diff --git a/services/vr/vr_window_manager/surface_flinger_view.cpp b/services/vr/vr_window_manager/surface_flinger_view.cpp
index 7b17420..d42d3ff 100644
--- a/services/vr/vr_window_manager/surface_flinger_view.cpp
+++ b/services/vr/vr_window_manager/surface_flinger_view.cpp
@@ -14,16 +14,29 @@
 SurfaceFlingerView::~SurfaceFlingerView() {}
 
 bool SurfaceFlingerView::Initialize(HwcCallback::Client *client) {
-  sp<IComposer> vr_hwcomposer = IComposer::getService("vr_hwcomposer");
-  if (!vr_hwcomposer.get()) {
-    ALOGE("vr_hwcomposer not registered as service");
+  const char vr_hwcomposer_name[] = "vr_hwcomposer";
+  vr_hwcomposer_ = HIDL_FETCH_IComposer(vr_hwcomposer_name);
+  if (!vr_hwcomposer_.get()) {
+    ALOGE("Failed to get vr_hwcomposer");
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  if (vr_hwcomposer_->isRemote()) {
+    ALOGE("vr_hwcomposer service is remote");
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  const android::status_t vr_hwcomposer_status =
+      vr_hwcomposer_->registerAsService(vr_hwcomposer_name);
+  if (vr_hwcomposer_status != OK) {
+    ALOGE("Failed to register vr_hwcomposer service");
     return false;
   }
 
   vr_composer_view_ =
       std::make_unique<VrComposerView>(std::make_unique<HwcCallback>(client));
   vr_composer_view_->Initialize(GetComposerViewFromIComposer(
-      vr_hwcomposer.get()));
+      vr_hwcomposer_.get()));
 
   // TODO(dnicoara): Query this from the composer service.
   width_ = 1920;
diff --git a/services/vr/vr_window_manager/surface_flinger_view.h b/services/vr/vr_window_manager/surface_flinger_view.h
index 8d9b44e..9c16192 100644
--- a/services/vr/vr_window_manager/surface_flinger_view.h
+++ b/services/vr/vr_window_manager/surface_flinger_view.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
   void ReleaseFrame();
 
  private:
+  sp<IComposer> vr_hwcomposer_;
   std::unique_ptr<VrComposerView> vr_composer_view_;
   int width_ = 0;
   int height_ = 0;
diff --git a/services/vr/vr_window_manager/vr_window_manager.cpp b/services/vr/vr_window_manager/vr_window_manager.cpp
index 5e9215c..6636dc5 100644
--- a/services/vr/vr_window_manager/vr_window_manager.cpp
+++ b/services/vr/vr_window_manager/vr_window_manager.cpp
@@ -14,18 +14,6 @@
 int main(int /* argc */, char** /* argv */) {
   android::ProcessState::self()->startThreadPool();
 
-  // Create vr_hwcomposer.
-  const char vr_hwcomposer_name[] = "vr_hwcomposer";
-  sp<IComposer> vr_hwcomposer = HIDL_FETCH_IComposer(vr_hwcomposer_name);
-  LOG_ALWAYS_FATAL_IF(!vr_hwcomposer.get(), "Failed to get vr_hwcomposer");
-  LOG_ALWAYS_FATAL_IF(vr_hwcomposer->isRemote(),
-                      "vr_hwcomposer service is remote");
-
-  const android::status_t vr_hwcomposer_status =
-      vr_hwcomposer->registerAsService(vr_hwcomposer_name);
-  LOG_ALWAYS_FATAL_IF(vr_hwcomposer_status != ::android::OK,
-                      "Failed to register vr_hwcomposer service");
-
   // ShellView needs to be created after vr_hwcomposer.
   android::dvr::ShellView app;
   const int app_status = app.Initialize();