diff --git a/app/src/common/shared/org/mozilla/vrbrowser/VRBrowserActivity.java b/app/src/common/shared/org/mozilla/vrbrowser/VRBrowserActivity.java
index 20868100e6..31ad17a386 100644
--- a/app/src/common/shared/org/mozilla/vrbrowser/VRBrowserActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/common/shared/org/mozilla/vrbrowser/VRBrowserActivity.java
@@ -180,12 +180,9 @@ protected void onStop() {
     @Override
     protected void onPause() {
         if (mIsPresentingImmersive) {
-            queueRunnable(new Runnable() {
-                @Override
-                public void run() {
-                    exitImmersiveNative();
-                }
-            });
+            // This needs to be sync to ensure that WebVR is correctly paused.
+            // Also prevents a deadlock in onDestroy when the BrowserWidget is released.
+            exitImmersiveSync();
         }
         mAudioEngine.pauseEngine();
         SessionStore.get().setActive(false);
@@ -217,8 +214,6 @@ protected void onDestroy() {
 
         SessionStore.get().clearListeners();
         super.onDestroy();
-        // FIXME: HACK TO KILL GECKO BETWEEN RUNS.
-        android.os.Process.killProcess(android.os.Process.myPid());
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -277,6 +272,26 @@ public void run() {
         }
     }
 
+    private void exitImmersiveSync() {
+        Runnable exitImmersive = new Runnable() {
+            @Override
+            public void run() {
+                exitImmersiveNative();
+                synchronized(this) {
+                    this.notifyAll();
+                }
+            }
+        };
+        synchronized (exitImmersive) {
+            queueRunnable(exitImmersive);
+            try {
+                exitImmersive.wait();
+            } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+                Log.e(LOGTAG, "Waiting for exit immersive onPause interrupted");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     @Keep
     @SuppressWarnings("unused")
     void dispatchCreateWidget(final int aHandle, final SurfaceTexture aTexture, final int aWidth, final int aHeight) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/cpp/BrowserWorld.cpp b/app/src/main/cpp/BrowserWorld.cpp
index 43bfe4bff6..a63de37a9c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/cpp/BrowserWorld.cpp
+++ b/app/src/main/cpp/BrowserWorld.cpp
@@ -534,6 +534,9 @@ void
 BrowserWorld::ShutdownJava() {
   ASSERT_ON_RENDER_THREAD();
   VRB_LOG("BrowserWorld::ShutdownJava");
+  if (m.externalVR) {
+    m.externalVR->Shutdown();
+  }
   GeckoSurfaceTexture::ShutdownJava();
   VRBrowser::ShutdownJava();
   if (m.env) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/cpp/ExternalVR.cpp b/app/src/main/cpp/ExternalVR.cpp
index 77c2f1d4f7..9f1b260e72 100644
--- a/app/src/main/cpp/ExternalVR.cpp
+++ b/app/src/main/cpp/ExternalVR.cpp
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ class Wait {
 namespace crow {
 
 struct ExternalVR::State {
+  static ExternalVR::State * sState;
   mozilla::gfx::VRExternalShmem data;
   mozilla::gfx::VRSystemState system;
   mozilla::gfx::VRBrowserState browser;
@@ -132,16 +133,25 @@ struct ExternalVR::State {
   bool waitingForExit;
 
   State() : deviceCapabilities(0) {
-    memset(&data, 0, sizeof(mozilla::gfx::VRExternalShmem));
-    memset(&system, 0, sizeof(mozilla::gfx::VRSystemState));
-    memset(&browser, 0, sizeof(mozilla::gfx::VRBrowserState));
-    data.version = mozilla::gfx::kVRExternalVersion;
-    data.size = sizeof(mozilla::gfx::VRExternalShmem);
     pthread_mutex_init(&data.systemMutex, nullptr);
     pthread_mutex_init(&data.browserMutex, nullptr);
     pthread_cond_init(&data.systemCond, nullptr);
     pthread_cond_init(&data.browserCond, nullptr);
+  }
+
+  ~State() {
+    pthread_mutex_destroy(&(data.systemMutex));
+    pthread_mutex_destroy(&(data.browserMutex));
+    pthread_cond_destroy(&(data.systemCond));
+    pthread_cond_destroy(&(data.browserCond));
+  }
 
+  void Reset() {
+    memset(&data, 0, sizeof(mozilla::gfx::VRExternalShmem));
+    memset(&system, 0, sizeof(mozilla::gfx::VRSystemState));
+    memset(&browser, 0, sizeof(mozilla::gfx::VRBrowserState));
+    data.version = mozilla::gfx::kVRExternalVersion;
+    data.size = sizeof(mozilla::gfx::VRExternalShmem);
     system.displayState.mIsConnected = true;
     system.displayState.mIsMounted = true;
     const vrb::Matrix identity = vrb::Matrix::Identity();
@@ -153,11 +163,12 @@ struct ExternalVR::State {
     waitingForExit = false;
   }
 
-  ~State() {
-    pthread_mutex_destroy(&(data.systemMutex));
-    pthread_mutex_destroy(&(data.browserMutex));
-    pthread_cond_destroy(&(data.systemCond));
-    pthread_cond_destroy(&(data.browserCond));
+  static ExternalVR::State& Instance() {
+    if (!sState) {
+      sState = new State();
+    }
+
+    return *sState;
   }
 
   void PullBrowserStateWhileLocked() {
@@ -179,6 +190,8 @@ struct ExternalVR::State {
   }
 };
 
+ExternalVR::State * ExternalVR::State::sState = nullptr;
+
 ExternalVRPtr
 ExternalVR::Create() {
   return std::make_shared<vrb::ConcreteClass<ExternalVR, ExternalVR::State> >();
@@ -420,7 +433,16 @@ ExternalVR::StopPresenting() {
   m.waitingForExit = true;
 }
 
-ExternalVR::ExternalVR(State& aState) : m(aState) {
+void
+ExternalVR::Shutdown() {
+  m.system.displayState.shutdown = true;
+  m.system.displayState.mSuppressFrames = true;
+  PushSystemState();
+}
+
+
+ExternalVR::ExternalVR(State& aState) : m(State::Instance()) {
+  m.Reset();
   PushSystemState();
 }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/cpp/ExternalVR.h b/app/src/main/cpp/ExternalVR.h
index d61568f655..05790c8352 100644
--- a/app/src/main/cpp/ExternalVR.h
+++ b/app/src/main/cpp/ExternalVR.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ class ExternalVR : public ImmersiveDisplay {
                       const double aBottomDegrees) override;
   void SetEyeOffset(const device::Eye aEye, const float aX, const float aY, const float aZ) override;
   void SetEyeResolution(const int32_t aX, const int32_t aY) override;
+  void CompleteEnumeration() override;
   // ExternalVR interface
   void PushSystemState();
   void PullBrowserState();
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ class ExternalVR : public ImmersiveDisplay {
   bool WaitFrameResult();
   void GetFrameResult(int32_t& aSurfaceHandle, device::EyeRect& aLeftEye, device::EyeRect& aRightEye) const;
   void StopPresenting();
-  void CompleteEnumeration() override;
+  void Shutdown();
 protected:
   struct State;
   ExternalVR(State& aState);