing)
+{
+#ifdef XP_MACOSX
+  if (!mPlugin)
+      return NS_ERROR_FAILURE;
+
+  PluginLibrary* library = mPlugin->GetLibrary();
+  if (!library)
+      return NS_ERROR_FAILURE;
+  
+  return library->IsRemoteDrawingCoreAnimation(&mNPP, aDrawing);
+#else
+  return NS_ERROR_FAILURE;
+#endif
+}
+
 nsresult
 nsNPAPIPluginInstance::GetJSObject(JSContext *cx, JSObject** outObject)
 {
diff --git a/dom/plugins/base/nsPluginInstanceOwner.cpp b/dom/plugins/base/nsPluginInstanceOwner.cpp
index ee3244f1fa3..cb4787eaaff 100644
--- a/dom/plugins/base/nsPluginInstanceOwner.cpp
+++ b/dom/plugins/base/nsPluginInstanceOwner.cpp
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ nsPluginInstanceOwner::UseAsyncRendering()
 #endif
 
   PRBool useAsyncRendering;
-  return (mInstance &&
+  PRBool result = (mInstance &&
           NS_SUCCEEDED(mInstance->UseAsyncPainting(&useAsyncRendering)) &&
           useAsyncRendering &&
 #ifdef XP_MACOSX
@@ -271,6 +271,8 @@ nsPluginInstanceOwner::UseAsyncRendering()
            mPluginWindow->type == NPWindowTypeDrawable)
 #endif
           );
+
+    return result;
 }
 
 nsIntSize
@@ -1360,6 +1362,18 @@ NPDrawingModel nsPluginInstanceOwner::GetDrawingModel()
   return drawingModel;
 }
 
+PRBool nsPluginInstanceOwner::IsRemoteDrawingCoreAnimation()
+{
+  if (!mInstance)
+    return PR_FALSE;
+
+  PRBool coreAnimation;
+  if (!NS_SUCCEEDED(mInstance->IsRemoteDrawingCoreAnimation(&coreAnimation)))
+    return PR_FALSE;
+
+  return coreAnimation;
+}
+
 NPEventModel nsPluginInstanceOwner::GetEventModel()
 {
   return mEventModel;
diff --git a/dom/plugins/base/nsPluginInstanceOwner.h b/dom/plugins/base/nsPluginInstanceOwner.h
index ed9566122a1..a088ae151df 100644
--- a/dom/plugins/base/nsPluginInstanceOwner.h
+++ b/dom/plugins/base/nsPluginInstanceOwner.h
@@ -179,6 +179,7 @@ public:
   enum { ePluginPaintEnable, ePluginPaintDisable };
   
   NPDrawingModel GetDrawingModel();
+  PRBool IsRemoteDrawingCoreAnimation();
   NPEventModel GetEventModel();
   static void CARefresh(nsITimer *aTimer, void *aClosure);
   static void AddToCARefreshTimer(nsPluginInstanceOwner *aPluginInstance);
diff --git a/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginInstanceParent.cpp b/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginInstanceParent.cpp
index ec84a9d4baa..58ecd63310a 100644
--- a/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginInstanceParent.cpp
+++ b/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginInstanceParent.cpp
@@ -616,7 +616,15 @@ nsresult
 PluginInstanceParent::GetImage(ImageContainer* aContainer, Image** aImage)
 {
 #ifdef XP_MACOSX
-    if (!mFrontSurface && !mFrontIOSurface)
+    nsIOSurface* ioSurface = NULL;
+  
+    if (mFrontIOSurface) {
+      ioSurface = mFrontIOSurface;
+    } else if (mIOSurface) {
+      ioSurface = mIOSurface;
+    }
+
+    if (!mFrontSurface && !ioSurface)
 #else
     if (!mFrontSurface)
 #endif
@@ -624,7 +632,7 @@ PluginInstanceParent::GetImage(ImageContainer* aContainer, Image** aImage)
 
     Image::Format format = Image::CAIRO_SURFACE;
 #ifdef XP_MACOSX
-    if (mFrontIOSurface) {
+    if (ioSurface) {
         format = Image::MAC_IO_SURFACE;
         if (!aContainer->Manager()) {
             return NS_ERROR_FAILURE;
@@ -639,11 +647,11 @@ PluginInstanceParent::GetImage(ImageContainer* aContainer, Image** aImage)
     }
 
 #ifdef XP_MACOSX
-    if (mFrontIOSurface) {
+    if (ioSurface) {
         NS_ASSERTION(image->GetFormat() == Image::MAC_IO_SURFACE, "Wrong format?");
         MacIOSurfaceImage* ioImage = static_cast<MacIOSurfaceImage*>(image.get());
         MacIOSurfaceImage::Data ioData;
-        ioData.mIOSurface = mFrontIOSurface;
+        ioData.mIOSurface = ioSurface;
         ioImage->SetData(ioData);
         *aImage = image.forget().get();
         return NS_OK;
@@ -674,12 +682,25 @@ PluginInstanceParent::GetImageSize(nsIntSize* aSize)
     if (mFrontIOSurface) {
         *aSize = nsIntSize(mFrontIOSurface->GetWidth(), mFrontIOSurface->GetHeight());
         return NS_OK;
+    } else if (mIOSurface) {
+        *aSize = nsIntSize(mIOSurface->GetWidth(), mIOSurface->GetHeight());
+        return NS_OK;
     }
 #endif
 
