diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
index 1d43c6e..e7b8792 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
@@ -3456,6 +3456,15 @@
                 l->latchAndReleaseBuffer();
             }
 
+            // If a layer has a parent, we allow it to out-live it's handle
+            // with the idea that the parent holds a reference and will eventually
+            // be cleaned up. However no one cleans up the top-level so we do so
+            // here.
+            if (l->isAtRoot()) {
+                l->setIsAtRoot(false);
+                mCurrentState.layersSortedByZ.remove(l);
+            }
+
             // If the layer has been removed and has no parent, then it will not be reachable
             // when traversing layers on screen. Add the layer to the offscreenLayers set to
             // ensure we can copy its current to drawing state.
@@ -4729,14 +4738,6 @@
 
 void SurfaceFlinger::onHandleDestroyed(BBinder* handle, sp<Layer>& layer) {
     Mutex::Autolock lock(mStateLock);
-    // If a layer has a parent, we allow it to out-live it's handle
-    // with the idea that the parent holds a reference and will eventually
-    // be cleaned up. However no one cleans up the top-level so we do so
-    // here.
-    if (layer->isAtRoot()) {
-        layer->setIsAtRoot(false);
-        mCurrentState.layersSortedByZ.remove(layer);
-    }
     markLayerPendingRemovalLocked(layer);
     mBufferCountTracker.remove(handle);
     layer.clear();