diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/CompositionEngine/src/OutputLayer.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/CompositionEngine/src/OutputLayer.cpp
index 0f70d84..091c207 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/CompositionEngine/src/OutputLayer.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/CompositionEngine/src/OutputLayer.cpp
@@ -664,6 +664,9 @@
 void OutputLayer::writeBufferStateToHWC(HWC2::Layer* hwcLayer,
                                         const LayerFECompositionState& outputIndependentState,
                                         bool skipLayer) {
+    if (skipLayer && outputIndependentState.buffer == nullptr) {
+        return;
+    }
     auto supportedPerFrameMetadata =
             getOutput().getDisplayColorProfile()->getSupportedPerFrameMetadata();
     if (auto error = hwcLayer->setPerFrameMetadata(supportedPerFrameMetadata,