diff --git a/browser/base/content/browser.js b/browser/base/content/browser.js
index 5115a51a6f9..6e15add103d 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/browser.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/browser.js
@@ -8800,7 +8800,7 @@ function switchToTabHavingURI(aURI, aOpenNew) {
     if (isBrowserWindow && isTabEmpty(gBrowser.selectedTab))
       gBrowser.selectedBrowser.loadURI(aURI.spec);
     else
-      openUILinkIn(aURI.spec, "tab", { inBackground: false });
+      openUILinkIn(aURI.spec, "tab");
   }
 
   return false;
@@ -8910,20 +8910,16 @@ function duplicateTabIn(aTab, where, delta) {
                  .getService(Ci.nsISessionStore)
                  .duplicateTab(window, aTab, delta);
 
-  var loadInBackground =
-    getBoolPref("browser.tabs.loadBookmarksInBackground", false);
-
   switch (where) {
     case "window":
       gBrowser.hideTab(newTab);
       gBrowser.replaceTabWithWindow(newTab);
       break;
     case "tabshifted":
-      loadInBackground = !loadInBackground;
-      // fall through
+      // A background tab has been opened, nothing else to do here.
+      break;
     case "tab":
-      if (!loadInBackground)
-        gBrowser.selectedTab = newTab;
+      gBrowser.selectedTab = newTab;
       break;
   }
 }
diff --git a/browser/base/content/test/browser_bug594131.js b/browser/base/content/test/browser_bug594131.js
index 9ad994506c0..8447d432d81 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/test/browser_bug594131.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/browser_bug594131.js
@@ -35,24 +35,19 @@
  * ***** END LICENSE BLOCK ***** */
 
 function test() {
-  let backgroundPref = "browser.tabs.loadBookmarksInBackground";
   let newTab = gBrowser.addTab("http://example.com");
   waitForExplicitFinish();
   newTab.linkedBrowser.addEventListener("load", mainPart, true);
-  
-  Services.prefs.setBoolPref(backgroundPref, true);
-  
+
   function mainPart() {
     newTab.linkedBrowser.removeEventListener("load", mainPart, true);
 
     gBrowser.pinTab(newTab);
     gBrowser.selectedTab = newTab;
-    
-    openUILinkIn("http://example.org/", "current");
+
+    openUILinkIn("http://example.org/", "current", { inBackground: true });
     isnot(gBrowser.selectedTab, newTab, "shouldn't load in background");
-    
-    if (Services.prefs.prefHasUserValue(backgroundPref))
-      Services.prefs.clearUserPref(backgroundPref);
+
     gBrowser.removeTab(newTab);
     gBrowser.removeTab(gBrowser.tabs[1]); // example.org tab
     finish();
diff --git a/browser/base/content/urlbarBindings.xml b/browser/base/content/urlbarBindings.xml
index 5082cdfa65e..87287308785 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/urlbarBindings.xml
+++ b/browser/base/content/urlbarBindings.xml
@@ -363,8 +363,6 @@
             } else {
               this.handleRevert();
               let params = { allowThirdPartyFixup: true, postData: postData };
-              if (altEnter)
-                params.inBackground = false;
               if (!this.valueIsTyped)
                 params.isUTF8 = true;
               openUILinkIn(url, where, params);
diff --git a/browser/base/content/utilityOverlay.js b/browser/base/content/utilityOverlay.js
index 78c01427e99..99138fac22d 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/utilityOverlay.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/utilityOverlay.js
@@ -100,12 +100,7 @@ function openUILink( url, e, ignoreButton, ignoreAlt, allowKeywordFixup, postDat
  * Ctrl+Shift  new tab, in background
  * Alt         save
  *
- * You can swap Ctrl and Ctrl+shift by toggling the hidden pref
- * browser.tabs.loadBookmarksInBackground (not browser.tabs.loadInBackground, which
- * is for content area links).
- *
- * Middle-clicking is the same as Ctrl+clicking (it opens a new tab) and it is
- * subject to the shift modifier and pref in the same way.
+ * Middle-clicking is the same as Ctrl+clicking (it opens a new tab).
  *
  * Exceptions: 
  * - Alt is ignored for menu items selected using the keyboard so you don't accidentally save stuff.  
@@ -249,7 +244,7 @@ function openLinkIn(url, where, params) {
   let loadInBackground = aInBackground;
   if (loadInBackground == null) {
     loadInBackground = aFromChrome ?
-                         getBoolPref("browser.tabs.loadBookmarksInBackground") :
+                         false :
                          getBoolPref("browser.tabs.loadInBackground");
   }
 
diff --git a/browser/components/places/src/PlacesUIUtils.jsm b/browser/components/places/src/PlacesUIUtils.jsm
index 0b63574b53c..7368d9214cf 100644
--- a/browser/components/places/src/PlacesUIUtils.jsm
+++ b/browser/components/places/src/PlacesUIUtils.jsm
@@ -729,7 +729,9 @@ var PlacesUIUtils = {
           }
         }
       }
-      aWindow.openUILinkIn(aNode.uri, aWhere);
+      aWindow.openUILinkIn(aNode.uri, aWhere, {
+        inBackground: Services.prefs.getBoolPref("browser.tabs.loadBookmarksInBackground")
+      });
     }
   },