diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/Description.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/Description.cpp
index effd319..706960c 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/Description.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/Description.cpp
@@ -27,22 +27,15 @@
 namespace android {
 
 Description::Description() {
-    mPlaneAlpha = 1.0f;
     mPremultipliedAlpha = false;
     mOpaque = true;
     mTextureEnabled = false;
     mColorMatrixEnabled = false;
-
-    memset(mColor, 0, sizeof(mColor));
 }
 
 Description::~Description() {
 }
 
-void Description::setPlaneAlpha(GLclampf planeAlpha) {
-    mPlaneAlpha = planeAlpha;
-}
-
 void Description::setPremultipliedAlpha(bool premultipliedAlpha) {
     mPremultipliedAlpha = premultipliedAlpha;
 }
@@ -60,11 +53,8 @@
     mTextureEnabled = false;
 }
 
-void Description::setColor(GLclampf red, GLclampf green, GLclampf blue, GLclampf alpha) {
-    mColor[0] = red;
-    mColor[1] = green;
-    mColor[2] = blue;
-    mColor[3] = alpha;
+void Description::setColor(const half4& color) {
+    mColor = color;
 }
 
 void Description::setProjectionMatrix(const mat4& mtx) {
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/Description.h b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/Description.h
index 3beffdf..cbac855 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/Description.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/Description.h
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@
     friend class Program;
     friend class ProgramCache;
 
-    // value of the plane-alpha, between 0 and 1
-    GLclampf mPlaneAlpha;
     // whether textures are premultiplied
     bool mPremultipliedAlpha;
     // whether this layer is marked as opaque
@@ -46,8 +44,8 @@
     Texture mTexture;
     bool mTextureEnabled;
 
-    // color used when texturing is disabled
-    GLclampf mColor[4];
+    // color used when texturing is disabled or when setting alpha.
+    half4 mColor;
     // projection matrix
     mat4 mProjectionMatrix;
 
@@ -60,12 +58,11 @@
     Description();
     ~Description();
 
-    void setPlaneAlpha(GLclampf planeAlpha);
     void setPremultipliedAlpha(bool premultipliedAlpha);
     void setOpaque(bool opaque);
     void setTexture(const Texture& texture);
     void disableTexture();
-    void setColor(GLclampf red, GLclampf green, GLclampf blue, GLclampf alpha);
+    void setColor(const half4& color);
     void setProjectionMatrix(const mat4& mtx);
     void setColorMatrix(const mat4& mtx);
     const mat4& getColorMatrix() const;
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/GLES20RenderEngine.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/GLES20RenderEngine.cpp
index 37a530b..daaa11e 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/GLES20RenderEngine.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/GLES20RenderEngine.cpp
@@ -204,25 +204,17 @@
     mVpHeight = vph;
 }
 
-#ifdef USE_HWC2
 void GLES20RenderEngine::setupLayerBlending(bool premultipliedAlpha,
-        bool opaque, float alpha) {
-#else
-void GLES20RenderEngine::setupLayerBlending(
-    bool premultipliedAlpha, bool opaque, int alpha) {
-#endif
-
+        bool opaque, bool disableTexture, const half4& color) {
     mState.setPremultipliedAlpha(premultipliedAlpha);
     mState.setOpaque(opaque);
-#ifdef USE_HWC2
-    mState.setPlaneAlpha(alpha);
+    mState.setColor(color);
 
-    if (alpha < 1.0f || !opaque) {
-#else
-    mState.setPlaneAlpha(alpha / 255.0f);
+    if (disableTexture) {
+        mState.disableTexture();
+    }
 
-    if (alpha < 0xFF || !opaque) {
-#endif
+    if (color.a < 1.0f || !opaque) {
         glEnable(GL_BLEND);
         glBlendFunc(premultipliedAlpha ? GL_ONE : GL_SRC_ALPHA, GL_ONE_MINUS_SRC_ALPHA);
     } else {
@@ -231,33 +223,6 @@
 }
 
 #ifdef USE_HWC2
-void GLES20RenderEngine::setupDimLayerBlending(float alpha) {
-#else
-void GLES20RenderEngine::setupDimLayerBlending(int alpha) {
-#endif
-    mState.setPlaneAlpha(1.0f);
-    mState.setPremultipliedAlpha(true);
-    mState.setOpaque(false);
-#ifdef USE_HWC2
-    mState.setColor(0, 0, 0, alpha);
-#else
-    mState.setColor(0, 0, 0, alpha/255.0f);
-#endif
-    mState.disableTexture();
-
-#ifdef USE_HWC2
-    if (alpha == 1.0f) {
-#else
-    if (alpha == 0xFF) {
-#endif
-        glDisable(GL_BLEND);
-    } else {
-        glEnable(GL_BLEND);
-        glBlendFunc(GL_ONE, GL_ONE_MINUS_SRC_ALPHA);
-    }
-}
-
-#ifdef USE_HWC2
 void GLES20RenderEngine::setColorMode(android_color_mode mode) {
     ALOGV("setColorMode: %s (0x%x)", decodeColorMode(mode).c_str(), mode);
 
