Firefox takes 7-8 seconds to launch

Jungfred · December 28, 2025, 1:08pm

Hello everyone,

Firefox on my Tumbleweed takes very often 7-8 seconds to launch. Sometimes faster, sometimes even slower.
This issue occurs now for over several months only with Firefox, and no difference with both native and flatpak version.

What i’ve tried:

reinstallation of FF
creating new profile on FF
tested FF on several distros in a VM and they launch nearly instant.
tested other browsers and they launch most always faster.

Here’s an example of journalctl -fexport when FF takes ages to launch:

Dez 27 19:22:38 linux.fritz.box systemd[2454]: Started Firefox - Web-Browser.
Dez 27 19:22:44 linux.fritz.box systemd[1]: Starting Time & Date Service…
Dez 27 19:22:44 linux.fritz.box systemd[1]: Started Time & Date Service.
Dez 27 19:22:44 linux.fritz.box rtkit-daemon[2552]: Successfully made thread 29826 of process 29647 owned by ‘1000’ RT at priority 10.
Dez 27 19:22:47 linux.fritz.box kded6[2775]: Service “:1.188” unregistered
Dez 27 19:22:47 linux.fritz.box spectacle[29477]: copy() QUrl(“file:///tmp/Spectacle.Hqlxvb/Bildschirmaufnahme_20251227_192236.webm”) to QUrl(“file:///home/thomas/Videos/Screencasts/Bildschirmaufnahme_20251227_192236.webm”) mode= -1
Dez 27 19:22:47 linux.fritz.box spectacle[29477]: Using Qt multimedia with FFmpeg version 8.0 nonfree and unredistributable
Dez 27 19:22:47 linux.fritz.box spectacle[29477]: Failed to open VDPAU backend libvdpau_nvidia.so: Kann die Shared-Object-Datei nicht öffnen: Datei oder Verzeichnis nicht gefunden
Dez 27 19:22:47 linux.fritz.box spectacle[29477]: Input #0, matroska,webm, from ‘/home/thomas/Videos/Screencasts/Bildschirmaufnahme_20251227_192236.webm’:
Dez 27 19:22:47 linux.fritz.box spectacle[29477]: Metadata:
Dez 27 19:22:47 linux.fritz.box spectacle[29477]: ENCODER : Lavf62.3.100
Dez 27 19:22:47 linux.fritz.box spectacle[29477]: Duration: 00:00:10.89, start: 0.097000, bitrate: 303 kb/s
Dez 27 19:22:47 linux.fritz.box spectacle[29477]: Stream #0:0: Video: vp9 (Profile 0), yuv420p(tv), 1920x1080, SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9, 60 fps, 60 tbr, 1k tbn, start 0,097000
Dez 27 19:22:47 linux.fritz.box spectacle[29477]: Metadata:
Dez 27 19:22:47 linux.fritz.box spectacle[29477]: DURATION : 00:00:10,887000000
Dez 27 19:22:59 linux.fritz.box systemd[2454]: Started Dolphin.
Dez 27 19:23:01 linux.fritz.box systemd[2454]: Started VLC Media Player - Medienwiedergabe.
Dez 27 19:23:01 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: [000055690798c710] main libvlc: VLC wird mit dem Standard-Interface ausgeführt. Benutzen Sie ‘cvlc’, um VLC ohne Interface zu verwenden.
Dez 27 19:23:01 linux.fritz.box kded6[2775]: Registering “:1.194/StatusNotifierItem” to system tray
Dez 27 19:23:01 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: [00007f1edc011df0] gl gl: Initialized libplacebo v5.264.1 (API v264)
Dez 27 19:23:01 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: libva info: VA-API version 1.22.0
Dez 27 19:23:01 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib64/dri/radeonsi_drv_video.so
Dez 27 19:23:01 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_1_22
Dez 27 19:23:01 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0
Dez 27 19:23:01 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: [00007f1ef8c10350] avcodec decoder: Using Mesa Gallium driver 25.3.1 for AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT (radeonsi, navi32, LLVM 21.1.7, DRM 3.64, 6.18.2-1-default) for hardware decoding
Dez 27 19:23:14 linux.fritz.box systemd[1]: systemd-timedated.service: Deactivated successfully.
Dez 27 19:23:15 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: [vp9 @ 0x7f1ef8c43a00] get_buffer() failed
