diff --git a/include/gui/SurfaceControl.h b/include/gui/SurfaceControl.h
index 8d338f9..58ec6dc 100644
--- a/include/gui/SurfaceControl.h
+++ b/include/gui/SurfaceControl.h
@@ -93,6 +93,18 @@
     // Reparents all children of this layer to the new parent handle.
     status_t reparentChildren(const sp<IBinder>& newParentHandle);
 
+    // Detaches all child surfaces (and their children recursively)
+    // from their SurfaceControl.
+    // The child SurfaceControl's will not throw exceptions or return errors,
+    // but transactions will have no effect.
+    // The child surfaces will continue to follow their parent surfaces,
+    // and remain eligible for rendering, but their relative state will be
+    // frozen. We use this in the WindowManager, in app shutdown/relaunch
+    // scenarios, where the app would otherwise clean up its child Surfaces.
+    // Sometimes the WindowManager needs to extend their lifetime slightly
+    // in order to perform an exit animation or prevent flicker.
+    status_t detachChildren();
+
     // Set an override scaling mode as documented in <system/window.h>
     // the override scaling mode will take precedence over any client
     // specified scaling mode. -1 will clear the override scaling mode.