diff --git a/browser/components/newtab/lib/PrefsFeed.jsm b/browser/components/newtab/lib/PrefsFeed.jsm
index 7836490f79eb..fb50fe48c64e 100644
--- a/browser/components/newtab/lib/PrefsFeed.jsm
+++ b/browser/components/newtab/lib/PrefsFeed.jsm
@@ -89,15 +89,21 @@ class PrefsFeed {
    */
   onPocketExperimentUpdated(event, reason) {
     const value = lazy.NimbusFeatures.pocketNewtab.getAllVariables() || {};
-    this.store.dispatch(
-      ac.BroadcastToContent({
-        type: at.PREF_CHANGED,
-        data: {
-          name: "pocketConfig",
-          value,
-        },
-      })
-    );
+    // Loaded experiments are set up inside init()
+    if (
+      reason !== "feature-experiment-loaded" &&
+      reason !== "feature-rollout-loaded"
+    ) {
+      this.store.dispatch(
+        ac.BroadcastToContent({
+          type: at.PREF_CHANGED,
+          data: {
+            name: "pocketConfig",
+            value,
+          },
+        })
+      );
+    }
   }
 
   init() {
diff --git a/browser/components/newtab/test/unit/lib/PrefsFeed.test.js b/browser/components/newtab/test/unit/lib/PrefsFeed.test.js
index 13cdd7001f13..dff262735a64 100644
--- a/browser/components/newtab/test/unit/lib/PrefsFeed.test.js
+++ b/browser/components/newtab/test/unit/lib/PrefsFeed.test.js
@@ -177,6 +177,17 @@ describe("PrefsFeed", () => {
       })
     );
   });
+  it("should not send a PREF_CHANGED actions when onPocketExperimentUpdated is called during startup", () => {
+    sandbox
+      .stub(global.NimbusFeatures.pocketNewtab, "getAllVariables")
+      .returns({
+        prefsButtonIcon: "icon-new",
+      });
+    feed.onPocketExperimentUpdated({}, "feature-experiment-loaded");
+    assert.notCalled(feed.store.dispatch);
+    feed.onPocketExperimentUpdated({}, "feature-rollout-loaded");
+    assert.notCalled(feed.store.dispatch);
+  });
   it("should send a PREF_CHANGED actions when onExperimentUpdated is called", () => {
     sandbox.stub(global.NimbusFeatures.newtab, "getAllVariables").returns({
       prefsButtonIcon: "icon-new",