Dez 27 19:23:15 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: [vp9 @ 0x7f1ef8c43a00] thread_get_buffer() failed
Dez 27 19:23:17 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: [vp9 @ 0x7f1ef8c2f100] get_buffer() failed
Dez 27 19:23:17 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: [vp9 @ 0x7f1ef8c2f100] thread_get_buffer() failed
Dez 27 19:23:18 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: [vp9 @ 0x7f1ef8c2f100] get_buffer() failed
Dez 27 19:23:18 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: [vp9 @ 0x7f1ef8c2f100] thread_get_buffer() failed
Dez 27 19:23:18 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: [vp9 @ 0x7f1ef8c3e7c0] get_buffer() failed
Dez 27 19:23:18 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: [vp9 @ 0x7f1ef8c3e7c0] thread_get_buffer() failed
Dez 27 19:23:27 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: [vp9 @ 0x7f1ef8c2f100] get_buffer() failed
Dez 27 19:23:27 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: [vp9 @ 0x7f1ef8c2f100] thread_get_buffer() failed
Dez 27 19:23:27 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: [vp9 @ 0x7f1ef8c34340] get_buffer() failed
Dez 27 19:23:27 linux.fritz.box vlc[30321]: [vp9 @ 0x7f1ef8c34340] thread_get_buffer() failed
Dez 27 19:23:27 linux.fritz.box kded6[2775]: Service “:1.194” unregistered
Dez 27 19:23:27 linux.fritz.box plasmashell[2902]: file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.systemtray/contents/ui/items/PlasmoidItem.qml:208: TypeError: Cannot read property ‘fullRepresentationItem’ of null
Dez 27 19:23:27 linux.fritz.box plasmashell[2902]: file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.systemtray/contents/ui/items/PlasmoidItem.qml:201: TypeError: Cannot read property ‘compactRepresentationItem’ of null
Dez 27 19:23:27 linux.fritz.box plasmashell[2902]: file:///usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.systemtray/contents/ui/items/PlasmoidItem.qml:24: TypeError: Cannot read property ‘toolTipMainText’ of null
Dez 27 19:23:27 linux.fritz.box systemd[2454]: app-vlc@18280dc1e63e4d41a78264cde9701412.service: Consumed 1.032s CPU time.
Dez 27 19:23:29 linux.fritz.box systemd[2454]: app-org.kde.spectacle.service: Consumed 14.779s CPU time.
Dez 27 19:23:30 linux.fritz.box systemd[2454]: Started VLC Media Player - Medienwiedergabe.
Dez 27 19:23:30 linux.fritz.box vlc[30464]: [0000563f83213710] main libvlc: VLC wird mit dem Standard-Interface ausgeführt. Benutzen Sie ‘cvlc’, um VLC ohne Interface zu verwenden.
Dez 27 19:23:30 linux.fritz.box kded6[2775]: Registering “:1.198/StatusNotifierItem” to system tray
Dez 27 19:23:30 linux.fritz.box vlc[30464]: [00007fc700011df0] gl gl: Initialized libplacebo v5.264.1 (API v264)
Dez 27 19:23:30 linux.fritz.box vlc[30464]: libva info: VA-API version 1.22.0
Dez 27 19:23:30 linux.fritz.box vlc[30464]: libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib64/dri/radeonsi_drv_video.so
Dez 27 19:23:30 linux.fritz.box vlc[30464]: libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_1_22
Dez 27 19:23:30 linux.fritz.box vlc[30464]: libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0
Dez 27 19:23:30 linux.fritz.box vlc[30464]: [00007fc710c06ad0] avcodec decoder: Using Mesa Gallium driver 25.3.1 for AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT (radeonsi, navi32, LLVM 21.1.7, DRM 3.64, 6.18.2-1-default) for hardware decoding
Dez 27 19:23:40 linux.fritz.box vlc[30464]: [vp9 @ 0x7fc710c558c0] get_buffer() failed
Dez 27 19:23:40 linux.fritz.box vlc[30464]: [vp9 @ 0x7fc710c558c0] thread_get_buffer() failed
Dez 27 19:23:40 linux.fritz.box vlc[30464]: [vp9 @ 0x7fc710c3c000] get_buffer() failed
Dez 27 19:23:40 linux.fritz.box vlc[30464]: [vp9 @ 0x7fc710c3c000] thread_get_buffer() failed
Dez 27 19:23:40 linux.fritz.box kded6[2775]: Service “:1.198” unregistered

