diff --git a/libs/renderengine/gl/GLESRenderEngine.cpp b/libs/renderengine/gl/GLESRenderEngine.cpp
index b5dd8ac..467f848 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/gl/GLESRenderEngine.cpp
+++ b/libs/renderengine/gl/GLESRenderEngine.cpp
@@ -1028,20 +1028,17 @@
     return mProtectedEGLContext != EGL_NO_CONTEXT;
 }
 
-bool GLESRenderEngine::useProtectedContext(bool useProtectedContext) {
-    if (useProtectedContext == mInProtectedContext) {
-        return true;
+void GLESRenderEngine::useProtectedContext(bool useProtectedContext) {
+    if (useProtectedContext == mInProtectedContext ||
+        (useProtectedContext && !supportsProtectedContent())) {
+        return;
     }
-    if (useProtectedContext && mProtectedEGLContext == EGL_NO_CONTEXT) {
-        return false;
-    }
+
     const EGLSurface surface = useProtectedContext ? mProtectedStubSurface : mStubSurface;
     const EGLContext context = useProtectedContext ? mProtectedEGLContext : mEGLContext;
-    const bool success = eglMakeCurrent(mEGLDisplay, surface, surface, context) == EGL_TRUE;
-    if (success) {
+    if (eglMakeCurrent(mEGLDisplay, surface, surface, context) == EGL_TRUE) {
         mInProtectedContext = useProtectedContext;
     }
-    return success;
 }
 EGLImageKHR GLESRenderEngine::createFramebufferImageIfNeeded(ANativeWindowBuffer* nativeBuffer,
                                                              bool isProtected,
diff --git a/libs/renderengine/gl/GLESRenderEngine.h b/libs/renderengine/gl/GLESRenderEngine.h
index 915dba3..4cb1b42 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/gl/GLESRenderEngine.h
+++ b/libs/renderengine/gl/GLESRenderEngine.h
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
     void deleteTextures(size_t count, uint32_t const* names) override;
     bool isProtected() const override { return mInProtectedContext; }
     bool supportsProtectedContent() const override;
-    bool useProtectedContext(bool useProtectedContext) override;
+    void useProtectedContext(bool useProtectedContext) override;
     status_t drawLayers(const DisplaySettings& display,
                         const std::vector<const LayerSettings*>& layers,
                         const std::shared_ptr<ExternalTexture>& buffer,
diff --git a/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/RenderEngine.h b/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/RenderEngine.h
index ac0affb..5964bc3 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/RenderEngine.h
+++ b/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/RenderEngine.h
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@
     virtual bool supportsProtectedContent() const = 0;
 
     // Attempt to switch RenderEngine into and out of protectedContext mode
-    virtual bool useProtectedContext(bool useProtectedContext) = 0;
+    virtual void useProtectedContext(bool useProtectedContext) = 0;
 
     // Notify RenderEngine of changes to the dimensions of the primary display
     // so that it can configure its internal caches accordingly.
diff --git a/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/mock/RenderEngine.h b/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/mock/RenderEngine.h
index 0175af3..a4aa9ea 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/mock/RenderEngine.h
+++ b/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/mock/RenderEngine.h
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
     MOCK_CONST_METHOD0(getMaxViewportDims, size_t());
     MOCK_CONST_METHOD0(isProtected, bool());
     MOCK_CONST_METHOD0(supportsProtectedContent, bool());
-    MOCK_METHOD1(useProtectedContext, bool(bool));
+    MOCK_METHOD1(useProtectedContext, void(bool));
     MOCK_METHOD0(cleanupPostRender, void());
     MOCK_CONST_METHOD0(canSkipPostRenderCleanup, bool());
     MOCK_METHOD6(drawLayers,
diff --git a/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaGLRenderEngine.cpp b/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaGLRenderEngine.cpp
index c7356ea..3c59f11 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaGLRenderEngine.cpp
+++ b/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaGLRenderEngine.cpp
@@ -320,7 +320,8 @@
     options.fReducedShaderVariations = true;
     options.fPersistentCache = &mSkSLCacheMonitor;
     mGrContext = GrDirectContext::MakeGL(glInterface, options);
-    if (useProtectedContext(true)) {
+    if (supportsProtectedContent()) {
+        useProtectedContext(true);
         mProtectedGrContext = GrDirectContext::MakeGL(glInterface, options);
         useProtectedContext(false);
     }
@@ -373,12 +374,10 @@
     return mInProtectedContext ? mProtectedGrContext.get() : mGrContext.get();
 }
 
