diff --git a/drmdisplaycompositor.cpp b/drmdisplaycompositor.cpp
index d492f69..d18c71b 100644
--- a/drmdisplaycompositor.cpp
+++ b/drmdisplaycompositor.cpp
@@ -934,6 +934,25 @@
   switch (composition->type()) {
     case DRM_COMPOSITION_TYPE_FRAME:
       ret = PrepareFrame(composition.get());
+      if (ret) {
+        ALOGE("Failed to prepare frame for display %d", display_);
+        return ret;
+      }
+      // Send the composition to the kernel to ensure we can commit it. This is
+      // just a test, it won't actually commit the frame. If the kernel rejects
+      // it, squash the frame into one layer and use the squashed composition
+      ret = CommitFrame(composition.get(), true);
+      if (ret) {
+        ALOGI("Commit test failed, squashing frame for display %d", display_);
+        std::unique_ptr<DrmDisplayComposition> squashed = CreateComposition();
+        ret = SquashFrame(composition.get(), squashed.get());
+        if (!ret) {
+          composition = std::move(squashed);
+        } else {
+          ALOGE("Failed to squash frame for display %d", display_);
+          return ret;
+        }
+      }
       frame_worker_.QueueFrame(std::move(composition), ret);
       break;
     case DRM_COMPOSITION_TYPE_DPMS:
diff --git a/drmdisplaycompositor.h b/drmdisplaycompositor.h
index 975de63..541d807 100644
--- a/drmdisplaycompositor.h
+++ b/drmdisplaycompositor.h
@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@
 #include <hardware/hardware.h>
 #include <hardware/hwcomposer.h>
 
-#define DRM_DISPLAY_BUFFERS 2
+// One for the front, one for the back, and one for cases where we need to
+// squash a frame that the hw can't display with hw overlays.
+#define DRM_DISPLAY_BUFFERS 3
 
 namespace android {