2002462 - [macOS/pkg] Opening an external link or launching a profile in a new browser will create another Firefox Enterprise icon in the dock

Status: NEW

(Firefox Enterprise :: Client, defect, P1)

Description

[Alexandru Trif, Desktop Test Engineering [:atrif]]

Found in

• Firefox Enterprise 147.0a1 - Build ID: 20251126063844

Affected versions

• Firefox Enterprise 147.0a1 - Build ID: 20251126063844

Tested platforms

• Affected platforms: macOS 26
• Unaffected platforms: Ubuntu 24, Windows 11,

Preconditions

• Download and extract Firefox Enterprise.pkg from here
• Set Firefox Enterprise as the default browser.

Steps to reproduce

1. Open Firefox Enterprise.
2. Open an external link.

Expected result

• The link is opened in Firefox Enterprise, and there is no other dock icon created.

Actual result

• The link is opened in Firefox Enterprise, and another dock icon is created.

Regression range

• not a regression

Additional notes

• Attached a screen recording: link
• gcpEU version was used
• It seems that this issue also happens on a .pkg when visiting about:profiles and using the Launch profile in a new browser option.
• With .dmg, the client icon appears for a split second in the dock but dissapears after. The .pkg icon is permanent

Comment 1

[:gerard-majax]

Sorry but can you clarify what is in the dock before you open the link? Is it the browser or felt?

Comment 2

[:gerard-majax]

Ok, I reproduce something but different from your video ; I dont see the icon appearing, but I see a brief movement like one was created and then removed.

Comment 3

[:gerard-majax]

(In reply to :gerard-majax from comment #2)

Ok, I reproduce something but different from your video ; I dont see the icon appearing, but I see a brief movement like one was created and then removed.

And same behavior with dmg

Comment 4

[:gerard-majax]

I suspect it may be the remoting client behavior that we start to open the link, and this may need to enforce being a background process to make sure the icon is not shown?

Comment 5

[:gerard-majax]

Behavior is reproducible with ./mach enterprise-tests testing/enterprise/test_felt_browser_external_link.py

Comment 6

[:gerard-majax]

Alexandru, do you reproduce on a more recent build ? e.g. https://github.com/mozilla/enterprise-firefox/actions/runs/19886338653

Asking because I cannot reproduce and the behavior described for .dmg reproduces with other tests, so I'd like to be sure I'm investigating the right thing

Comment 7

[Alexandru Trif, Desktop Test Engineering [:atrif]]

(In reply to :gerard-majax from comment #6)

Alexandru, do you reproduce on a more recent build ? e.g. https://github.com/mozilla/enterprise-firefox/actions/runs/19886338653

Asking because I cannot reproduce and the behavior described for .dmg reproduces with other tests, so I'd like to be sure I'm investigating the right thing

Hello, unfortunately, yes, I am still reproducing this with the recent .pkg build (firefox-macOS-signed-aarch64-gcpEU_pkg).

However, I did not reproduce it on the first try for some reason. This only reproduced after I closed an app from the dock. From what I see, closing apps from the dock and then opening an external link will sometimes allow another Enterprise icon to be added. Also, I think that Firefox Enterprise needs to be the latest app opened (positioned on the far right side of the dock -- I noticed that sometimes this issue may only reproduce this way, but now always).

I have attached a screen recording with the following steps. (Note that I removed all Firefox Enterprise builds.):

1. I have downloaded the recent .pkg build (firefox-macOS-signed-aarch64-gcpEU_pkg).
2. I have installed the .pkg and then opened Applications > Firefox Enterprise and logged in.
3. I have opened an external link from Mail > (note that on the first attempt, I had to close an Application from the dock that was located near the Firefox Enterprise icon to reproduce the issue)

Maybe closing/removing dock apps and then clicking the external link while Firefox is positioned as the last opened app. If more information is needed, please let me know. Thank you!

Comment 8

[:gerard-majax]

Do you reproduce if you open the link from shell? open https://www.mozilla.org is what I was doing

Comment 9

[Alexandru Trif, Desktop Test Engineering [:atrif]]

(In reply to :gerard-majax from comment #8)

Do you reproduce if you open the link from shell? open https://www.mozilla.org is what I was doing

Yes, I can reproduce this way as well.

Comment 10

[:gerard-majax]

What version and hardware? I'm on M4 MacBook Air, running 15.7.1. Maybe I need to upgrade ...

Comment 11

[Alexandru Trif, Desktop Test Engineering [:atrif]]

(In reply to :gerard-majax from comment #10)

What version and hardware? I'm on M4 MacBook Air, running 15.7.1. Maybe I need to upgrade ...

I'm on M1 mini running Tahoe 26.1.
I tried on 15.7.1 on the same machine, and I can reproduce the issue there as well, but only if Firefox Enterprise is the last opened application on the dock. It appears that only three icons can be present, so perhaps if there are more than three icons in the opened application area, the issue does not reproduce (only showing the icon for a split second).

Comment 12

[:gerard-majax]

Right, can you try with Console.app record and filter Dock and share me the output? I'd like to see if I see something different than what I have locally or if it's just races on the dock side that makes the behavior different

Comment 13

[Alexandru Trif, Desktop Test Engineering [:atrif]]

Attachment: Dock - Console App

Comment 14

[Alexandru Trif, Desktop Test Engineering [:atrif]]

I hope I've done this correctly. If not, please let me know. Thanks!

Comment 15

[Gian-Carlo Pascutto [:gcp]]

Should be fixed by https://github.com/mozilla/enterprise-firefox/pull/310

Comment 16

[:gerard-majax]

Builds from https://treeherder.mozilla.org/jobs?repo=enterprise-firefox&selectedTaskRun=V7kVe41wTQi5pqnuzPPTuw.0&revision=51eaaf2d3150fa12e1d405ec4a0967e48206130b should fix it

Comment 17

[Alexandru Trif, Desktop Test Engineering [:atrif]]

(In reply to :gerard-majax from comment #16)

Builds from https://treeherder.mozilla.org/jobs?repo=enterprise-firefox&selectedTaskRun=V7kVe41wTQi5pqnuzPPTuw.0&revision=51eaaf2d3150fa12e1d405ec4a0967e48206130b should fix it

Hello! Unfortunatelly I can still reproduce this issue with this build on macOS 26.1. Screen recording: link

Comment 18

[Gian-Carlo Pascutto [:gcp]]

I was finally able to reproduce this after a lot of attempts: spamming link clicking very very rapidly eventually gave me 10+ Firefox Enterprise icons on the dock.

Comment 19

[BMO Github Automation]

Attachment: [mozilla/enterprise-firefox] Bug 2002462 - Fix dock icon race (#423)