-bool SkiaGLRenderEngine::useProtectedContext(bool useProtectedContext) {
-    if (useProtectedContext == mInProtectedContext) {
-        return true;
-    }
-    if (useProtectedContext && !supportsProtectedContent()) {
-        return false;
+void SkiaGLRenderEngine::useProtectedContext(bool useProtectedContext) {
+    if (useProtectedContext == mInProtectedContext ||
+        (useProtectedContext && !supportsProtectedContent())) {
+        return;
     }
 
     // release any scratch resources before switching into a new mode
@@ -389,9 +388,8 @@
     const EGLSurface surface =
             useProtectedContext ? mProtectedPlaceholderSurface : mPlaceholderSurface;
     const EGLContext context = useProtectedContext ? mProtectedEGLContext : mEGLContext;
-    const bool success = eglMakeCurrent(mEGLDisplay, surface, surface, context) == EGL_TRUE;
 
-    if (success) {
+    if (eglMakeCurrent(mEGLDisplay, surface, surface, context) == EGL_TRUE) {
         mInProtectedContext = useProtectedContext;
         // given that we are sharing the same thread between two GrContexts we need to
         // make sure that the thread state is reset when switching between the two.
@@ -399,7 +397,6 @@
             getActiveGrContext()->resetContext();
         }
     }
-    return success;
 }
 
 base::unique_fd SkiaGLRenderEngine::flush() {
@@ -1413,10 +1410,12 @@
     getActiveGrContext()->setResourceCacheLimit(maxResourceBytes);
 
     // if it is possible to switch contexts then we will resize the other context
-    if (useProtectedContext(!mInProtectedContext)) {
+    const bool originalProtectedState = mInProtectedContext;
+    useProtectedContext(!mInProtectedContext);
+    if (mInProtectedContext != originalProtectedState) {
         getActiveGrContext()->setResourceCacheLimit(maxResourceBytes);
         // reset back to the initial context that was active when this method was called
-        useProtectedContext(!mInProtectedContext);
+        useProtectedContext(originalProtectedState);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaGLRenderEngine.h b/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaGLRenderEngine.h
index b30355b..a852bbc 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaGLRenderEngine.h
+++ b/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaGLRenderEngine.h
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
     int getContextPriority() override;
     bool isProtected() const override { return mInProtectedContext; }
     bool supportsProtectedContent() const override;
-    bool useProtectedContext(bool useProtectedContext) override;
+    void useProtectedContext(bool useProtectedContext) override;
     bool supportsBackgroundBlur() override { return mBlurFilter != nullptr; }
     void assertShadersCompiled(int numShaders) override;
     void onPrimaryDisplaySizeChanged(ui::Size size) override;
diff --git a/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaRenderEngine.h b/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaRenderEngine.h
index 31ad63e..7cd9eca 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaRenderEngine.h
+++ b/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaRenderEngine.h
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@
     virtual void deleteTextures(size_t /*count*/, uint32_t const* /*names*/) override{};
     virtual bool isProtected() const override { return false; } // mInProtectedContext; }
     virtual bool supportsProtectedContent() const override { return false; };
-    virtual bool useProtectedContext(bool /*useProtectedContext*/) override { return false; };
     virtual status_t drawLayers(const DisplaySettings& /*display*/,
                                 const std::vector<const LayerSettings*>& /*layers*/,
                                 const std::shared_ptr<ExternalTexture>& /*buffer*/,
diff --git a/libs/renderengine/tests/RenderEngineThreadedTest.cpp b/libs/renderengine/tests/RenderEngineThreadedTest.cpp
index c65e731..830f463 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/tests/RenderEngineThreadedTest.cpp
+++ b/libs/renderengine/tests/RenderEngineThreadedTest.cpp
@@ -118,16 +118,26 @@
     ASSERT_EQ(true, result);
 }
 
-TEST_F(RenderEngineThreadedTest, useProtectedContext_returnsFalse) {
-    EXPECT_CALL(*mRenderEngine, useProtectedContext(false)).WillOnce(Return(false));
-    status_t result = mThreadedRE->useProtectedContext(false);
-    ASSERT_EQ(false, result);
+TEST_F(RenderEngineThreadedTest, useProtectedContext) {
+    EXPECT_CALL(*mRenderEngine, useProtectedContext(true));
+    auto& ipExpect = EXPECT_CALL(*mRenderEngine, isProtected()).WillOnce(Return(false));
+    EXPECT_CALL(*mRenderEngine, supportsProtectedContent()).WillOnce(Return(true));
+    EXPECT_CALL(*mRenderEngine, isProtected()).After(ipExpect).WillOnce(Return(true));
+
+    mThreadedRE->useProtectedContext(true);
+    ASSERT_EQ(true, mThreadedRE->isProtected());
+
+    // call ANY synchronous function to ensure that useProtectedContext has completed.
+    mThreadedRE->getContextPriority();
+    ASSERT_EQ(true, mThreadedRE->isProtected());
 }
 
