diff --git a/application/basilisk/app/profile/basilisk.js b/application/basilisk/app/profile/basilisk.js
index 4a15fcded3..ac55e21308 100644
--- a/application/basilisk/app/profile/basilisk.js
+++ b/application/basilisk/app/profile/basilisk.js
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ pref("app.update.idletime", 60);
 //
 pref("extensions.update.enabled", true);
 pref("extensions.update.url", "https://@AM_DOMAIN@/?component=aus&@AM_AUS_ARGS@");
+pref("extensions.update.background.url", "https://@AM_DOMAIN@/?component=aus&@AM_AUS_ARGS@");
 pref("extensions.update.interval", 86400);  // Check for updates to Extensions and
                                             // Themes every day
 // Non-symmetric (not shared by extensions) extension-specific [update] preferences
diff --git a/application/palemoon/app/profile/palemoon.js b/application/palemoon/app/profile/palemoon.js
index dac91154e4..3b048030b6 100644
--- a/application/palemoon/app/profile/palemoon.js
+++ b/application/palemoon/app/profile/palemoon.js
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ pref("app.update.incompatible.mode", 0);
 //
 pref("extensions.update.enabled", true);
 pref("extensions.update.url", "https://@AM_DOMAIN@/?component=aus&@AM_AUS_ARGS@");
+pref("extensions.update.background.url", "https://@AM_DOMAIN@/?component=aus&@AM_AUS_ARGS@");
 pref("extensions.update.interval", 86400);  // Check for updates to Extensions and 
                                             // Themes every day
 // Non-symmetric (not shared by extensions) extension-specific [update] preferences
diff --git a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/AddonManager.jsm b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/AddonManager.jsm
index f69daa0eb9..a48e0034fd 100644
--- a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/AddonManager.jsm
+++ b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/AddonManager.jsm
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ const PREF_EM_LAST_PLATFORM_VERSION   = "extensions.lastPlatformVersion";
 const PREF_EM_AUTOUPDATE_DEFAULT      = "extensions.update.autoUpdateDefault";
 const PREF_EM_STRICT_COMPATIBILITY    = "extensions.strictCompatibility";
 const PREF_EM_CHECK_UPDATE_SECURITY   = "extensions.checkUpdateSecurity";
+const PREF_EM_UPDATE_BACKGROUND_URL   = "extensions.update.background.url";
 const PREF_APP_UPDATE_ENABLED         = "app.update.enabled";
 const PREF_APP_UPDATE_AUTO            = "app.update.auto";
 const PREF_MATCH_OS_LOCALE            = "intl.locale.matchOS";
diff --git a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/internal/XPIProvider.jsm b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/internal/XPIProvider.jsm
index e47599da1b..a8594036c9 100644
--- a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/internal/XPIProvider.jsm
+++ b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/internal/XPIProvider.jsm
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ const PREF_DSS_SWITCHPENDING          = "extensions.dss.switchPending";
 const PREF_DSS_SKIN_TO_SELECT         = "extensions.lastSelectedSkin";
 const PREF_GENERAL_SKINS_SELECTEDSKIN = "general.skins.selectedSkin";
 const PREF_EM_UPDATE_URL              = "extensions.update.url";
+const PREF_EM_UPDATE_BACKGROUND_URL   = "extensions.update.background.url";
 const PREF_EM_ENABLED_ADDONS          = "extensions.enabledAddons";
 const PREF_EM_EXTENSION_FORMAT        = "extensions.";
 const PREF_EM_ENABLED_SCOPES          = "extensions.enabledScopes";
@@ -6178,7 +6179,12 @@ function UpdateChecker(aAddon, aListener, aReason, aAppVersion, aPlatformVersion
 
   let updateURL = aAddon.updateURL;
   if (!updateURL) {
-    updateURL = Services.prefs.getCharPref(PREF_EM_UPDATE_URL);
+    if (aReason == AddonManager.UPDATE_WHEN_PERIODIC_UPDATE &&
+        Services.prefs.getPrefType(PREF_EM_UPDATE_BACKGROUND_URL) == Services.prefs.PREF_STRING) {
+      updateURL = Services.prefs.getCharPref(PREF_EM_UPDATE_BACKGROUND_URL);
+    } else {
+      updateURL = Services.prefs.getCharPref(PREF_EM_UPDATE_URL);
+    }
   }
 
   const UPDATE_TYPE_COMPATIBILITY = 32;