diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/Client.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/Client.cpp
index 2b4f4cb..9ddae2b 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/Client.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/Client.cpp
@@ -49,7 +49,10 @@
 {
     const size_t count = mLayers.size();
     for (size_t i=0 ; i<count ; i++) {
-        mFlinger->removeLayer(mLayers.valueAt(i));
+        sp<Layer> l = mLayers.valueAt(i).promote();
+        if (l != nullptr) {
+            mFlinger->removeLayer(l);
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.cpp
index 6908c88..9b02d3e 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.cpp
@@ -2455,6 +2455,21 @@
     return true;
 }
 
+bool Layer::detachChildren() {
+    traverseInZOrder([this](Layer* child) {
+        if (child == this) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        sp<Client> client(child->mClientRef.promote());
+        if (client != nullptr) {
+            client->detachLayer(child);
+        }
+    });
+
+    return true;
+}
+
 void Layer::setParent(const sp<Layer>& layer) {
     mParent = layer;
 }
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.h b/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.h
index fc33c99..f2e5f22 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.h
@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@
     bool setOverrideScalingMode(int32_t overrideScalingMode);
     void setInfo(uint32_t type, uint32_t appId);
     bool reparentChildren(const sp<IBinder>& layer);
+    bool detachChildren();
 
     // If we have received a new buffer this frame, we will pass its surface
     // damage down to hardware composer. Otherwise, we must send a region with
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
index 7a31a15..62c9f25 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
@@ -2534,14 +2534,7 @@
     return NO_ERROR;
 }
 
-status_t SurfaceFlinger::removeLayer(const wp<Layer>& weakLayer) {
-    Mutex::Autolock _l(mStateLock);
-    sp<Layer> layer = weakLayer.promote();
-    if (layer == nullptr) {
-        // The layer has already been removed, carry on
-        return NO_ERROR;
-    }
-
+status_t SurfaceFlinger::removeLayer(const sp<Layer>& layer) {
     const auto& p = layer->getParent();
     const ssize_t index = (p != nullptr) ? p->removeChild(layer) :
         mCurrentState.layersSortedByZ.remove(layer);
@@ -2824,6 +2817,9 @@
                 flags |= eTransactionNeeded|eTraversalNeeded;
             }
         }
+        if (what & layer_state_t::eDetachChildren) {
+            layer->detachChildren();
+        }
         if (what & layer_state_t::eOverrideScalingModeChanged) {
             layer->setOverrideScalingMode(s.overrideScalingMode);
             // We don't trigger a traversal here because if no other state is
@@ -2920,7 +2916,7 @@
 
 status_t SurfaceFlinger::onLayerRemoved(const sp<Client>& client, const sp<IBinder>& handle)
 {
-    // called by the window manager when it wants to remove a Layer
+    // called by a client when it wants to remove a Layer
     status_t err = NO_ERROR;
     sp<Layer> l(client->getLayerUser(handle));
     if (l != NULL) {
@@ -2936,7 +2932,15 @@
 {
     // called by ~LayerCleaner() when all references to the IBinder (handle)
     // are gone
-    return removeLayer(layer);
+    sp<Layer> l = layer.promote();
+    if (l == nullptr) {
+        // The layer has already been removed, carry on
+        return NO_ERROR;
+    } if (l->getParent() != nullptr) {
+        // If we have a parent, then we can continue to live as long as it does.
+        return NO_ERROR;
+    }
+    return removeLayer(l);
 }
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h
index 970a4ef..5bdedf3 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@
     status_t onLayerDestroyed(const wp<Layer>& layer);
 
     // remove a layer from SurfaceFlinger immediately
-    status_t removeLayer(const wp<Layer>& layer);
+    status_t removeLayer(const sp<Layer>& layer);
 
     // add a layer to SurfaceFlinger
     status_t addClientLayer(const sp<Client>& client,
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger_hwc1.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger_hwc1.cpp
index 056d733..9aa2fab 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger_hwc1.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger_hwc1.cpp
@@ -2318,14 +2318,7 @@
     return NO_ERROR;
 }
 
