diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/Client.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/Client.cpp
index c90024b..077469b 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/Client.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/Client.cpp
@@ -65,9 +65,14 @@
     }
 }
 
-void Client::setParentLayer(const sp<Layer>& parentLayer) {
+void Client::updateParent(const sp<Layer>& parentLayer) {
     Mutex::Autolock _l(mLock);
-    mParentLayer = parentLayer;
+
+    // If we didn't ever have a parent, then we must instead be
+    // relying on permissions and we never need a parent.
+    if (mParentLayer != nullptr) {
+        mParentLayer = parentLayer;
+    }
 }
 
 sp<Layer> Client::getParentLayer(bool* outParentDied) const {
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/Client.h b/services/surfaceflinger/Client.h
index c7df9f7..49437ed 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/Client.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/Client.h
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 
     sp<Layer> getLayerUser(const sp<IBinder>& handle) const;
 
-    void setParentLayer(const sp<Layer>& parentLayer);
+    void updateParent(const sp<Layer>& parentLayer);
 
 private:
     // ISurfaceComposerClient interface
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.cpp
index 66ad2f6..bbc974d 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.cpp
@@ -1589,7 +1589,7 @@
 
         sp<Client> client(child->mClientRef.promote());
         if (client != nullptr) {
-            client->setParentLayer(newParent);
+            client->updateParent(newParent);
         }
     }
     mCurrentChildren.clear();
@@ -1625,7 +1625,7 @@
     sp<Client> newParentClient(newParent->mClientRef.promote());
 
     if (client != newParentClient) {
-        client->setParentLayer(newParent);
+        client->updateParent(newParent);
     }
 
     return true;