--- a/gfx/src/nsThebesGfxFactory.cpp
+++ b/gfx/src/nsThebesGfxFactory.cpp
@@ -132,17 +132,18 @@ static const mozilla::Module::ContractID
 static const mozilla::Module::CategoryEntry kThebesCategories[] = {
     { "app-startup", "Gfx Initialization", "service,@mozilla.org/gfx/init;1" },
     { NULL }
 };
 
 static nsresult
 nsThebesGfxModuleCtor()
 {
-    return gfxPlatform::Init();
+    gfxPlatform::Init();
+    return NS_OK;
 }
 
 static void
 nsThebesGfxModuleDtor()
 {
     nsDeviceContext::ClearCachedSystemFonts();
     gfxPlatform::Shutdown();
 }

--- a/gfx/thebes/gfxPlatform.cpp
+++ b/gfx/thebes/gfxPlatform.cpp
@@ -229,17 +229,17 @@ gfxPlatform::gfxPlatform()
 }
 
 gfxPlatform*
 gfxPlatform::GetPlatform()
 {
     return gPlatform;
 }
 
-nsresult
+void
 gfxPlatform::Init()
 {
     NS_ASSERTION(!gPlatform, "Already started???");
 
     gfxAtoms::RegisterAtoms();
 
 #ifdef PR_LOGGING
     sFontlistLog = PR_NewLogModule("fontlist");;
@@ -276,67 +276,55 @@ gfxPlatform::Init()
     #error "No gfxPlatform implementation available"
 #endif
 
     nsresult rv;
 
 #if defined(XP_MACOSX) || defined(XP_WIN) || defined(ANDROID) // temporary, until this is implemented on others
     rv = gfxPlatformFontList::Init();
     if (NS_FAILED(rv)) {
-        NS_ERROR("Could not initialize gfxPlatformFontList");
-        Shutdown();
-        return rv;
+        NS_RUNTIMEABORT("Could not initialize gfxPlatformFontList");
     }
 #endif
 
     gPlatform->mScreenReferenceSurface =
         gPlatform->CreateOffscreenSurface(gfxIntSize(1,1),
                                           gfxASurface::CONTENT_COLOR_ALPHA);
     if (!gPlatform->mScreenReferenceSurface) {
-        NS_ERROR("Could not initialize mScreenReferenceSurface");
-        Shutdown();
-        return NS_ERROR_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+        NS_RUNTIMEABORT("Could not initialize mScreenReferenceSurface");
     }
 
     rv = gfxFontCache::Init();
     if (NS_FAILED(rv)) {
-        NS_ERROR("Could not initialize gfxFontCache");
-        Shutdown();
-        return rv;
+        NS_RUNTIMEABORT("Could not initialize gfxFontCache");
     }
 
     rv = gfxTextRunWordCache::Init();
     if (NS_FAILED(rv)) {
-        NS_ERROR("Could not initialize gfxTextRunWordCache");
-        Shutdown();
-        return rv;
+        NS_RUNTIMEABORT("Could not initialize gfxTextRunWordCache");
     }
 
     rv = gfxTextRunCache::Init();
     if (NS_FAILED(rv)) {
-        NS_ERROR("Could not initialize gfxTextRunCache");
-        Shutdown();
-        return rv;
+        NS_RUNTIMEABORT("Could not initialize gfxTextRunCache");
     }
 
     /* Pref migration hook. */
     MigratePrefs();
 
     /* Create and register our CMS Override observer. */
     gPlatform->overrideObserver = new SRGBOverrideObserver();
     FontPrefsObserver *fontPrefObserver = new FontPrefsObserver();
 
     nsCOMPtr<nsIPrefBranch2> prefs = do_GetService(NS_PREFSERVICE_CONTRACTID);
     if (prefs) {
         prefs->AddObserver(CMForceSRGBPrefName, gPlatform->overrideObserver, PR_TRUE);
         prefs->AddObserver("gfx.downloadable_fonts.", fontPrefObserver, PR_FALSE);
         prefs->AddObserver("gfx.font_rendering.", fontPrefObserver, PR_FALSE);
     }
-
-    return NS_OK;
 }
 
 void
 gfxPlatform::Shutdown()
 {
     // These may be called before the corresponding subsystems have actually
     // started up. That's OK, they can handle it.
     gfxTextRunCache::Shutdown();

--- a/gfx/thebes/gfxPlatform.h
+++ b/gfx/thebes/gfxPlatform.h
@@ -142,22 +142,23 @@ public:
     /**
      * Return a pointer to the current active platform.
      * This is a singleton; it contains mostly convenience
      * functions to obtain platform-specific objects.
      */
     static gfxPlatform *GetPlatform();
 
     /**
-     * Start up Thebes. This can fail.
+     * Start up Thebes.
      */
-    static nsresult Init();
+    static void Init();
 
     /**
-     * Clean up static objects to shut down thebes.
+     * Shut down Thebes.
+     * Init() arranges for this to be called at an appropriate time.
      */
     static void Shutdown();
 
     /**
      * Create an offscreen surface of the given dimensions
      * and image format.
      */
     virtual already_AddRefed<gfxASurface> CreateOffscreenSurface(const gfxIntSize& size,