diff --git a/user/src/com/google/gwt/user/client/Window.java b/user/src/com/google/gwt/user/client/Window.java
index 972f16d310..1ec68214da 100644
--- a/user/src/com/google/gwt/user/client/Window.java
+++ b/user/src/com/google/gwt/user/client/Window.java
@@ -853,7 +853,7 @@ static void onClosed() {
   }
 
   static String onClosing() {
-    if (closeHandlersInitialized) {
+    if (beforeCloseHandlersInitialized) {
       Window.ClosingEvent event = new Window.ClosingEvent();
       fireEvent(event);
       return event.getMessage();