diff --git a/src/courseware/course/sequence/Unit.jsx b/src/courseware/course/sequence/Unit.jsx
index 2e00a576..ce8e7626 100644
--- a/src/courseware/course/sequence/Unit.jsx
+++ b/src/courseware/course/sequence/Unit.jsx
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import React, {
   Suspense,
-  useRef,
   useEffect,
   useState,
+  useLayoutEffect,
 } from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 import { getConfig } from '@edx/frontend-platform';
@@ -14,13 +14,44 @@ import PageLoading from '../../../PageLoading';
 
 const LockPaywall = React.lazy(() => import('./lock-paywall'));
 
+/**
+ * We discovered an error in Firefox where - upon iframe load - React would cease to call any
+ * useEffect hooks until the user interacts with the page again.  This is particularly confusing
+ * when navigating between sequences, as the UI partially updates leaving the user in a nebulous
+ * state.
+ *
+ * We were able to solve this error by using a layout effect to update some component state, which
+ * executes synchronously on render.  Somehow this forces React to continue it's lifecycle
+ * immediately, rather than waiting for user interaction.  This layout effect could be anywhere in
+ * the parent tree, as far as we can tell - we chose to add a conspicuously 'load bearing' (that's
+ * a joke) one here so it wouldn't be accidentally removed elsewhere.
+ *
+ * If we remove this hook when one of these happens:
+ * 1. React figures out that there's an issue here and fixes a bug.
+ * 2. We cease to use an iframe for unit rendering.
+ * 3. Firefox figures out that there's an issue in their iframe loading and fixes a bug.
+ * 4. We stop supporting Firefox.
+ * 5. An enterprising engineer decides to create a repo that reproduces the problem, submits it to
+ *    Firefox/React for review, and they kindly help us figure out what in the world is happening
+ *    so  we can fix it.
+ *
+ * This hook depends on the unit id just to make sure it re-evaluates whenever the ID changes.  If
+ * we change whether or not the Unit component is re-mounted when the unit ID changes, this may
+ * become important, as this hook will otherwise only evaluate the useLayoutEffect once.
+ */
+function useLoadBearingHook(id) {
+  const setValue = useState(0)[1];
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    setValue(currentValue => currentValue + 1);
+  }, [id]);
+}
+
 function Unit({
   courseId,
   onLoaded,
   id,
   intl,
 }) {
-  const iframeRef = useRef(null);
   const iframeUrl = `${getConfig().LMS_BASE_URL}/xblock/${id}?show_title=0&show_bookmark_button=0`;
 
   const [iframeHeight, setIframeHeight] = useState(0);
@@ -33,25 +64,29 @@ function Unit({
     enrollmentMode,
   } = course;
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    global.onmessage = (event) => {
-      const { type, payload } = event.data;
+  // Do not remove this hook.  See function description.
+  useLoadBearingHook(id);
 
-      console.log('MFE App', 'onmessage', id, iframeUrl, event.source, type, payload, event);
-      if (type === 'plugin.resize') {
-        setIframeHeight(payload.height);
-        console.log('MFE App', 'plugin.resize', hasLoaded, iframeHeight, payload.height);
-        if (!hasLoaded && iframeHeight === 0 && payload.height > 0) {
-          console.log('MFE App', 'hasLoaded', true);
-          setHasLoaded(true);
-          if (onLoaded) {
-            console.log('MFE App', 'fire onLoaded handler');
-            onLoaded();
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!global.onmessage) {
+      global.onmessage = (event) => {
+        const { type, payload } = event.data;
+
+        if (type === 'plugin.resize') {
+          setIframeHeight(payload.height);
+          if (!hasLoaded && iframeHeight === 0 && payload.height > 0) {
+            setHasLoaded(true);
+            if (onLoaded) {
+              onLoaded();
+            }
           }
         }
-      }
+      };
+    }
+    return () => {
+      global.onmessage = null;
     };
-  }, []);
+  }, [id]);
 
   return (
     <div className="unit">
@@ -78,7 +113,6 @@ function Unit({
         <iframe
           id="unit-iframe"
           title={unit.title}
-          ref={iframeRef}
           src={iframeUrl}
           allowFullScreen
           height={iframeHeight}