-status_t SurfaceFlinger::removeLayer(const wp<Layer>& weakLayer) {
-    Mutex::Autolock _l(mStateLock);
-    sp<Layer> layer = weakLayer.promote();
-    if (layer == nullptr) {
-        // The layer has already been removed, carry on
-        return NO_ERROR;
-    }
-
+status_t SurfaceFlinger::removeLayer(const sp<Layer>& layer) {
     const auto& p = layer->getParent();
     const ssize_t index = (p != nullptr) ? p->removeChild(layer) :
              mCurrentState.layersSortedByZ.remove(layer);
@@ -2608,6 +2601,9 @@
                 flags |= eTransactionNeeded|eTraversalNeeded;
             }
         }
+        if (what & layer_state_t::eDetachChildren) {
+            layer->detachChildren();
+        }
         if (what & layer_state_t::eOverrideScalingModeChanged) {
             layer->setOverrideScalingMode(s.overrideScalingMode);
             // We don't trigger a traversal here because if no other state is
@@ -2704,7 +2700,7 @@
 
 status_t SurfaceFlinger::onLayerRemoved(const sp<Client>& client, const sp<IBinder>& handle)
 {
-    // called by the window manager when it wants to remove a Layer
+    // called by a client when it wants to remove a Layer
     status_t err = NO_ERROR;
     sp<Layer> l(client->getLayerUser(handle));
     if (l != NULL) {
@@ -2720,7 +2716,15 @@
 {
     // called by ~LayerCleaner() when all references to the IBinder (handle)
     // are gone
-    return removeLayer(layer);
+    sp<Layer> l = layer.promote();
+    if (l == nullptr) {
+        // The layer has already been removed, carry on
+        return NO_ERROR;
+    } if (l->getParent() != nullptr) {
+        // If we have a parent, then we can continue to live as long as it does.
+        return NO_ERROR;
+    }
+    return removeLayer(l);
 }
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/tests/Transaction_test.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/tests/Transaction_test.cpp
index d9f1438..5b61ae0 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/tests/Transaction_test.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/tests/Transaction_test.cpp
@@ -630,4 +630,68 @@
         mCapture->expectFGColor(20, 20);
     }
 }
+
+TEST_F(ChildLayerTest, ReparentChildren) {
+    SurfaceComposerClient::openGlobalTransaction();
+    mChild->show();
+    mChild->setPosition(10, 10);
+    mFGSurfaceControl->setPosition(64, 64);
+    SurfaceComposerClient::closeGlobalTransaction(true);
+
+    {
+        ScreenCapture::captureScreen(&mCapture);
+        // Top left of foreground must now be visible
+        mCapture->expectFGColor(64, 64);
+        // But 10 pixels in we should see the child surface
+        mCapture->expectChildColor(74, 74);
+        // And 10 more pixels we should be back to the foreground surface
+        mCapture->expectFGColor(84, 84);
+    }
+    mFGSurfaceControl->reparentChildren(mBGSurfaceControl->getHandle());
+    {
+        ScreenCapture::captureScreen(&mCapture);
+        mCapture->expectFGColor(64, 64);
+        // In reparenting we should have exposed the entire foreground surface.
+        mCapture->expectFGColor(74, 74);
+        // And the child layer should now begin at 10, 10 (since the BG
+        // layer is at (0, 0)).
+        mCapture->expectBGColor(9, 9);
+        mCapture->expectChildColor(10, 10);
+    }
+}
+
+TEST_F(ChildLayerTest, DetachChildren) {
+    SurfaceComposerClient::openGlobalTransaction();
+    mChild->show();
+    mChild->setPosition(10, 10);
+    mFGSurfaceControl->setPosition(64, 64);
+    SurfaceComposerClient::closeGlobalTransaction(true);
+
+    {
+        ScreenCapture::captureScreen(&mCapture);
+        // Top left of foreground must now be visible
+        mCapture->expectFGColor(64, 64);
+        // But 10 pixels in we should see the child surface
+        mCapture->expectChildColor(74, 74);
+        // And 10 more pixels we should be back to the foreground surface
+        mCapture->expectFGColor(84, 84);
+    }
+
+    SurfaceComposerClient::openGlobalTransaction();
+    mFGSurfaceControl->detachChildren();
+    SurfaceComposerClient::closeGlobalTransaction();
+
+    SurfaceComposerClient::openGlobalTransaction();
+    mChild->hide();
+    SurfaceComposerClient::closeGlobalTransaction();
+
+    // Nothing should have changed.
+    {
+        ScreenCapture::captureScreen(&mCapture);
+        mCapture->expectFGColor(64, 64);
+        mCapture->expectChildColor(74, 74);
+        mCapture->expectFGColor(84, 84);
+    }
+}
+
 }