@@ -355,10 +320,9 @@
 }
 
 void GLES20RenderEngine::setupFillWithColor(float r, float g, float b, float a) {
-    mState.setPlaneAlpha(1.0f);
     mState.setPremultipliedAlpha(true);
     mState.setOpaque(false);
-    mState.setColor(r, g, b, a);
+    mState.setColor(half4(r, g, b, a));
     mState.disableTexture();
     glDisable(GL_BLEND);
 }
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/GLES20RenderEngine.h b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/GLES20RenderEngine.h
index eaf94af..5ac12fc 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/GLES20RenderEngine.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/GLES20RenderEngine.h
@@ -68,10 +68,9 @@
     virtual void setViewportAndProjection(size_t vpw, size_t vph,
             Rect sourceCrop, size_t hwh, bool yswap,
             Transform::orientation_flags rotation);
-#ifdef USE_HWC2
     virtual void setupLayerBlending(bool premultipliedAlpha, bool opaque,
-            float alpha) override;
-    virtual void setupDimLayerBlending(float alpha) override;
+            bool disableTexture, const half4& color) override;
+#ifdef USE_HWC2
 
     // Color management related functions and state
     void setColorMode(android_color_mode mode);
@@ -92,10 +91,6 @@
 
     // Currently only supporting sRGB and DisplayP3 color spaces
     mat4 mSrgbToDisplayP3;
-#else
-    virtual void setupLayerBlending(bool premultipliedAlpha, bool opaque,
-            int alpha);
-    virtual void setupDimLayerBlending(int alpha);
 #endif
     bool mPlatformHasWideColor = false;
 
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/Program.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/Program.cpp
index 48a8da5..e95a6c5 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/Program.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/Program.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include "Program.h"
 #include "ProgramCache.h"
 #include "Description.h"
+#include <math/mat4.h>
 
 namespace android {
 
@@ -63,7 +64,6 @@
         mTextureMatrixLoc = glGetUniformLocation(programId, "texture");
         mSamplerLoc = glGetUniformLocation(programId, "sampler");
         mColorLoc = glGetUniformLocation(programId, "color");
-        mAlphaPlaneLoc = glGetUniformLocation(programId, "alphaPlane");
 
         // set-up the default values for our uniforms
         glUseProgram(programId);
@@ -132,11 +132,9 @@
         glUniform1i(mSamplerLoc, 0);
         glUniformMatrix4fv(mTextureMatrixLoc, 1, GL_FALSE, desc.mTexture.getMatrix().asArray());
     }
-    if (mAlphaPlaneLoc >= 0) {
-        glUniform1f(mAlphaPlaneLoc, desc.mPlaneAlpha);
-    }
     if (mColorLoc >= 0) {
-        glUniform4fv(mColorLoc, 1, desc.mColor);
+        const float* color = &static_cast<details::TVec4<float> const &>(desc.mColor)[0];
+        glUniform4fv(mColorLoc, 1, color);
     }
     if (mColorMatrixLoc >= 0) {
         glUniformMatrix4fv(mColorMatrixLoc, 1, GL_FALSE, desc.mColorMatrix.asArray());
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/Program.h b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/Program.h
index 36bd120..a2ae2ee 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/Program.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/Program.h
@@ -79,9 +79,6 @@
     /* location of the sampler uniform */
     GLint mSamplerLoc;
 
-    /* location of the alpha plane uniform */
-    GLint mAlphaPlaneLoc;
-
     /* location of the color uniform */
     GLint mColorLoc;
 };
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/ProgramCache.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/ProgramCache.cpp
index 06b2252..b437545 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/ProgramCache.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/ProgramCache.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
 void ProgramCache::primeCache() {
     uint32_t shaderCount = 0;
     uint32_t keyMask = Key::BLEND_MASK | Key::OPACITY_MASK |
-                       Key::PLANE_ALPHA_MASK | Key::TEXTURE_MASK;
+                       Key::ALPHA_MASK | Key::TEXTURE_MASK;
     // Prime the cache for all combinations of the above masks,
     // leaving off the experimental color matrix mask options.
 
