diff --git a/background/background.js b/background/background.js
index 5026fa53..44e09795 100644
--- a/background/background.js
+++ b/background/background.js
@@ -320,6 +320,14 @@ function updateIcon(tab, styles) {
 
 
 function onRuntimeMessage(request, sender, sendResponse) {
+  // prevent browser exception bug on sending a response to a closed tab
+  sendResponse = (sendResponseOriginal =>
+    data => {
+      try {
+        sendResponseOriginal(data);
+      } catch (e) {}
+    }
+  )(sendResponse);
   switch (request.method) {
     case 'getStyles':
       getStyles(request).then(sendResponse);