diff --git a/dom/media/gmp/GMPChild.cpp b/dom/media/gmp/GMPChild.cpp
index 8db2f36a144..940f41ade87 100644
--- a/dom/media/gmp/GMPChild.cpp
+++ b/dom/media/gmp/GMPChild.cpp
@@ -37,9 +37,6 @@ static const int MAX_VOUCHER_LENGTH = 500000;
 #if defined(XP_WIN)
 #define TARGET_SANDBOX_EXPORTS
 #include "mozilla/sandboxTarget.h"
-#elif defined (XP_LINUX)
-#include "mozilla/Sandbox.h"
-#include "mozilla/SandboxInfo.h"
 #elif defined(XP_MACOSX)
 #include "mozilla/Sandbox.h"
 #endif
diff --git a/dom/media/gmp/GMPService.cpp b/dom/media/gmp/GMPService.cpp
index 5e423962b76..342d25193de 100644
--- a/dom/media/gmp/GMPService.cpp
+++ b/dom/media/gmp/GMPService.cpp
@@ -775,6 +775,15 @@ class CreateGMPParentTask : public nsRunnable {
 public:
   NS_IMETHOD Run() {
     MOZ_ASSERT(NS_IsMainThread());
+#if defined(XP_LINUX) && defined(MOZ_GMP_SANDBOX)
+    if (!SandboxInfo::Get().CanSandboxMedia()) {
+      if (!Preferences::GetBool("media.gmp.insecure.allow")) {
+        NS_WARNING("Denying media plugin load due to lack of sandboxing.");
+        return NS_ERROR_NOT_AVAILABLE;
+      }
+      NS_WARNING("Loading media plugin despite lack of sandboxing.");
+    }
+#endif
     mParent = new GMPParent();
     return NS_OK;
   }
@@ -832,7 +841,7 @@ GeckoMediaPluginService::AddOnGMPThread(const nsAString& aDirectory)
   MOZ_ASSERT(mainThread);
   mozilla::SyncRunnable::DispatchToThread(mainThread, task);
   nsRefPtr<GMPParent> gmp = task->GetParent();
-  rv = gmp->Init(this, directory);
+  rv = gmp ? gmp->Init(this, directory) : NS_ERROR_NOT_AVAILABLE;
   if (NS_FAILED(rv)) {
     NS_WARNING("Can't Create GMPParent");
     return;
diff --git a/modules/libpref/init/all.js b/modules/libpref/init/all.js
index dd19c9fe711..32a1015973a 100644
--- a/modules/libpref/init/all.js
+++ b/modules/libpref/init/all.js
@@ -4541,3 +4541,10 @@ pref("reader.font_type", "sans-serif");
 // Whether or not the user has interacted with the reader mode toolbar.
 // This is used to show a first-launch tip in reader mode.
 pref("reader.has_used_toolbar", false);
+
+#if defined(XP_LINUX) && defined(MOZ_GMP_SANDBOX)
+// Whether to allow, on a Linux system that doesn't support the necessary sandboxing
+// features, loading Gecko Media Plugins unsandboxed.  However, EME CDMs will not be
+// loaded without sandboxing even if this pref is changed.
+pref("media.gmp.insecure.allow", false);
+#endif