--- a/build/automationutils.py
+++ b/build/automationutils.py
@@ -349,18 +349,23 @@ def processSingleLeakFile(leakLogFileNam
     return
 
   if totalBytesLeaked == 0:
     log.info("TEST-PASS | leakcheck |%s no leaks detected!" % processString)
     return
 
   # totalBytesLeaked was seen and is non-zero.
   if totalBytesLeaked > leakThreshold:
-    # Fail the run if we're over the threshold (which defaults to 0)
-    prefix = "TEST-UNEXPECTED-FAIL"
+    if processType and processType == "tab":
+      # For now, ignore tab process leaks. See bug 1051230.
+      log.info("WARNING | leakcheck | ignoring leaks in tab process")
+      prefix = "WARNING"
+    else:
+      # Fail the run if we're over the threshold (which defaults to 0)
+      prefix = "TEST-UNEXPECTED-FAIL"
   else:
     prefix = "WARNING"
   # Create a comma delimited string of the first N leaked objects found,
   # to aid with bug summary matching in TBPL. Note: The order of the objects
   # had no significance (they're sorted alphabetically).
   maxSummaryObjects = 5
   leakedObjectSummary = ', '.join(leakedObjectNames[:maxSummaryObjects])
   if len(leakedObjectNames) > maxSummaryObjects: