diff --git a/backbone.js b/backbone.js
index d5e0a287..61d2aace 100644
--- a/backbone.js
+++ b/backbone.js
@@ -1471,38 +1471,9 @@
       this._hasPushState    = !!(this.options.pushState && this.history && this.history.pushState);
       this.fragment         = this.getFragment();
 
-      // Add a cross-platform `addEventListener` shim for older browsers.
-      var addEventListener = window.addEventListener || function (eventName, listener) {
-        return attachEvent('on' + eventName, listener);
-      };
-
       // Normalize root to always include a leading and trailing slash.
       this.root = ('/' + this.root + '/').replace(rootStripper, '/');
 
-      // Proxy an iframe to handle location events if the browser doesn't
-      // support the `hashchange` event, HTML5 history, or the user wants
-      // `hashChange` but not `pushState`.
-      if (!this._hasHashChange && this._wantsHashChange && (!this._wantsPushState || !this._hasPushState)) {
-        var iframe = document.createElement('iframe');
-        iframe.src = 'javascript:0';
-        iframe.style.display = 'none';
-        iframe.tabIndex = -1;
-        var body = document.body;
-        // Using `appendChild` will throw on IE < 9 if the document is not ready.
-        this.iframe = body.insertBefore(iframe, body.firstChild).contentWindow;
-        this.navigate(this.fragment);
-      }
-
-      // Depending on whether we're using pushState or hashes, and whether
-      // 'onhashchange' is supported, determine how we check the URL state.
-      if (this._hasPushState) {
-        addEventListener('popstate', this.checkUrl, false);
-      } else if (this._wantsHashChange && this._hasHashChange && !this.iframe) {
-        addEventListener('hashchange', this.checkUrl, false);
-      } else if (this._wantsHashChange) {
-        this._checkUrlInterval = setInterval(this.checkUrl, this.interval);
-      }
-
       // Transition from hashChange to pushState or vice versa if both are
       // requested.
       if (this._wantsHashChange && this._wantsPushState) {
@@ -1522,6 +1493,36 @@
 
       }
 
+      // Proxy an iframe to handle location events if the browser doesn't
+      // support the `hashchange` event, HTML5 history, or the user wants
+      // `hashChange` but not `pushState`.
+      if (!this._hasHashChange && this._wantsHashChange && (!this._wantsPushState || !this._hasPushState)) {
+        var iframe = document.createElement('iframe');
+        iframe.src = 'javascript:0';
+        iframe.style.display = 'none';
+        iframe.tabIndex = -1;
+        var body = document.body;
+        // Using `appendChild` will throw on IE < 9 if the document is not ready.
+        this.iframe = body.insertBefore(iframe, body.firstChild).contentWindow;
+        this.iframe.document.open().close();
+        this.iframe.location.hash = '#' + this.fragment;
+      }
+
+      // Add a cross-platform `addEventListener` shim for older browsers.
+      var addEventListener = window.addEventListener || function (eventName, listener) {
+        return attachEvent('on' + eventName, listener);
+      };
+
+      // Depending on whether we're using pushState or hashes, and whether
+      // 'onhashchange' is supported, determine how we check the URL state.
+      if (this._hasPushState) {
+        addEventListener('popstate', this.checkUrl, false);
+      } else if (this._wantsHashChange && this._hasHashChange && !this.iframe) {
+        addEventListener('hashchange', this.checkUrl, false);
+      } else if (this._wantsHashChange) {
+        this._checkUrlInterval = setInterval(this.checkUrl, this.interval);
+      }
+
       if (!this.options.silent) return this.loadUrl();
     },
 
@@ -1561,6 +1562,9 @@
     // calls `loadUrl`, normalizing across the hidden iframe.
     checkUrl: function(e) {
       var current = this.getFragment();
+      if (current === this.fragment && this.iframe) {
+        current = this.getHash(this.iframe);
+      }
       if (current === this.fragment) return false;
       if (this.iframe) this.navigate(current);
       this.loadUrl();
diff --git a/test/router.js b/test/router.js
index 9cd23f94..407c332d 100644
--- a/test/router.js
+++ b/test/router.js
@@ -375,14 +375,6 @@
     strictEqual(Backbone.history.getFragment(), 'foo');
   });
 
-  test("#1003 - History is started before navigate is called", 1, function() {
-    Backbone.history.stop();
-    Backbone.history.navigate = function(){ ok(Backbone.History.started); };
-    Backbone.history.start();
-    // If this is not an old IE navigate will not be called.
-    if (!Backbone.history.iframe) ok(true);
-  });
-
   test("#967 - Route callback gets passed encoded values.", 3, function() {
     var route = 'has%2Fslash/complex-has%23hash/has%20space';
     Backbone.history.navigate(route, {trigger: true});