diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/library/bookmarks/BookmarkController.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/library/bookmarks/BookmarkController.kt
index 73b1cdde7..f4a71e2c8 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/library/bookmarks/BookmarkController.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/library/bookmarks/BookmarkController.kt
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class DefaultBookmarkController(
     private val services: Services = activity.components.services
 
     override fun handleBookmarkTapped(item: BookmarkNode) {
-        openInNewTab(item.url!!, true, BrowserDirection.FromBookmarks, BrowsingMode.Normal)
+        openInNewTab(item.url!!, true, BrowserDirection.FromBookmarks, activity.browsingModeManager.mode)
     }
 
     override fun handleBookmarkExpand(folder: BookmarkNode) {
diff --git a/app/src/test/java/org/mozilla/fenix/library/bookmarks/BookmarkControllerTest.kt b/app/src/test/java/org/mozilla/fenix/library/bookmarks/BookmarkControllerTest.kt
index 2ea66fb21..c8c927838 100644
--- a/app/src/test/java/org/mozilla/fenix/library/bookmarks/BookmarkControllerTest.kt
+++ b/app/src/test/java/org/mozilla/fenix/library/bookmarks/BookmarkControllerTest.kt
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import io.mockk.verifyOrder
 import mozilla.appservices.places.BookmarkRoot
 import mozilla.components.concept.storage.BookmarkNode
 import mozilla.components.concept.storage.BookmarkNodeType
+import org.junit.Assert.assertEquals
 import org.junit.Before
 import org.junit.Test
 import org.mozilla.fenix.BrowserDirection
@@ -101,11 +102,25 @@ class BookmarkControllerTest {
 
         verifyOrder {
             invokePendingDeletion.invoke()
-            homeActivity.browsingModeManager.mode = BrowsingMode.Normal
             homeActivity.openToBrowserAndLoad(item.url!!, true, BrowserDirection.FromBookmarks)
         }
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun `handleBookmarkTapped should respect browsing mode`() {
+        // if in normal mode, should be in normal mode
+        every { homeActivity.browsingModeManager.mode } returns BrowsingMode.Normal
+
+        controller.handleBookmarkTapped(item)
+        assertEquals(BrowsingMode.Normal, homeActivity.browsingModeManager.mode)
+
+        // if in private mode, should be in private mode
+        every { homeActivity.browsingModeManager.mode } returns BrowsingMode.Private
+
+        controller.handleBookmarkTapped(item)
+        assertEquals(BrowsingMode.Private, homeActivity.browsingModeManager.mode)
+    }
+
     @Test
     fun `handleBookmarkExpand should navigate to the 'Bookmark' fragment`() {
         controller.handleBookmarkExpand(tree)