     return NS_ERROR_NOT_AVAILABLE;
 }
 
+#ifdef XP_MACOSX
+nsresult
+PluginInstanceParent::IsRemoteDrawingCoreAnimation(PRBool *aDrawing)
+{
+    *aDrawing = (NPDrawingModelCoreAnimation == (NPDrawingModel)mDrawingModel ||
+                 NPDrawingModelInvalidatingCoreAnimation == (NPDrawingModel)mDrawingModel);
+    return NS_OK;
+}
+#endif
+
 nsresult
 PluginInstanceParent::SetBackgroundUnknown()
 {
diff --git a/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginInstanceParent.h b/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginInstanceParent.h
index 20cb8fbc3e0..460e46580b3 100644
--- a/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginInstanceParent.h
+++ b/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginInstanceParent.h
@@ -282,6 +282,9 @@ public:
     nsresult AsyncSetWindow(NPWindow* window);
     nsresult GetImage(mozilla::layers::ImageContainer* aContainer, mozilla::layers::Image** aImage);
     nsresult GetImageSize(nsIntSize* aSize);
+#ifdef XP_MACOSX
+    nsresult IsRemoteDrawingCoreAnimation(PRBool *aDrawing);
+#endif
     nsresult SetBackgroundUnknown();
     nsresult BeginUpdateBackground(const nsIntRect& aRect,
                                    gfxContext** aCtx);
diff --git a/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginLibrary.h b/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginLibrary.h
index 9fa6f24f2c6..3f2992ed1c7 100644
--- a/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginLibrary.h
+++ b/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginLibrary.h
@@ -102,6 +102,10 @@ public:
   virtual nsresult GetImage(NPP instance, ImageContainer* aContainer, Image** aImage) = 0;
   virtual nsresult GetImageSize(NPP instance, nsIntSize* aSize) = 0;
   virtual bool UseAsyncPainting() = 0;
+#if defined(XP_MACOSX)
+  virtual nsresult IsRemoteDrawingCoreAnimation(NPP instance, PRBool *aDrawing) = 0;
+#endif
+
   /**
    * The next three methods are the third leg in the trip to
    * PluginInstanceParent.  They approximately follow the ReadbackSink
diff --git a/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginModuleParent.cpp b/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginModuleParent.cpp
index e320a168257..c48e926c2c1 100644
--- a/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginModuleParent.cpp
+++ b/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginModuleParent.cpp
@@ -959,6 +959,18 @@ PluginModuleParent::NPP_GetSitesWithData(InfallibleTArray<nsCString>& result)
     return NS_OK;
 }
 
+#if defined(XP_MACOSX)
+nsresult
+PluginModuleParent::IsRemoteDrawingCoreAnimation(NPP instance, PRBool *aDrawing)
+{
+    PluginInstanceParent* i = InstCast(instance);
+    if (!i)
+        return NS_ERROR_FAILURE;
+
+    return i->IsRemoteDrawingCoreAnimation(aDrawing);
+}
+#endif
+
 bool
 PluginModuleParent::AnswerNPN_GetValue_WithBoolReturn(const NPNVariable& aVariable,
                                                       NPError* aError,
diff --git a/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginModuleParent.h b/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginModuleParent.h
index d4790fba5c4..4efb3500363 100644
--- a/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginModuleParent.h
+++ b/dom/plugins/ipc/PluginModuleParent.h
@@ -289,6 +289,10 @@ private:
                                        uint64_t maxAge);
     virtual nsresult NPP_GetSitesWithData(InfallibleTArray<nsCString>& result);
 
+#if defined(XP_MACOSX)
+    virtual nsresult IsRemoteDrawingCoreAnimation(NPP instance, PRBool *aDrawing);
+#endif
+
 private:
     void WritePluginExtraDataForMinidump(const nsAString& id);
     void WriteExtraDataForHang();
diff --git a/dom/plugins/test/mochitest/utils.js b/dom/plugins/test/mochitest/utils.js
index eb0f44354bd..c367a541391 100644
--- a/dom/plugins/test/mochitest/utils.js
+++ b/dom/plugins/test/mochitest/utils.js
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 function paintCountIs(plugin, expected, msg) {
   var count = plugin.getPaintCount();
   var realExpected = expected;
-  var isAsync = SimpleTest.testPluginIsOOP();
+  var isAsync = SimpleTest.testPluginIsOOP() &&
+    navigator.platform.indexOf("Mac") < 0;
   if (isAsync) {
     ++realExpected; // extra paint at startup for all async-rendering plugins
   } else {
diff --git a/layout/generic/nsObjectFrame.cpp b/layout/generic/nsObjectFrame.cpp
index a61ebe0f1db..8557546f9bd 100644
--- a/layout/generic/nsObjectFrame.cpp
+++ b/layout/generic/nsObjectFrame.cpp
@@ -1492,7 +1492,7 @@ nsObjectFrame::GetImageContainer(LayerManager* aManager)
   if (!manager) {
     return nsnull;
   }
-  
+
   nsRefPtr<ImageContainer> container;
 
   // XXX - in the future image containers will be manager independent and
@@ -1559,14 +1559,18 @@ nsObjectFrame::GetLayerState(nsDisplayListBuilder* aBuilder,
     return LAYER_NONE;
 
 #ifdef XP_MACOSX
-  if (aManager && aManager->GetBackendType() !=
-      LayerManager::LAYERS_OPENGL) {
-    return LAYER_NONE;
+  if (aManager && aManager->GetBackendType() ==
+      LayerManager::LAYERS_OPENGL && 
+      !mInstanceOwner->UseAsyncRendering() &&
+      mInstanceOwner->IsRemoteDrawingCoreAnimation() &&
+      mInstanceOwner->GetEventModel() == NPEventModelCocoa) {
+    return LAYER_ACTIVE;
   }
 #endif
 
-  if (!mInstanceOwner->UseAsyncRendering())
+  if (!mInstanceOwner->UseAsyncRendering()) {
     return LAYER_NONE;
+  }
 
   return LAYER_ACTIVE;
 }