Here’s an example of journalctl -f export when FF launches fast:

Dez 27 19:27:12 linux.fritz.box systemd[2454]: Started Firefox - Web-Browser.
Dez 27 19:27:12 linux.fritz.box systemd[1]: Starting Time & Date Service…
Dez 27 19:27:12 linux.fritz.box systemd[1]: Started Time & Date Service.
Dez 27 19:27:12 linux.fritz.box rtkit-daemon[2552]: Successfully made thread 31415 of process 31238 owned by ‘1000’ RT at priority 10.
Dez 27 19:27:14 linux.fritz.box systemd[1]: systemd-localed.service: Deactivated successfully.
Dez 27 19:27:19 linux.fritz.box PackageKit[31006]: daemon quit
Dez 27 19:27:19 linux.fritz.box systemd[1]: packagekit.service: Deactivated successfully.
Dez 27 19:27:19 linux.fritz.box systemd[1]: packagekit.service: Consumed 5.293s CPU time.

My PC setup:

OS: openSUSE Tumbleweed x86_64
Desktop Environment: KDE Plasma 6.5.4
Kernel: 6.18.2-1-default
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D (16) @ 4.15 GHz
GPU: AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT [Discrete]
RAM: 32 GB
Driver: amdgpu
Vulkan: 1.4.328 - radv [Mesa 25.3.1]
SSD formatted with BTRFS

I’m not a Linux expert so i appreciate any help.

knurpht · December 28, 2025, 1:48pm

To begin with, you might need the Mesa packages from Packman, please show:
zypper se -si Mesa

Jungfred · December 28, 2025, 1:53pm

zypper se -si Mesa
Loading repository data...
Reading installed packages...

S  | Name                            | Type    | Version            | Arch   | Repository
---+---------------------------------+---------+--------------------+--------+-----------------------
i  | Mesa                            | package | 25.3.1-1699.2.pm.1 | x86_64 | Packman
i  | Mesa-32bit                      | package | 25.3.1-1699.2.pm.1 | x86_64 | Packman
i  | Mesa-demo                       | package | 9.0.0-7.1          | x86_64 | Haupt-Repository (OSS)
i  | Mesa-demo-egl                   | package | 9.0.0-7.1          | x86_64 | Haupt-Repository (OSS)
i  | Mesa-demo-es                    | package | 9.0.0-7.1          | x86_64 | Haupt-Repository (OSS)
i  | Mesa-demo-x                     | package | 9.0.0-7.1          | x86_64 | Haupt-Repository (OSS)
i  | Mesa-dri                        | package | 25.3.1-1699.2.pm.9 | x86_64 | Packman
i  | Mesa-dri-32bit                  | package | 25.3.1-1699.2.pm.9 | x86_64 | Packman
i  | Mesa-libEGL1                    | package | 25.3.1-1699.2.pm.1 | x86_64 | Packman
i  | Mesa-libEGL1-32bit              | package | 25.3.1-1699.2.pm.1 | x86_64 | Packman
i  | Mesa-libGL1                     | package | 25.3.1-1699.2.pm.1 | x86_64 | Packman
i  | Mesa-libGL1-32bit               | package | 25.3.1-1699.2.pm.1 | x86_64 | Packman
i  | Mesa-libva                      | package | 25.3.1-1699.2.pm.9 | x86_64 | Packman
i  | Mesa-vulkan-device-select       | package | 25.3.1-1699.2.pm.9 | x86_64 | Packman
i  | Mesa-vulkan-device-select-32bit | package | 25.3.1-1699.2.pm.9 | x86_64 | Packman

knurpht · December 28, 2025, 2:11pm

That should be OK. A couple of things:

Plasma Wayland?
Plasma X11?
did you try to remove the cache? ( Close Firefox and do rm -rf ~/.cache/mozilla/firefox )

Jungfred · December 28, 2025, 3:44pm

I’m using Plasma Wayland, but never tested this on X11.

I have also now removed the cache, but unfortunately it doesn’t seem to speed up the startup.

myswtest · December 28, 2025, 4:02pm

@Jungfred wrote:

Yea, I’d also do a login to X11-Plasma vs wayland- Plasma, as I’ve seen oddities with wayland-Plasma. (why we only use X11). It’s a quick troubleshooting test.

And additional personal opinion … instead of searching journalctl logs, I’d prefer to actually execute FF from a windowed terminal (i.e., “konsole”) to see the output at the command line, that way, there isn’t excessive output related to other processes.

And if the command line execution doesn’t produce enough granular information, I’d use strace, as an ultimate troubleshooting tool

knurpht · December 28, 2025, 10:54pm

@Jungfred I am beginning to suspect DNS. Can you show cat /etc/resolv.conf

And, as a small test: turn off both wired and internet connection. Start Firefox. Is it still slow?

Jungfred · December 29, 2025, 4:25pm

cat /etc/resolv.conf
# Generated by NetworkManager
search fritz.box
nameserver 192.168.178.1
nameserver fdf6:4997:b2a2:0:1eed:6fff:fe5d:f855
nameserver 2a02:8070:9b81:eca0:1eed:6fff:fe5d:f855

Firefox does start now a lot faster when internet connection turned off.

I also came across this bug report with same issue. Someone noticed that the hostname apparently switched and caused slow start of Firefox.
I’ve noticed that i also had not set a static hostname which i have done now.
Don’t know if this has anything to do with, but since then the FF starts faster, even when the internet connection is enabled.

system · January 5, 2026, 4:26pm

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