--- a/browser/components/downloads/content/contentAreaDownloadsView.js
+++ b/browser/components/downloads/content/contentAreaDownloadsView.js
@@ -6,10 +6,12 @@ Components.utils.import("resource://gre/
 
 var ContentAreaDownloadsView = {
   init() {
     let view = new DownloadsPlacesView(document.getElementById("downloadsRichListBox"));
     // Do not display the Places downloads in private windows
     if (!PrivateBrowsingUtils.isContentWindowPrivate(window)) {
       view.place = "place:transition=7&sort=4";
     }
+    // Set focus to Downloads list once it is created
+    document.getElementById("downloadsRichListBox").focus();
   },
 };

--- a/browser/themes/shared/downloads/contentAreaDownloadsView.css
+++ b/browser/themes/shared/downloads/contentAreaDownloadsView.css
@@ -3,18 +3,19 @@
  * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
 
 @import url("chrome://global/skin/in-content/common.css");
 
 #contentAreaDownloadsView {
   padding: 18px;
 }
 
-#downloadsRichListBox:not(:-moz-focusring) {
+#downloadsRichListBox:empty {
   border-color: transparent;
+  background-color: transparent;
 }
 
 .downloadButton:not([disabled="true"]):hover,
 .downloadButton:not([disabled="true"]):hover:active,
 .downloadButton:not([disabled]):hover:active {
   background: transparent;
   border: none;
 }