diff -r 000000000000 -r 6474c204b198 browser/base/content/test/general/browser_hide_removing.js
--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/general/browser_hide_removing.js	Wed Dec 31 06:09:35 2014 +0100
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
+
+// Bug 587922: tabs don't get removed if they're hidden
+
+function test() {
+  waitForExplicitFinish();
+
+  // Add a tab that will get removed and hidden
+  let testTab = gBrowser.addTab("about:blank", {skipAnimation: true});
+  is(gBrowser.visibleTabs.length, 2, "just added a tab, so 2 tabs");
+  gBrowser.selectedTab = testTab;
+
+  let numVisBeforeHide, numVisAfterHide;
+  gBrowser.tabContainer.addEventListener("TabSelect", function() {
+    gBrowser.tabContainer.removeEventListener("TabSelect", arguments.callee, false);
+
+    // While the next tab is being selected, hide the removing tab
+    numVisBeforeHide = gBrowser.visibleTabs.length;
+    gBrowser.hideTab(testTab);
+    numVisAfterHide = gBrowser.visibleTabs.length;
+  }, false);
+  gBrowser.removeTab(testTab, {animate: true});
+
+  // Make sure the tab gets removed at the end of the animation by polling
+  (function checkRemoved() setTimeout(function() {
+    if (gBrowser.tabs.length != 1)
+      return checkRemoved();
+
+    is(numVisBeforeHide, 1, "animated remove has in 1 tab left");
+    is(numVisAfterHide, 1, "hiding a removing tab is also has 1 tab");
+    finish();
+  }, 50))();
+}