--- a/browser/base/content/tabview/tabitems.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/tabview/tabitems.js
@@ -81,16 +81,18 @@ function TabItem(tab, options) {
   this.tabCanvas = new TabCanvas(this.tab, this.canvasEl);
 
   this.defaultSize = new Point(TabItems.tabWidth, TabItems.tabHeight);
   this.locked = {};
   this.isATabItem = true;
   this._zoomPrep = false;
   this.sizeExtra = new Point();
   this.keepProportional = true;
+  this._hasBeenDrawn = false;
+  this._reconnected = false;
 
   var self = this;
 
   this.isDragging = false;
 
   this.sizeExtra.x = parseInt($div.css('padding-left'))
       + parseInt($div.css('padding-right'));
 
@@ -99,20 +101,16 @@ function TabItem(tab, options) {
 
   this.bounds = $div.bounds();
 
   this._lastTabUpdateTime = Date.now();
 
   // ___ superclass setup
   this._init($div[0]);
 
-  // ___ reconnect to data from Storage
-  this._hasBeenDrawn = false;
-  let reconnected = TabItems.reconnect(this);
-
   // ___ drag/drop
   // override dropOptions with custom tabitem methods
   // This is mostly to support the phantom groupItems.
   this.dropOptions.drop = function(e) {
     var $target = iQ(this.container);
     this.isDropTarget = false;
 
     var phantom = $target.data("phantomGroupItem");
@@ -201,29 +199,25 @@ function TabItem(tab, options) {
     .addClass('close')
     .appendTo($div);
   this.closeEl = (iQ(".close", $div))[0];
 
   iQ("<div>")
     .addClass('expander')
     .appendTo($div);
 
+  this.setResizable(true, options.immediately);
+  this.droppable(true);
   this._updateDebugBounds();
 
   TabItems.register(this);
 
-  if (!this.reconnected)
-    GroupItems.newTab(this, options);
-
-  // tabs which were not reconnected at all or were not immediately added
-  // to a group get the same treatment.
-  if (!this.reconnected || (reconnected && !reconnected.addedToGroup) ) {
-    this.setResizable(true, options.immediately);
-    this.droppable(true);
-  }
+  // ___ reconnect to data from Storage
+  if (!TabItems.reconnectingPaused())
+    this._reconnect();
 };
 
 TabItem.prototype = Utils.extend(new Item(), new Subscribable(), {
   // ----------
   // Function: forceCanvasSize
   // Repaints the thumbnail with the given resolution, and forces it
   // to stay that resolution until unforceCanvasSize is called.
   forceCanvasSize: function TabItem_forceCanvasSize(w, h) {
@@ -320,28 +314,70 @@ TabItem.prototype = Utils.extend(new Ite
   // ----------
   // Function: save
   // Store persistent for this object.
   //
   // Parameters:
   //   saveImageData - true to include thumbnail pixels (and page title as well); default false
   save: function TabItem_save(saveImageData) {
     try{
-      if (!this.tab || this.tab.parentNode == null || !this.reconnected) // too soon/late to save
+      if (!this.tab || this.tab.parentNode == null || !this._reconnected) // too soon/late to save
         return;
 
       var data = this.getStorageData(saveImageData);
       if (TabItems.storageSanity(data))
         Storage.saveTab(this.tab, data);
     } catch(e) {
       Utils.log("Error in saving tab value: "+e);
     }
   },
 
   // ----------
+  // Function: _reconnect
+  // Load the reciever's persistent data from storage. If there is none, 
+  // treats it as a new tab. 
+  _reconnect: function TabItem__reconnect() {
+    Utils.assertThrow(!this._reconnected, "shouldn't already be reconnected");
+    Utils.assertThrow(this.tab, "should have a xul:tab");
+    
+    let tabData = Storage.getTabData(this.tab);
+    if (tabData && TabItems.storageSanity(tabData)) {
+      if (this.parent)
+        this.parent.remove(this, {immediately: true});
+
+      this.setBounds(tabData.bounds, true);
+
+      if (Utils.isPoint(tabData.userSize))
+        this.userSize = new Point(tabData.userSize);
+
+      if (tabData.groupID) {
+        var groupItem = GroupItems.groupItem(tabData.groupID);
+        if (groupItem) {
+          groupItem.add(this, null, {immediately: true});
+
+          // if it matches the selected tab or no active tab and the browser 
+          // tab is hidden, the active group item would be set.
+          if (this.tab == gBrowser.selectedTab || 
+              (!GroupItems.getActiveGroupItem() && !this.tab.hidden))
+            GroupItems.setActiveGroupItem(this.parent);
+        }
+      }
+
+      if (tabData.imageData)
+        this.showCachedData(tabData);
+    } else {
+      GroupItems.newTab(this, {immediately: true});
+    }
+
+    this._reconnected = true;  
+    this.save();
+    this._sendToSubscribers("reconnected");
+  },
+  
+  // ----------
   // Function: setBounds
   // Moves this item to the specified location and size.
   //
   // Parameters:
   //   rect - a <Rect> giving the new bounds
   //   immediately - true if it should not animate; default false
   //   options - an object with additional parameters, see below
   //
@@ -747,16 +783,17 @@ let TabItems = {
   tabsProgressListener: null,
   _tabsWaitingForUpdate: [],
   _heartbeatOn: false, // see explanation at startHeartbeat() below
   _heartbeatTiming: 100, // milliseconds between _checkHeartbeat() calls
   _lastUpdateTime: Date.now(),
   _eventListeners: [],
   _pauseUpdateForTest: false,
   tempCanvas: null,
+  _reconnectingPaused: false,
 
