--- a/dom/workers/WorkerPrivate.cpp
+++ b/dom/workers/WorkerPrivate.cpp
@@ -2137,17 +2137,25 @@ JSObject*
 WorkerPrivateParent<Derived>::WrapObject(JSContext* aCx,
                                          JS::Handle<JSObject*> aScope)
 {
   MOZ_ASSERT(!IsSharedWorker(),
              "We should never wrap a WorkerPrivate for a SharedWorker");
 
   AssertIsOnParentThread();
 
-  return WorkerBinding::Wrap(aCx, aScope, ParentAsWorkerPrivate());
+  // XXXkhuey this should not need to be rooted, the analysis is dumb.
+  // See bug 980181.
+  JS::Rooted<JSObject*> wrapper(aCx,
+    WorkerBinding::Wrap(aCx, aScope, ParentAsWorkerPrivate()));
+  if (wrapper) {
+    MOZ_ALWAYS_TRUE(TryPreserveWrapper(wrapper));
+  }
+
+  return wrapper;
 }
 
 template <class Derived>
 nsresult
 WorkerPrivateParent<Derived>::DispatchPrivate(WorkerRunnable* aRunnable,
                                               nsIEventTarget* aSyncLoopTarget)
 {
   // May be called on any thread!