-TEST_F(RenderEngineThreadedTest, useProtectedContext_returnsTrue) {
-    EXPECT_CALL(*mRenderEngine, useProtectedContext(false)).WillOnce(Return(true));
-    status_t result = mThreadedRE->useProtectedContext(false);
-    ASSERT_EQ(true, result);
+TEST_F(RenderEngineThreadedTest, useProtectedContext_quickReject) {
+    EXPECT_CALL(*mRenderEngine, useProtectedContext(false)).Times(0);
+    EXPECT_CALL(*mRenderEngine, isProtected()).WillOnce(Return(false));
+    mThreadedRE->useProtectedContext(false);
+    // call ANY synchronous function to ensure that useProtectedContext has completed.
+    mThreadedRE->getContextPriority();
 }
 
 TEST_F(RenderEngineThreadedTest, PostRenderCleanup_skipped) {
diff --git a/libs/renderengine/threaded/RenderEngineThreaded.cpp b/libs/renderengine/threaded/RenderEngineThreaded.cpp
index ea3871f..b9dabc1 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/threaded/RenderEngineThreaded.cpp
+++ b/libs/renderengine/threaded/RenderEngineThreaded.cpp
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@
     }
 
     mRenderEngine = factory();
+    mIsProtected = mRenderEngine->isProtected();
 
     pthread_setname_np(pthread_self(), mThreadName);
 
@@ -248,10 +249,8 @@
 
 bool RenderEngineThreaded::isProtected() const {
     waitUntilInitialized();
-    // ensure that useProtectedContext is not currently being changed by some
-    // other thread.
     std::lock_guard lock(mThreadMutex);
-    return mRenderEngine->isProtected();
+    return mIsProtected;
 }
 
 bool RenderEngineThreaded::supportsProtectedContent() const {
@@ -259,20 +258,28 @@
     return mRenderEngine->supportsProtectedContent();
 }
 
-bool RenderEngineThreaded::useProtectedContext(bool useProtectedContext) {
-    std::promise<bool> resultPromise;
-    std::future<bool> resultFuture = resultPromise.get_future();
+void RenderEngineThreaded::useProtectedContext(bool useProtectedContext) {
+    if (isProtected() == useProtectedContext ||
+        (useProtectedContext && !supportsProtectedContent())) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     {
         std::lock_guard lock(mThreadMutex);
-        mFunctionCalls.push(
-                [&resultPromise, useProtectedContext](renderengine::RenderEngine& instance) {
-                    ATRACE_NAME("REThreaded::useProtectedContext");
-                    bool returnValue = instance.useProtectedContext(useProtectedContext);
-                    resultPromise.set_value(returnValue);
-                });
+        mFunctionCalls.push([useProtectedContext, this](renderengine::RenderEngine& instance) {
+            ATRACE_NAME("REThreaded::useProtectedContext");
+            instance.useProtectedContext(useProtectedContext);
+            if (instance.isProtected() != useProtectedContext) {
+                ALOGE("Failed to switch RenderEngine context.");
+                // reset the cached mIsProtected value to a good state, but this does not
+                // prevent other callers of this method and isProtected from reading the
+                // invalid cached value.
+                mIsProtected = instance.isProtected();
+            }
+        });
+        mIsProtected = useProtectedContext;
     }
     mCondition.notify_one();
-    return resultFuture.get();
 }
 
 void RenderEngineThreaded::cleanupPostRender() {
diff --git a/libs/renderengine/threaded/RenderEngineThreaded.h b/libs/renderengine/threaded/RenderEngineThreaded.h
index 9b523b2..f2f5c0f 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/threaded/RenderEngineThreaded.h
+++ b/libs/renderengine/threaded/RenderEngineThreaded.h
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
 
     bool isProtected() const override;
     bool supportsProtectedContent() const override;
-    bool useProtectedContext(bool useProtectedContext) override;
+    void useProtectedContext(bool useProtectedContext) override;
     void cleanupPostRender() override;
 
     status_t drawLayers(const DisplaySettings& display,
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@
      * Render Engine
      */
     std::unique_ptr<renderengine::RenderEngine> mRenderEngine;
+    std::atomic<bool> mIsProtected = false;
 };
 } // namespace threaded
 } // namespace renderengine