   // ----------
   // Function: init
   // Set up the necessary tracking to maintain the <TabItems>s.
   init: function TabItems_init() {
     Utils.assert(window.AllTabs, "AllTabs must be initialized first");
     let self = this;
 
@@ -897,20 +934,16 @@ let TabItems = {
       if (iconUrl != tabItem.favImgEl.src)
         tabItem.favImgEl.src = iconUrl;
 
       // ___ URL
       let tabUrl = tab.linkedBrowser.currentURI.spec;
       if (tabUrl != tabItem.url) {
         let oldURL = tabItem.url;
         tabItem.url = tabUrl;
-
-        if (!tabItem.reconnected)
-          this.reconnect(tabItem);
-
         tabItem.save();
       }
 
       // ___ label
       let label = tab.label;
       let $name = iQ(tabItem.nameEl);
       if (!tabItem.isShowingCachedData() && $name.text() != label)
         $name.text(label);
@@ -1055,16 +1088,45 @@ let TabItems = {
   // Function: isPaintingPaused
   // Returns a boolean indicating whether painting
   // is paused or not.
   isPaintingPaused: function TabItems_isPaintingPaused() {
     return this.paintingPaused > 0;
   },
 
   // ----------
+  // Function: pauseReconnecting
+  // Don't reconnect any new tabs until resume is called.
+  pauseReconnecting: function TabItems_pauseReconnecting() {
+    Utils.assertThrow(!this._reconnectingPaused, "shouldn't already be paused");
+
+    this._reconnectingPaused = true;
+  },
+  
+  // ----------
+  // Function: resumeReconnecting
+  // Reconnect all of the tabs that were created since we paused.
+  resumeReconnecting: function TabItems_resumeReconnecting() {
+    Utils.assertThrow(this._reconnectingPaused, "should already be paused");
+
+    this._reconnectingPaused = false;
+    this.items.forEach(function(item) {
+      if (!item._reconnected)
+        item._reconnect();
+    });
+  },
+  
+  // ----------
+  // Function: reconnectingPaused
+  // Returns true if reconnecting is paused.
+  reconnectingPaused: function TabItems_reconnectingPaused() {
+    return this._reconnectingPaused;
+  },
+  
+  // ----------
   // Function: register
   // Adds the given <TabItem> to the master list.
   register: function TabItems_register(item) {
     Utils.assert(item && item.isAnItem, 'item must be a TabItem');
     Utils.assert(this.items.indexOf(item) == -1, 'only register once per item');
     this.items.push(item);
   },
 
@@ -1105,77 +1167,16 @@ let TabItems = {
   storageSanity: function TabItems_storageSanity(data) {
     var sane = true;
     if (!Utils.isRect(data.bounds)) {
       Utils.log('TabItems.storageSanity: bad bounds', data.bounds);
       sane = false;
     }
 
