diff --git a/dom/ipc/ContentParent.cpp b/dom/ipc/ContentParent.cpp
index 6e289db6115..056549642be 100644
--- a/dom/ipc/ContentParent.cpp
+++ b/dom/ipc/ContentParent.cpp
@@ -512,22 +512,27 @@ ContentParent::RecvAsyncMessage(const nsString& aMsg, const nsString& aJSON)
 bool
 ContentParent::RecvGeolocationStart()
 {
-  nsCOMPtr<nsIDOMGeoGeolocation> geo = do_GetService("@mozilla.org/geolocation;1");
-  if (!geo) {
-    return true;
+  if (mGeolocationWatchID == -1) {
+    nsCOMPtr<nsIDOMGeoGeolocation> geo = do_GetService("@mozilla.org/geolocation;1");
+    if (!geo) {
+      return true;
+    }
+    geo->WatchPosition(this, nsnull, nsnull, &mGeolocationWatchID);
   }
-  geo->WatchPosition(this, nsnull, nsnull, &mGeolocationWatchID);
   return true;
 }
 
 bool
 ContentParent::RecvGeolocationStop()
 {
-  nsCOMPtr<nsIDOMGeoGeolocation> geo = do_GetService("@mozilla.org/geolocation;1");
-  if (!geo) {
-    return true;
+  if (mGeolocationWatchID != -1) {
+    nsCOMPtr<nsIDOMGeoGeolocation> geo = do_GetService("@mozilla.org/geolocation;1");
+    if (!geo) {
+      return true;
+    }
+    geo->ClearWatch(mGeolocationWatchID);
+    mGeolocationWatchID = -1;
   }
-  geo->ClearWatch(mGeolocationWatchID);
   return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/dom/src/geolocation/nsGeolocation.cpp b/dom/src/geolocation/nsGeolocation.cpp
index 38578100f83..9091f8c7930 100644
--- a/dom/src/geolocation/nsGeolocation.cpp
+++ b/dom/src/geolocation/nsGeolocation.cpp
@@ -741,6 +741,11 @@ nsGeolocationService::StartDevice()
   if (!sGeoEnabled)
     return NS_ERROR_NOT_AVAILABLE;
 
+  // we do not want to keep the geolocation devices online
+  // indefinitely.  Close them down after a reasonable period of
+  // inactivivity
+  SetDisconnectTimer();
+
 #ifdef MOZ_IPC
   if (XRE_GetProcessType() == GeckoProcessType_Content) {
     ContentChild* cpc = ContentChild::GetSingleton();
@@ -750,26 +755,18 @@ nsGeolocationService::StartDevice()
 #endif
 
   // Start them up!
-  nsresult rv = NS_ERROR_NOT_AVAILABLE;
-  for (PRUint32 i = mProviders.Count() - 1; i != PRUint32(-1); --i) {
-    // If any provder gets started without error, go ahead
-    // and proceed without error
-    nsresult temp = mProviders[i]->Startup();
-    if (NS_SUCCEEDED(temp)) {
-      rv = NS_OK;
+  nsCOMPtr<nsIObserverService> obs = mozilla::services::GetObserverService();
+  if (!obs)
+    return NS_ERROR_FAILURE;
 
-      mProviders[i]->Watch(this);
-    }
+  for (PRUint32 i = 0; i < mProviders.Count(); i++) {
+    mProviders[i]->Startup();
+    mProviders[i]->Watch(this);
+    obs->NotifyObservers(mProviders[i],
+                         "geolocation-device-events",
+                         NS_LITERAL_STRING("starting").get());
   }
   
-  if (NS_FAILED(rv)) 
-    return NS_ERROR_NOT_AVAILABLE;
-  
-  // we do not want to keep the geolocation devices online
-  // indefinitely.  Close them down after a reasonable period of
-  // inactivivity
-  SetDisconnectTimer();
-
   return NS_OK;
 }
 
@@ -802,8 +799,15 @@ nsGeolocationService::StopDevice()
   }
 #endif
 
-  for (PRUint32 i = mProviders.Count() - 1; i != PRUint32(-1); --i) {
+  nsCOMPtr<nsIObserverService> obs = mozilla::services::GetObserverService();
+  if (!obs)
+    return;
+
+  for (PRUint32 i = 0; i <mProviders.Count(); i++) {
     mProviders[i]->Shutdown();
+    obs->NotifyObservers(mProviders[i],
+                         "geolocation-device-events",
+                         NS_LITERAL_STRING("shutdown").get());
   }
 }
 
@@ -944,7 +948,11 @@ nsGeolocation::Shutdown()
 PRBool
 nsGeolocation::HasActiveCallbacks()
 {
-  return mWatchingCallbacks.Length() != 0;
+  for (PRUint32 i = 0; i < mWatchingCallbacks.Length(); i++)
+    if (mWatchingCallbacks[i]->IsActive())
+      return PR_TRUE;
+
+  return PR_FALSE;
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/dom/src/geolocation/nsGeolocation.h b/dom/src/geolocation/nsGeolocation.h
index 89bb22447d6..2054ec920f8 100644
--- a/dom/src/geolocation/nsGeolocation.h
+++ b/dom/src/geolocation/nsGeolocation.h
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ class nsGeolocationRequest
 
   void SendLocation(nsIDOMGeoPosition* location);
   void MarkCleared();
+  PRBool IsActive() {return !mCleared;}
   PRBool Allowed() {return mAllowed;}
   void SetTimeoutTimer();
 
diff --git a/dom/tests/unit/test_geolocation_provider.js b/dom/tests/unit/test_geolocation_provider.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c283852f842
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dom/tests/unit/test_geolocation_provider.js
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+
+const Ci = Components.interfaces;
+const Cc = Components.classes;
+
+function successCallback(pos){}
+
+var observer = {
+    QueryInterface: function(iid) {
+	if (iid.equals(Components.interfaces.nsISupports) ||
+	    iid.equals(Components.interfaces.nsIObserver))
+	    return this;
+	throw Components.results.NS_ERROR_NO_INTERFACE;
+    },
+
+    observe: function(subject, topic, data) {
+	if (data == "shutdown") {
+	    do_check_true(1)
+	    do_test_finished();
+	}
+	else if (data == "starting") {
+	    do_check_true(1)
+	}
+
+    },
+};
+
+
+function run_test()
+{
+    // only kill this test when shutdown is called on the provider.
+    do_test_pending();
+
+    var obs = Cc["@mozilla.org/observer-service;1"].getService();
+    obs = obs.QueryInterface(Ci.nsIObserverService);
+    obs.addObserver(observer, "geolocation-device-events", false); 
+
+    var geolocation = Cc["@mozilla.org/geolocation;1"].getService(Ci.nsIDOMGeoGeolocation);
+    var watchID = geolocation.watchPosition(successCallback);
+    do_timeout(1000, function() { geolocation.clearWatch(watchID);})
+}
+