diff --git a/src/com/android/browser/BrowserActivity.java b/src/com/android/browser/BrowserActivity.java
index b2a83e1..3ab45f7 100644
--- a/src/com/android/browser/BrowserActivity.java
+++ b/src/com/android/browser/BrowserActivity.java
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@
         }
         super.onCreate(icicle);
 
+        // If this was a web search request, pass it on to the default web
+        // search provider and finish this activity.
+        if (IntentHandler.handleWebSearchIntent(this, null, getIntent())) {
+            finish();
+            return;
+        }
+
         BrowserSettings settings = BrowserSettings.getInstance();
 
         // render the browser in OpenGL
@@ -69,13 +76,6 @@
             this.getWindow().setFlags(0, WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_HARDWARE_ACCELERATED);
         }
 
-        // If this was a web search request, pass it on to the default web
-        // search provider and finish this activity.
-        if (IntentHandler.handleWebSearchIntent(this, null, getIntent())) {
-            finish();
-            return;
-        }
-
         AccessibilityManager accessibilityManager = (AccessibilityManager)
                 getSystemService(ACCESSIBILITY_SERVICE);
         if (accessibilityManager != null && accessibilityManager.isEnabled()) {
diff --git a/src/com/android/browser/BrowserSettings.java b/src/com/android/browser/BrowserSettings.java
index 97769fc..a4f0f04 100644
--- a/src/com/android/browser/BrowserSettings.java
+++ b/src/com/android/browser/BrowserSettings.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 import android.content.SharedPreferences;
 import android.content.SharedPreferences.OnSharedPreferenceChangeListener;
 import android.os.Build;
+import android.os.Looper;
 import android.os.Message;
 import android.preference.PreferenceManager;
 import android.provider.Browser;
@@ -103,6 +104,10 @@
     private AutofillHandler mAutofillHandler;
     private WeakHashMap<WebSettings, String> mCustomUserAgents;
     private boolean mInitialized = false;
+    // Looper shared between some lightweight background operations
+    // Specifically, this is created on the thread that initializes browser settings
+    // and is then reused by CrashRecoveryHandler
+    private Looper mBackgroundLooper;
 
     // Cached values
     private int mPageCacheCapacity = 1;
@@ -127,7 +132,7 @@
         mCustomUserAgents = new WeakHashMap<WebSettings, String>();
         mPrefs.registerOnSharedPreferenceChangeListener(this);
         mAutofillHandler.asyncLoadFromDb();
-        new Thread(mInitialization, "BrowserSettingsInitialization").start();
+        new Thread(mSetupAndLoop, "BackgroundLooper").start();
     }
 
     public void setController(Controller controller) {
@@ -139,6 +144,11 @@
         }
     }
 
+    public Looper getBackgroundLooper() {
+        requireInitialization();
+        return mBackgroundLooper;
+    }
+
     public void startManagingSettings(WebSettings settings) {
         synchronized (mManagedSettings) {
             syncStaticSettings(settings);
@@ -147,7 +157,7 @@
         }
     }
 
-    private Runnable mInitialization = new Runnable() {
+    private Runnable mSetupAndLoop = new Runnable() {
 
         @Override
         public void run() {
@@ -189,10 +199,13 @@
                 }
                 mPrefs.edit().remove(PREF_TEXT_SIZE).apply();
             }
+            Looper.prepare();
+            mBackgroundLooper = Looper.myLooper();
             synchronized (BrowserSettings.this) {
                 mInitialized = true;
                 BrowserSettings.this.notifyAll();
             }
+            Looper.loop();
         }
     };
 
diff --git a/src/com/android/browser/Controller.java b/src/com/android/browser/Controller.java
index 03e2d8b..731da18 100644
--- a/src/com/android/browser/Controller.java
+++ b/src/com/android/browser/Controller.java
@@ -206,7 +206,6 @@
     // Checks to see when the bookmarks database has changed, and updates the
     // Tabs' notion of whether they represent bookmarked sites.
     private ContentObserver mBookmarksObserver;
-    private DataController mDataController;
     private CrashRecoveryHandler mCrashRecoveryHandler;
 
     private boolean mSimulateActionBarOverlayMode;
@@ -228,7 +227,6 @@
     public Controller(Activity browser) {
         mActivity = browser;
         mSettings = BrowserSettings.getInstance();
-        mDataController = DataController.getInstance(mActivity);
         mTabControl = new TabControl(this);
         mSettings.setController(this);
         mCrashRecoveryHandler = CrashRecoveryHandler.initialize(this);
@@ -239,10 +237,6 @@
         mPageDialogsHandler = new PageDialogsHandler(mActivity, this);
         mNfcHandler = new NfcHandler(mActivity, this);
 
