diff --git a/browser/base/content/test/browser_social_mozSocial_API.js b/browser/base/content/test/browser_social_mozSocial_API.js
index 19b6ee51639..bb4e64d98e8 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/test/browser_social_mozSocial_API.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/browser_social_mozSocial_API.js
@@ -29,10 +29,12 @@ var tests = {
 
     function triggerIconPanel() {
       let statusIcons = document.getElementById("social-status-iconbox");
-      ok(!statusIcons.firstChild.hidden, "status icon is visible");
-      // Click the button to trigger its contentPanel
-      let panel = document.getElementById("social-notification-panel");
-      EventUtils.synthesizeMouseAtCenter(statusIcons.firstChild, {});
+      waitForCondition(function() statusIcons.firstChild && !statusIcons.firstChild.hidden,
+                       function() {
+        // Click the button to trigger its contentPanel
+        let panel = document.getElementById("social-notification-panel");
+        EventUtils.synthesizeMouseAtCenter(statusIcons.firstChild, {});
+      }, "Status icon didn't become non-hidden");
     }
 
     let port = Social.provider.getWorkerPort();
@@ -40,6 +42,10 @@ var tests = {
     port.onmessage = function (e) {
       let topic = e.data.topic;
       switch (topic) {
+        case "test-init-done":
+          iconsReady = true;
+          checkNext();
+          break;
         case "got-panel-message":
           ok(true, "got panel message");
           // Check the panel isn't in our history.
@@ -67,24 +73,5 @@ var tests = {
       }
     }
     port.postMessage({topic: "test-init"});
-
-    // Our worker sets up ambient notification at the same time as it responds to
-    // the workerAPI initialization. If it's already initialized, we can
-    // immediately check the icons, otherwise wait for initialization by
-    // observing the topic sent out by the social service.
-    if (Social.provider.workerAPI.initialized) {
-      iconsReady = true;
-      checkNext();
-    } else {
-      Services.obs.addObserver(function obs() {
-        Services.obs.removeObserver(obs, "social:ambient-notification-changed");
-        // Let the other observers (like the one that updates the UI) run before
-        // checking the icons.
-        executeSoon(function () {
-          iconsReady = true;
-          checkNext();
-        });
-      }, "social:ambient-notification-changed", false);
-    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/browser/base/content/test/social_worker.js b/browser/base/content/test/social_worker.js
index 8d4b3541d3c..1e047d996b9 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/test/social_worker.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/social_worker.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ onconnect = function(e) {
     switch (topic) {
       case "test-init":
         testPort = port;
+        port.postMessage({topic: "test-init-done"});
         break;
       case "sidebar-message":
         sidebarPort = port;
@@ -69,7 +70,6 @@ onconnect = function(e) {
       case "social.initialize":
         // This is the workerAPI port, respond and set up a notification icon.
         apiPort = port;
-        port.postMessage({topic: "social.initialize-response"});
         let profile = {
           portrait: "https://example.com/portrait.jpg",
           userName: "trickster",
diff --git a/toolkit/components/social/WorkerAPI.jsm b/toolkit/components/social/WorkerAPI.jsm
index 48e12b7ff92..0c2f05f3698 100644
--- a/toolkit/components/social/WorkerAPI.jsm
+++ b/toolkit/components/social/WorkerAPI.jsm
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@ function WorkerAPI(provider, port) {
   this._port = port;
   this._port.onmessage = this._handleMessage.bind(this);
 
-  this.initialized = false;
-
   // Send an "intro" message so the worker knows this is the port
   // used for the api.
   // later we might even include an API version - version 0 for now!
@@ -54,9 +52,6 @@ WorkerAPI.prototype = {
   },
 
   handlers: {
-    "social.initialize-response": function (data) {
-      this.initialized = true;
-    },
     "social.user-profile": function (data) {
       this._provider.updateUserProfile(data);
     },
diff --git a/toolkit/components/social/test/browser/browser_workerAPI.js b/toolkit/components/social/test/browser/browser_workerAPI.js
index 2592af27627..5f68d19d6e6 100644
--- a/toolkit/components/social/test/browser/browser_workerAPI.js
+++ b/toolkit/components/social/test/browser/browser_workerAPI.js
@@ -24,24 +24,6 @@ function test() {
 }
 
 let tests = {
-  testInitializeWorker: function(next) {
-    ok(provider.workerAPI, "provider has a workerAPI");
-    is(provider.workerAPI.initialized, false, "workerAPI is not yet initialized");
-  
-    let port = provider.getWorkerPort();
-    ok(port, "should be able to get a port from the provider");
-
-    port.onmessage = function onMessage(event) {
-      let topic = event.data.topic;
-      if (topic == "test-initialization-complete") {
-        is(provider.workerAPI.initialized, true, "workerAPI is now initialized");
-        port.close();
-        next();
-      }
-    }
-    port.postMessage({topic: "test-initialization"});
-  },
-
   testProfile: function(next) {
     let expect = {
       portrait: "https://example.com/portrait.jpg",
@@ -58,12 +40,15 @@ let tests = {
       is(profile.displayName, expect.displayName, "displayName is set");
       is(profile.profileURL, expect.profileURL, "profileURL is set");
 
+      // see below - if not for bug 788368 we could close this earlier.
+      port.close();
       next();
     }
     Services.obs.addObserver(ob, "social:profile-changed", false);
     let port = provider.getWorkerPort();
     port.postMessage({topic: "test-profile", data: expect});
-    port.close();
+    // theoretically we should be able to close the port here, but bug 788368
+    // means that if we do, the worker never sees the test-profile message.
   },
 
   testAmbientNotification: function(next) {
diff --git a/toolkit/components/social/test/browser/worker_social.js b/toolkit/components/social/test/browser/worker_social.js
index 8890dd5391a..efc26240b79 100644
--- a/toolkit/components/social/test/browser/worker_social.js
+++ b/toolkit/components/social/test/browser/worker_social.js
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ onconnect = function(e) {
     switch (topic) {
       case "social.initialize":
         apiPort = port;
-        apiPort.postMessage({topic: "social.initialize-response"});
         break;
       case "test-initialization":
         testerPort = port;