diff --git a/common/content/buffer.js b/common/content/buffer.js
index 7985778e..5c412b86 100644
--- a/common/content/buffer.js
+++ b/common/content/buffer.js
@@ -1123,8 +1123,10 @@ function Buffer() //{{{
             {
                 case liberator.NEW_TAB:
                 case liberator.NEW_BACKGROUND_TAB:
+                    let invertLogic = !options.getPref("browser.tabs.loadInBackground");
+                    let backgroundDesired = (where == liberator.NEW_BACKGROUND_TAB);
                     ctrlKey = true;
-                    shiftKey = (where != liberator.NEW_BACKGROUND_TAB);
+                    shiftKey = invertLogic ? backgroundDesired : !backgroundDesired;
                     break;
                 case liberator.NEW_WINDOW:
                     shiftKey = true;
diff --git a/common/content/hints.js b/common/content/hints.js
index cdc90dfb..44516a88 100644
--- a/common/content/hints.js
+++ b/common/content/hints.js
@@ -86,13 +86,7 @@ function Hints() //{{{
     // Used to open multiple hints
     function hintSequenceElement(elem)
     {
-        // Want to always open sequence hints in background
-        // (remember: NEW_BACKGROUND_TAB and NEW_TAB semantics assume
-        //            that loadInBackground=true)
-        if (options.getPref("browser.tabs.loadInBackground"))
-            buffer.followLink(elem, liberator.NEW_BACKGROUND_TAB);
-        else
-            buffer.followLink(elem, liberator.NEW_TAB);
+        buffer.followLink(elem, liberator.NEW_BACKGROUND_TAB);
 
         // Move to next element in sequence
         // TODO: Maybe we find a *simple* way to keep the hints displayed rather than 
@@ -601,7 +595,7 @@ function Hints() //{{{
 
     mappings.add(myModes, ["F"],
         "Start QuickHint mode, but open link in a new tab",
-        function () { hints.show("t"); });
+        function () { options.getPref("browser.tabs.loadInBackground") ? hints.show("b") : hints.show("t"); });
 
     mappings.add(myModes, [";"],
         "Start an extended hint mode",
diff --git a/vimperator/locale/en-US/hints.txt b/vimperator/locale/en-US/hints.txt
index eedaaf91..21796974 100644
--- a/vimperator/locale/en-US/hints.txt
+++ b/vimperator/locale/en-US/hints.txt
@@ -22,8 +22,10 @@ ________________________________________________________________________________
 |F| +
 ||#F#{hint}||
 ________________________________________________________________________________
-Start QuickHint mode, but open link in a new tab. Like normal QuickHint mode
-(activated with [m]f[m]) but opens the link in a new tab.
+Start QuickHint mode, but open link in a new tab. Like normal QuickHint
+mode (activated with [m]f[m]) but opens the link in a new tab. The new
+tab will be loaded in background according to the
+\'browser.tabs.loadInBackground' Firefox preference.
 ________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
@@ -59,9 +61,6 @@ this hint mode. Then press [a]24[a] to copy the hint location.
 
 Hintable elements for all extended hint modes can be set in the
 'extendedhinttags' XPath string.
-
-Note: The behavior of [m];t[m] and [m];b[m] is inverted if the
-\'browser.tabs.loadInBackground' Firefox preference is set to false.
 ________________________________________________________________________________
 
 // vim: set syntax=asciidoc: