--- a/browser/components/customizableui/src/CustomizableUI.jsm
+++ b/browser/components/customizableui/src/CustomizableUI.jsm
@@ -2174,17 +2174,26 @@ function WidgetSingleWrapper(aWidget, aN
   }
 
   this.__defineGetter__("disabled", function() aNode.disabled);
   this.__defineSetter__("disabled", function(aValue) {
     aNode.disabled = !!aValue;
   });
 
   this.__defineGetter__("anchor", function() {
-    let anchorId = aNode.getAttribute("customizableui-anchorid");
+    let anchorId;
+    // First check for an anchor for the area:
+    let placement = CustomizableUIInternal.getPlacementOfWidget(aWidgetId);
+    if (placement) {
+      anchorId = gAreas.get(placement.area).get("anchor");
+    }
+    if (!anchorId) {
+      anchorId = aNode.getAttribute("customizableui-anchorid");
+    }
+
     return anchorId ? aNode.ownerDocument.getElementById(anchorId)
                     : aNode;
   });
 
   this.__defineGetter__("overflowed", function() {
     return aNode.classList.contains("overflowedItem");
   });
 
@@ -2254,17 +2263,26 @@ function XULWidgetSingleWrapper(aWidgetI
 
   this.id = aWidgetId;
   this.type = "custom";
   this.provider = CustomizableUI.PROVIDER_XUL;
 
   this.node = aNode;
 
   this.__defineGetter__("anchor", function() {
-    let anchorId = aNode.getAttribute("customizableui-anchorid");
+    let anchorId;
+    // First check for an anchor for the area:
+    let placement = CustomizableUIInternal.getPlacementOfWidget(aWidgetId);
+    if (placement) {
+      anchorId = gAreas.get(placement.area).get("anchor");
+    }
+    if (!anchorId) {
+      anchorId = aNode.getAttribute("customizableui-anchorid");
+    }
+
     return anchorId ? aNode.ownerDocument.getElementById(anchorId)
                     : aNode;
   });
 
   this.__defineGetter__("overflowed", function() {
     return aNode.classList.contains("overflowedItem");
   });
 

--- a/browser/components/downloads/content/indicator.js
+++ b/browser/components/downloads/content/indicator.js
@@ -323,20 +323,30 @@ const DownloadsIndicatorView = {
       return;
     }
 
     // No need to show visual notification if the panel is visible.
     if (DownloadsPanel.isPanelShowing) {
       return;
     }
 
-    // If the anchor is not there or its container is hidden, don't show
-    // a notification
     let anchor = DownloadsButton._placeholder;
+    let widgetGroup = CustomizableUI.getWidget("downloads-button");
+    let widgetInWindow = widgetGroup.forWindow(window);
+    if (widgetInWindow.overflowed || widgetGroup.areaType == CustomizableUI.TYPE_MENU_PANEL) {
+      if (anchor && isElementVisible(anchor.parentNode)) {
+        // If the panel is open, don't do anything:
+        return;
+      }
+
+      // Otherwise, try to use the anchor of the panel:
+      anchor = widgetInWindow.anchor;
+    }
     if (!anchor || !isElementVisible(anchor.parentNode)) {
+      // Our container isn't visible, so can't show the animation:
       return;
     }
 
     if (this._notificationTimeout) {
       clearTimeout(this._notificationTimeout);
     }
 
     // The notification element is positioned to show in the same location as