diff --git a/widget/src/windows/nsWindow.cpp b/widget/src/windows/nsWindow.cpp
index 5db06086cdc..853ad99136c 100644
--- a/widget/src/windows/nsWindow.cpp
+++ b/widget/src/windows/nsWindow.cpp
@@ -3168,6 +3168,14 @@ nsWindow::GetLayerManager()
     return nsBaseWidget::GetLayerManager();
   }
 
+  /* We don't currently support using an accelerated layer manager with
+   * transparent windows so don't even try. I'm also not sure if we even
+   * want to support this case. See bug #593471 */
+  if (eTransparencyTransparent == mTransparencyMode) {
+    mUseAcceleratedRendering = PR_FALSE;
+    return nsBaseWidget::GetLayerManager();
+  }
+
   if (topWindow->GetAcceleratedRendering() != mUseAcceleratedRendering) {
     mLayerManager = NULL;
     mUseAcceleratedRendering = topWindow->GetAcceleratedRendering();