     return sane;
-  },
-
-  // ----------
-  // Function: reconnect
-  // Given a <TabItem>, attempts to load its persistent data from storage.
-  reconnect: function TabItems_reconnect(item) {
-    var found = false;
-
-    try{
-      Utils.assert(item, 'item');
-      Utils.assert(item.tab, 'item.tab');
-
-      if (item.reconnected)
-        return true;
-
-      if (!item.tab)
-        return false;
-
-      let tabData = Storage.getTabData(item.tab);
-      if (tabData && this.storageSanity(tabData)) {
-        if (item.parent)
-          item.parent.remove(item, {immediately: true});
-
-        item.setBounds(tabData.bounds, true);
-
-        if (Utils.isPoint(tabData.userSize))
-          item.userSize = new Point(tabData.userSize);
-
-        if (tabData.groupID) {
-          var groupItem = GroupItems.groupItem(tabData.groupID);
-          if (groupItem) {
-            groupItem.add(item, null, {immediately: true});
-
-            // if it matches the selected tab or no active tab and the browser 
-            // tab is hidden, the active group item would be set.
-            if (item.tab == gBrowser.selectedTab || 
-                (!GroupItems.getActiveGroupItem() && !item.tab.hidden))
-              GroupItems.setActiveGroupItem(item.parent);
-          }
-        }
-
-        if (tabData.imageData)
-          item.showCachedData(tabData);
-
-        item.reconnected = true;
-        found = {addedToGroup: tabData.groupID};
-      } else {
-        // We should never have any orphaned tabs. Therefore, item is not 
-        // connected if it has no parent and GroupItems.newTab() would handle 
-        // the group creation.
-        item.reconnected = (item.parent != null);
-      }
-      item.save();
-
-      if (item.reconnected)
-        item._sendToSubscribers("reconnected");
-    } catch(e) {
-      Utils.log(e);
-    }
-
-    return found;
   }
 };
 
 // ##########
 // Class: TabCanvas
 // Takes care of the actual canvas for the tab thumbnail
 // Does not need to be accessed from outside of tabitems.js
 function TabCanvas(tab, canvas) {

--- a/browser/base/content/tabview/ui.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/tabview/ui.js
@@ -530,16 +530,17 @@ let UI = {
         self._privateBrowsing.transitionStage = 2;
       else if (self._privateBrowsing.transitionStage == 3) {
         if (self._privateBrowsing.transitionMode == "exit" &&
             self._privateBrowsing.wasInTabView)
           self.showTabView(false);
 
         self._privateBrowsing.transitionStage = 0;
         self._privateBrowsing.transitionMode = "";
+        TabItems.resumeReconnecting();
       }
     }
 
     Services.obs.addObserver(srObserver, "sessionstore-browser-state-restored", false);
 
     this._cleanupFunctions.push(function() {
       Services.obs.removeObserver(srObserver, "sessionstore-browser-state-restored");
     });
@@ -564,16 +565,17 @@ let UI = {
           self._privateBrowsing.wasInTabView = self.isTabViewVisible();
           if (self.isTabViewVisible())
             self.goToTab(gBrowser.selectedTab);
         }
       } else if (aTopic == "private-browsing-change-granted") {
         if (aData == "enter" || aData == "exit") {
           self._privateBrowsing.transitionStage = 1;
           self._privateBrowsing.transitionMode = aData;
+          TabItems.pauseReconnecting();
         }
       }
     }
 
     Services.obs.addObserver(pbObserver, "private-browsing", false);
     Services.obs.addObserver(pbObserver, "private-browsing-change-granted", false);
 
     this._cleanupFunctions.push(function() {

--- a/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug597248.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug597248.js
@@ -197,17 +197,17 @@ function onTabViewShown() {
     }
   }
 
   let tabItems = contentWindow.TabItems.getItems();
   let count = tabItems.length;
   tabItems.forEach(function(tabItem) {
     // tabitem might not be connected so use subscriber for those which are not
     // connected.
-    if (tabItem.reconnected) {
+    if (tabItem._reconnected) {
       ok(tabItem.isShowingCachedData(), 
          "Tab item is showing cached data and is already connected. " +
          tabItem.tab.linkedBrowser.currentURI.spec);
       if (--count == 0)
         nextStep();
     } else {
       tabItem.addSubscriber(tabItem, "reconnected", function() {
         tabItem.removeSubscriber(tabItem, "reconnected");

--- a/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_orphaned_tabs.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_orphaned_tabs.js
@@ -87,17 +87,17 @@ function onTabViewWindowLoaded() {
       newWin.gBrowser.removeTab(tabItem.tab);
       whenWindowObservesOnce(newWin, "domwindowclosed", function() {
         finish();
       });
       newWin.close();
     };
     let tabItem = groupItem.getChild(0);
     // the item may not be connected so subscriber would be used in that case.
-    if (tabItem.reconnected) {
+    if (tabItem._reconnected) {
       checkAndFinish();
     } else {
       tabItem.addSubscriber(tabItem, "reconnected", function() {
         tabItem.removeSubscriber(tabItem, "reconnected");
         checkAndFinish();
       });
     }
   };