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@
             description.mTexture.getTextureTarget() == GL_TEXTURE_EXTERNAL_OES ? Key::TEXTURE_EXT :
             description.mTexture.getTextureTarget() == GL_TEXTURE_2D           ? Key::TEXTURE_2D :
             Key::TEXTURE_OFF)
-    .set(Key::PLANE_ALPHA_MASK,
-            (description.mPlaneAlpha < 1) ? Key::PLANE_ALPHA_LT_ONE : Key::PLANE_ALPHA_EQ_ONE)
+    .set(Key::ALPHA_MASK,
+            (description.mColor.a < 1) ? Key::ALPHA_LT_ONE : Key::ALPHA_EQ_ONE)
     .set(Key::BLEND_MASK,
             description.mPremultipliedAlpha ? Key::BLEND_PREMULT : Key::BLEND_NORMAL)
     .set(Key::OPACITY_MASK,
@@ -168,12 +168,12 @@
     } else if (needs.getTextureTarget() == Key::TEXTURE_2D) {
         fs << "uniform sampler2D sampler;"
            << "varying vec2 outTexCoords;";
-    } else if (needs.getTextureTarget() == Key::TEXTURE_OFF) {
+    }
+
+    if (needs.getTextureTarget() == Key::TEXTURE_OFF || needs.hasAlpha()) {
         fs << "uniform vec4 color;";
     }
-    if (needs.hasPlaneAlpha()) {
-        fs << "uniform float alphaPlane;";
-    }
+
     if (needs.hasColorMatrix()) {
         fs << "uniform mat4 colorMatrix;";
     }
@@ -225,18 +225,19 @@
     if (needs.isTexturing()) {
         fs << "gl_FragColor = texture2D(sampler, outTexCoords);";
     } else {
-        fs << "gl_FragColor = color;";
+        fs << "gl_FragColor.rgb = color.rgb;";
+        fs << "gl_FragColor.a = 1.0;";
     }
     if (needs.isOpaque()) {
         fs << "gl_FragColor.a = 1.0;";
     }
-    if (needs.hasPlaneAlpha()) {
-        // modulate the alpha value with planeAlpha
+    if (needs.hasAlpha()) {
+        // modulate the current alpha value with alpha set
         if (needs.isPremultiplied()) {
             // ... and the color too if we're premultiplied
-            fs << "gl_FragColor *= alphaPlane;";
+            fs << "gl_FragColor *= color.a;";
         } else {
-            fs << "gl_FragColor.a *= alphaPlane;";
+            fs << "gl_FragColor.a *= color.a;";
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/ProgramCache.h b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/ProgramCache.h
index 5b0fbcd..ff5cf0f 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/ProgramCache.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/ProgramCache.h
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@
             OPACITY_TRANSLUCENT     =       0x00000000,
             OPACITY_MASK            =       0x00000002,
 
-            PLANE_ALPHA_LT_ONE      =       0x00000004,
-            PLANE_ALPHA_EQ_ONE      =       0x00000000,
-            PLANE_ALPHA_MASK        =       0x00000004,
+            ALPHA_LT_ONE            =       0x00000004,
+            ALPHA_EQ_ONE            =       0x00000000,
+            ALPHA_MASK              =       0x00000004,
 
             TEXTURE_OFF             =       0x00000000,
             TEXTURE_EXT             =       0x00000008,
@@ -95,8 +95,8 @@
         inline bool isOpaque() const {
             return (mKey & OPACITY_MASK) == OPACITY_OPAQUE;
         }
-        inline bool hasPlaneAlpha() const {
-            return (mKey & PLANE_ALPHA_MASK) == PLANE_ALPHA_LT_ONE;
+        inline bool hasAlpha() const {
+            return (mKey & ALPHA_MASK) == ALPHA_LT_ONE;
         }
         inline bool hasColorMatrix() const {
             return (mKey & COLOR_MATRIX_MASK) == COLOR_MATRIX_ON;
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/RenderEngine.h b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/RenderEngine.h
index 9544579..fa65979 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/RenderEngine.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/RenderEngine/RenderEngine.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <EGL/eglext.h>
 #include <math/mat4.h>
 #include <Transform.h>
+#include <gui/SurfaceControl.h>
 
 #define EGL_NO_CONFIG ((EGLConfig)0)
 
@@ -98,16 +99,13 @@
     virtual void checkErrors() const;
     virtual void setViewportAndProjection(size_t vpw, size_t vph,
             Rect sourceCrop, size_t hwh, bool yswap, Transform::orientation_flags rotation) = 0;
+    virtual void setupLayerBlending(bool premultipliedAlpha, bool opaque,
+            bool disableTexture, const half4& color) = 0;
 #ifdef USE_HWC2
-    virtual void setupLayerBlending(bool premultipliedAlpha, bool opaque, float alpha) = 0;
-    virtual void setupDimLayerBlending(float alpha) = 0;
     virtual void setColorMode(android_color_mode mode) = 0;
     virtual void setSourceDataSpace(android_dataspace source) = 0;
     virtual void setWideColor(bool hasWideColor) = 0;
     virtual bool usesWideColor() = 0;
-#else
-    virtual void setupLayerBlending(bool premultipliedAlpha, bool opaque, int alpha) = 0;
-    virtual void setupDimLayerBlending(int alpha) = 0;
 #endif
     virtual void setupLayerTexturing(const Texture& texture) = 0;
     virtual void setupLayerBlackedOut() = 0;