--- a/layout/ipc/RenderFrameParent.cpp
+++ b/layout/ipc/RenderFrameParent.cpp
@@ -3,16 +3,17 @@
  */
 /* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
  * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
  * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
 
 #include "base/basictypes.h"
 
 #include "BasicLayers.h"
+#include "gfxPrefs.h"
 #ifdef MOZ_ENABLE_D3D9_LAYER
 # include "LayerManagerD3D9.h"
 #endif //MOZ_ENABLE_D3D9_LAYER
 #include "mozilla/BrowserElementParent.h"
 #include "mozilla/dom/ContentChild.h"
 #include "mozilla/dom/TabParent.h"
 #include "mozilla/layers/APZCTreeManager.h"
 #include "mozilla/layers/CompositorParent.h"
@@ -323,17 +324,17 @@ RenderFrameParent::RenderFrameParent(nsF
 
 APZCTreeManager*
 RenderFrameParent::GetApzcTreeManager()
 {
   // We can't get a ref to the APZCTreeManager until after the child is
   // created and the static getter knows which CompositorParent is
   // instantiated with this layers ID. That's why try to fetch it when
   // we first need it and cache the result.
-  if (!mApzcTreeManager) {
+  if (!mApzcTreeManager && gfxPrefs::AsyncPanZoomEnabled()) {
     mApzcTreeManager = CompositorParent::GetAPZCTreeManager(mLayersId);
   }
   return mApzcTreeManager.get();
 }
 
 RenderFrameParent::~RenderFrameParent()
 {}