-        PowerManager pm = (PowerManager) mActivity
-                .getSystemService(Context.POWER_SERVICE);
-        mWakeLock = pm.newWakeLock(PowerManager.PARTIAL_WAKE_LOCK, "Browser");
-
         startHandler();
         mBookmarksObserver = new ContentObserver(mHandler) {
             @Override
@@ -518,7 +512,7 @@
                         break;
 
                     case RELEASE_WAKELOCK:
-                        if (mWakeLock.isHeld()) {
+                        if (mWakeLock != null && mWakeLock.isHeld()) {
                             mWakeLock.release();
                             // if we reach here, Browser should be still in the
                             // background loading after WAKELOCK_TIMEOUT (5-min).
@@ -622,6 +616,11 @@
         if (tab != null) {
             tab.pause();
             if (!pauseWebViewTimers(tab)) {
+                if (mWakeLock == null) {
+                    PowerManager pm = (PowerManager) mActivity
+                            .getSystemService(Context.POWER_SERVICE);
+                    mWakeLock = pm.newWakeLock(PowerManager.PARTIAL_WAKE_LOCK, "Browser");
+                }
                 mWakeLock.acquire();
                 mHandler.sendMessageDelayed(mHandler
                         .obtainMessage(RELEASE_WAKELOCK), WAKELOCK_TIMEOUT);
@@ -662,10 +661,7 @@
             current.resume();
             resumeWebViewTimers(current);
         }
-        if (mWakeLock.isHeld()) {
-            mHandler.removeMessages(RELEASE_WAKELOCK);
-            mWakeLock.release();
-        }
+        releaseWakeLock();
 
         mUi.onResume();
         mNetworkHandler.onResume();
@@ -673,6 +669,13 @@
         WebView.enablePlatformNotifications();
     }
 
+    private void releaseWakeLock() {
+        if (mWakeLock != null && mWakeLock.isHeld()) {
+            mHandler.removeMessages(RELEASE_WAKELOCK);
+            mWakeLock.release();
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * resume all WebView timers using the WebView instance of the given tab
      * @param tab guaranteed non-null
@@ -832,10 +835,7 @@
         // pause the WebView timer and release the wake lock if it is finished
         // while BrowserActivity is in pause state.
         if (mActivityPaused && pauseWebViewTimers(tab)) {
-            if (mWakeLock.isHeld()) {
-                mHandler.removeMessages(RELEASE_WAKELOCK);
-                mWakeLock.release();
-            }
+            releaseWakeLock();
         }
 
         // Performance probe
@@ -890,7 +890,7 @@
         }
         // Update the title in the history database if not in private browsing mode
         if (!tab.isPrivateBrowsingEnabled()) {
-            mDataController.updateHistoryTitle(pageUrl, title);
+            DataController.getInstance(mActivity).updateHistoryTitle(pageUrl, title);
         }
     }
 
@@ -937,7 +937,7 @@
                 || url.regionMatches(true, 0, "about:", 0, 6)) {
             return;
         }
-        mDataController.updateVisitedHistory(url);
+        DataController.getInstance(mActivity).updateVisitedHistory(url);
         WebIconDatabase.getInstance().retainIconForPageUrl(url);
         if (!mActivityPaused) {
             // Since we clear the state in onPause, don't backup the current
diff --git a/src/com/android/browser/CrashRecoveryHandler.java b/src/com/android/browser/CrashRecoveryHandler.java
index 8d7f243..6e40ffd 100644
--- a/src/com/android/browser/CrashRecoveryHandler.java
+++ b/src/com/android/browser/CrashRecoveryHandler.java
@@ -25,9 +25,8 @@
 import android.content.SharedPreferences;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.os.Handler;
-import android.os.HandlerThread;
+import android.os.Looper;
 import android.os.Parcel;
-import android.os.Process;
 import android.util.Log;
 
 import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
@@ -73,10 +72,8 @@
     private CrashRecoveryHandler(Controller controller) {
         mController = controller;
         mForegroundHandler = new Handler();
-        HandlerThread thread = new HandlerThread(LOGTAG,
-                Process.THREAD_PRIORITY_BACKGROUND);
-        thread.start();
-        mBackgroundHandler = new Handler(thread.getLooper());
+        Looper looper = BrowserSettings.getInstance().getBackgroundLooper();
+        mBackgroundHandler = new Handler(looper);
     }
 
     public void backupState() {