--- a/security/sandbox/win/src/sandboxbroker/sandboxBroker.cpp
+++ b/security/sandbox/win/src/sandboxbroker/sandboxBroker.cpp
@@ -429,46 +429,62 @@ SandboxBroker::SetSecurityLevelForGMPlug
   ret = ret && (sandbox::SBOX_ALL_OK == result);
 
   return ret;
 }
 
 bool
 SandboxBroker::AllowReadFile(wchar_t const *file)
 {
+  if (!mPolicy) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
   auto result =
     mPolicy->AddRule(sandbox::TargetPolicy::SUBSYS_FILES,
                      sandbox::TargetPolicy::FILES_ALLOW_READONLY,
                      file);
   return (sandbox::SBOX_ALL_OK == result);
 }
 
 bool
 SandboxBroker::AllowReadWriteFile(wchar_t const *file)
 {
+  if (!mPolicy) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
   auto result =
     mPolicy->AddRule(sandbox::TargetPolicy::SUBSYS_FILES,
                      sandbox::TargetPolicy::FILES_ALLOW_ANY,
                      file);
   return (sandbox::SBOX_ALL_OK == result);
 }
 
 bool
 SandboxBroker::AllowDirectory(wchar_t const *dir)
 {
+  if (!mPolicy) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
   auto result =
     mPolicy->AddRule(sandbox::TargetPolicy::SUBSYS_FILES,
                      sandbox::TargetPolicy::FILES_ALLOW_DIR_ANY,
                      dir);
   return (sandbox::SBOX_ALL_OK == result);
 }
 
 bool
 SandboxBroker::AddTargetPeer(HANDLE aPeerProcess)
 {
+  if (!sBrokerService) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
   sandbox::ResultCode result = sBrokerService->AddTargetPeer(aPeerProcess);
   return (sandbox::SBOX_ALL_OK == result);
 }
 
 SandboxBroker::~SandboxBroker()
 {
   if (mPolicy) {
     mPolicy->Release();

--- a/toolkit/components/telemetry/Histograms.json
+++ b/toolkit/components/telemetry/Histograms.json
@@ -10460,10 +10460,17 @@
     "alert_emails": ["wmccloskey@mozilla.com"],
     "bug_numbers": [1260908],
     "expires_in_version": "55",
     "kind": "exponential",
     "high": 8000000,
     "n_buckets": 50,
     "keyed": true,
     "description": "Measures the size of message manager messages by message name"
+  },
+  "SANDBOX_BROKER_INITIALIZED": {
+    "alert_emails": ["bowen@mozilla.com"],
+    "bug_numbers": [1256992],
+    "expires_in_version": "55",
+    "kind": "boolean",
+    "description": "Result of call to SandboxBroker::Initialize"
   }
 }

--- a/toolkit/xre/nsAppRunner.cpp
+++ b/toolkit/xre/nsAppRunner.cpp
@@ -3361,16 +3361,34 @@ XREMain::XRE_mainInit(bool* aExitFlag)
 #endif
 
         SaveWordToEnv("MOZ_CRASHREPORTER_STRINGS_OVERRIDE", overridePath);
       }
     }
   }
 #endif
 
+#if defined(MOZ_SANDBOX) && defined(XP_WIN)
+  bool brokerInitialized = SandboxBroker::Initialize();
+  Telemetry::Accumulate(Telemetry::SANDBOX_BROKER_INITIALIZED,
+                        brokerInitialized);
+  if (!brokerInitialized) {
+#if defined(MOZ_CONTENT_SANDBOX)
+    // If we're sandboxing content and we fail to initialize, then crashing here
+    // seems like the sensible option.
+    if (BrowserTabsRemoteAutostart()) {
+      MOZ_CRASH("Failed to initialize broker services, can't continue.");
+    }
+#endif
+    // Otherwise just warn for the moment, as most things will work.
+    NS_WARNING("Failed to initialize broker services, sandboxed processes will "
+               "fail to start.");
+  }
+#endif
+
 #ifdef XP_MACOSX
   if (EnvHasValue("MOZ_LAUNCHED_CHILD")) {
     // This is needed, on relaunch, to force the OS to use the "Cocoa Dock
     // API".  Otherwise the call to ReceiveNextEvent() below will make it
     // use the "Carbon Dock API".  For more info see bmo bug 377166.
     EnsureUseCocoaDockAPI();
 
     // When the app relaunches, the original process exits.  This causes
@@ -3724,22 +3742,16 @@ XREMain::XRE_mainStartup(bool* aExitFlag
   if (!gtk_parse_args(&gArgc, &gArgv))
     return 1;
 #endif /* MOZ_WIDGET_GTK */
 
   if (PR_GetEnv("MOZ_RUN_GTEST")) {
     int result;
 #ifdef XP_WIN
     UseParentConsole();
-#if defined(MOZ_SANDBOX)
-    if (!SandboxBroker::Initialize()) {
-      NS_WARNING("Failed to initialize broker services, sandboxed processes "
-                 "will fail to start.");
-    }
-#endif
 #endif
     // RunGTest will only be set if we're in xul-unit
     if (mozilla::RunGTest) {
       gIsGtest = true;
       result = mozilla::RunGTest();
       gIsGtest = false;
     } else {
       result = 1;
@@ -4315,30 +4327,16 @@ XREMain::XRE_mainRun()
 
 #ifdef MOZ_INSTRUMENT_EVENT_LOOP
   if (PR_GetEnv("MOZ_INSTRUMENT_EVENT_LOOP")) {
     bool logToConsole = true;
     mozilla::InitEventTracing(logToConsole);
   }
 #endif /* MOZ_INSTRUMENT_EVENT_LOOP */
 
-#if defined(MOZ_SANDBOX) && defined(XP_WIN)
-  if (!SandboxBroker::Initialize()) {
-#if defined(MOZ_CONTENT_SANDBOX)
-    // If we're sandboxing content and we fail to initialize, then crashing here
-    // seems like the sensible option.
-    if (BrowserTabsRemoteAutostart()) {
-      MOZ_CRASH("Failed to initialize broker services, can't continue.");
-    }
-#endif
-    // Otherwise just warn for the moment, as most things will work.
-    NS_WARNING("Failed to initialize broker services, sandboxed processes will "
-               "fail to start.");
-  }
-#endif
 #if (defined(XP_WIN) || defined(XP_MACOSX)) && defined(MOZ_CONTENT_SANDBOX)
   SetUpSandboxEnvironment();
 #endif
 
   {
     rv = appStartup->Run();
     if (NS_FAILED(rv)) {
       NS_ERROR("failed to run appstartup");