diff --git a/content/handlers/html/html.c b/content/handlers/html/html.c
index 6e389abe3..c7a9afebd 100644
--- a/content/handlers/html/html.c
+++ b/content/handlers/html/html.c
@@ -268,13 +268,31 @@ static void html_box_convert_done(html_content *c, bool success)
 
 	content_set_ready(&c->base);
 
-	if (c->base.active == 0) {
-		content_set_done(&c->base);
-	}
+	html_proceed_to_done(c);
 
 	dom_node_unref(html);
 }
 
+/* Documented in html_internal.h */
+nserror
+html_proceed_to_done(html_content *html)
+{
+	switch (content__get_status(&html->base)) {
+	case CONTENT_STATUS_READY:
+		if (html->base.active == 0) {
+			content_set_done(&html->base);
+			return NSERROR_OK;
+		}
+		break;
+	case CONTENT_STATUS_DONE:
+		return NSERROR_OK;
+	default:
+		NSLOG(netsurf, ERROR, "Content status unexpectedly not READY/DONE");
+		break;
+	}
+	return NSERROR_UNKNOWN;
+}
+
 
 /** process link node */
 static bool html_process_link(html_content *c, dom_node *node)
diff --git a/content/handlers/html/html_internal.h b/content/handlers/html/html_internal.h
index 2ff341038..9b363dc8b 100644
--- a/content/handlers/html/html_internal.h
+++ b/content/handlers/html/html_internal.h
@@ -396,6 +396,12 @@ nserror html_object_close_objects(html_content *html);
 nserror html_object_open_objects(html_content *html, struct browser_window *bw);
 nserror html_object_abort_objects(html_content *html);
 
+/**
+ * Complete the HTML content state machine *iff* all scripts are finished
+ */
+nserror html_proceed_to_done(html_content *html);
+
+
 /* Events */
 /**
  * Construct an event and fire it at the DOM
diff --git a/content/handlers/html/html_script.c b/content/handlers/html/html_script.c
index e11e47c56..ed73f50d8 100644
--- a/content/handlers/html/html_script.c
+++ b/content/handlers/html/html_script.c
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ nserror html_script_exec(html_content *c, bool allow_defer)
 		}
 	}
 
-	return NSERROR_OK;
+	return html_proceed_to_done(c);
 }
 
 /* create new html script entry */
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ convert_script_async_cb(hlcache_handle *script,
 	 * scripts as they come in.
 	 */
 	else if (parent->conversion_begun) {
-		html_script_exec(parent, false);
+		return html_script_exec(parent, false);
 	}
 
 	return NSERROR_OK;