diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/HWComposer.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/HWComposer.cpp
index b096a3a..a16c040 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/HWComposer.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/HWComposer.cpp
@@ -444,10 +444,16 @@
 
     HWC2::Error error = HWC2::Error::None;
 
-    // First try to skip validate altogether if the HWC supports it.
+    // First try to skip validate altogether when there is no client
+    // composition.  When there is client composition, since we haven't
+    // rendered to the client target yet, we should not attempt to skip
+    // validate.
+    //
+    // displayData.hasClientComposition hasn't been updated for this frame.
+    // The check below is incorrect.  We actually rely on HWC here to fall
+    // back to validate when there is any client layer.
     displayData.validateWasSkipped = false;
-    if (hasCapability(HWC2::Capability::SkipValidate) &&
-            !displayData.hasClientComposition) {
+    if (!displayData.hasClientComposition) {
         sp<android::Fence> outPresentFence;
         uint32_t state = UINT32_MAX;
         error = hwcDisplay->presentOrValidate(&numTypes, &numRequests, &outPresentFence , &state);
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/tests/fakehwc/FakeComposerClient.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/tests/fakehwc/FakeComposerClient.cpp
index 561db8d..07b8cc0 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/tests/fakehwc/FakeComposerClient.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/tests/fakehwc/FakeComposerClient.cpp
@@ -157,6 +157,10 @@
 
 FakeComposerClient::~FakeComposerClient() {}
 
+bool FakeComposerClient::hasCapability(hwc2_capability_t /*capability*/) {
+    return false;
+}
+
 void FakeComposerClient::removeClient() {
     ALOGV("removeClient");
     // TODO: Ahooga! Only thing current lifetime management choices in
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/tests/fakehwc/FakeComposerClient.h b/services/surfaceflinger/tests/fakehwc/FakeComposerClient.h
index 294abb2..dd384c0 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/tests/fakehwc/FakeComposerClient.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/tests/fakehwc/FakeComposerClient.h
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@
     FakeComposerClient();
     virtual ~FakeComposerClient();
 
+    bool hasCapability(hwc2_capability_t capability) override;
+
     void removeClient() override;
     void enableCallback(bool enable) override;
     uint32_t getMaxVirtualDisplayCount() override;