--- a/mobile/android/base/tabs/TabStripView.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/tabs/TabStripView.java
@@ -13,16 +13,17 @@ import android.graphics.drawable.Drawabl
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
 import android.view.animation.DecelerateInterpolator;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.view.ViewGroup;
 import android.view.ViewTreeObserver;
 import android.view.ViewTreeObserver.OnPreDrawListener;
 
 import com.nineoldandroids.animation.Animator;
+import com.nineoldandroids.animation.Animator.AnimatorListener;
 import com.nineoldandroids.animation.AnimatorSet;
 import com.nineoldandroids.animation.ObjectAnimator;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import org.mozilla.gecko.R;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.Tab;
@@ -34,16 +35,18 @@ public class TabStripView extends TwoWay
 
     private static final int ANIM_TIME_MS = 200;
     private static final DecelerateInterpolator ANIM_INTERPOLATOR =
             new DecelerateInterpolator();
 
     private final TabStripAdapter adapter;
     private final Drawable divider;
 
+    private final TabAnimatorListener animatorListener;
+
     // Filled by calls to ShapeDrawable.getPadding();
     // saved to prevent allocation in draw().
     private final Rect dividerPadding = new Rect();
 
     private boolean isPrivate;
 
     public TabStripView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
         super(context, attrs);
@@ -58,16 +61,18 @@ public class TabStripView extends TwoWay
 
         divider = resources.getDrawable(R.drawable.new_tablet_tab_strip_divider);
         divider.getPadding(dividerPadding);
 
         final int itemMargin =
                 resources.getDimensionPixelSize(R.dimen.new_tablet_tab_strip_item_margin);
         setItemMargin(itemMargin);
 
+        animatorListener = new TabAnimatorListener();
+
         adapter = new TabStripAdapter(context);
         setAdapter(adapter);
     }
 
     private View getViewForTab(Tab tab) {
         final int position = adapter.getPositionForTab(tab);
         return getChildAt(position - getFirstVisiblePosition());
     }
@@ -124,16 +129,17 @@ public class TabStripView extends TwoWay
                             ObjectAnimator.ofFloat(child, "translationX", removedSize, 0);
                     childAnimators.add(animator);
                 }
 
                 final AnimatorSet animatorSet = new AnimatorSet();
                 animatorSet.playTogether(childAnimators);
                 animatorSet.setDuration(ANIM_TIME_MS);
                 animatorSet.setInterpolator(ANIM_INTERPOLATOR);
+                animatorSet.addListener(animatorListener);
                 animatorSet.start();
 
                 return true;
             }
         });
     }
 
     private void animateNewTab(Tab newTab) {
@@ -172,16 +178,17 @@ public class TabStripView extends TwoWay
                     childAnimators.add(
                         ObjectAnimator.ofFloat(child, "translationX", -tabSize, 0));
                 }
 
                 final AnimatorSet animatorSet = new AnimatorSet();
                 animatorSet.playTogether(childAnimators);
                 animatorSet.setDuration(ANIM_TIME_MS);
                 animatorSet.setInterpolator(ANIM_INTERPOLATOR);
+                animatorSet.addListener(animatorListener);
                 animatorSet.start();
 
                 return true;
             }
         });
     }
 
     private void ensurePositionIsVisible(final int position) {
@@ -297,9 +304,38 @@ public class TabStripView extends TwoWay
 
             final int left = child.getLeft() - (itemMargin / 2) - dividerWidth;
             final int right = left + dividerWidth;
 
             divider.setBounds(left, top, right, bottom);
             divider.draw(canvas);
         }
     }
+
+    private class TabAnimatorListener implements AnimatorListener {
+        private void setLayerType(int layerType) {
+            final int childCount = getChildCount();
+            for (int i = 0; i < childCount; i++) {
+                getChildAt(i).setLayerType(layerType, null);
+            }
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public void onAnimationStart(Animator animation) {
+            setLayerType(View.LAYER_TYPE_HARDWARE);
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public void onAnimationEnd(Animator animation) {
+            // This method is called even if the animator is canceled.
+            setLayerType(View.LAYER_TYPE_NONE);
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public void onAnimationRepeat(Animator animation) {
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public void onAnimationCancel(Animator animation) {
+        }
+
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file