diff --git a/libs/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/DisplayHardware.cpp b/libs/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/DisplayHardware.cpp
index 8a7abec..f84933e 100644
--- a/libs/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/DisplayHardware.cpp
+++ b/libs/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/DisplayHardware.cpp
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@
     EGLint numConfigs=0;
     EGLSurface surface;
     EGLContext context;
-    mFlags = 0;
+    mFlags = CACHED_BUFFERS;
 
     // TODO: all the extensions below should be queried through
     // eglGetProcAddress().
@@ -239,12 +239,17 @@
 
     eglMakeCurrent(display, surface, surface, context);
     const char* const  gl_extensions = (const char*)glGetString(GL_EXTENSIONS);
+    const char* const  gl_renderer = (const char*)glGetString(GL_RENDERER);
     LOGI("OpenGL informations:");
     LOGI("vendor    : %s", glGetString(GL_VENDOR));
-    LOGI("renderer  : %s", glGetString(GL_RENDERER));
+    LOGI("renderer  : %s", gl_renderer);
     LOGI("version   : %s", glGetString(GL_VERSION));
     LOGI("extensions: %s", gl_extensions);
 
+    if (strstr(gl_renderer, "PowerVR SGX 530")) {
+        LOGD("Assuming uncached graphics buffers.");
+        mFlags &= ~CACHED_BUFFERS;
+    }
     if (strstr(gl_extensions, "GL_ARB_texture_non_power_of_two")) {
         mFlags |= NPOT_EXTENSION;
     }
diff --git a/libs/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/DisplayHardware.h b/libs/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/DisplayHardware.h
index cb688b7..6914d0c 100644
--- a/libs/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/DisplayHardware.h
+++ b/libs/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/DisplayHardware.h
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
         PARTIAL_UPDATES         = 0x00020000,   // video driver feature
         SLOW_CONFIG             = 0x00040000,   // software
         SWAP_RECTANGLE          = 0x00080000,
+        CACHED_BUFFERS          = 0x00100000
     };
 
     DisplayHardware(
diff --git a/libs/surfaceflinger/Layer.cpp b/libs/surfaceflinger/Layer.cpp
index c1f7f27..eb0614f 100644
--- a/libs/surfaceflinger/Layer.cpp
+++ b/libs/surfaceflinger/Layer.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
         const sp<Client>& c, int32_t i)
     :   LayerBaseClient(flinger, display, c, i),
         mSecure(false),
+        mNoEGLImageForSwBuffers(false),
         mNeedsBlending(true),
         mNeedsDithering(false)
 {
@@ -108,13 +109,15 @@
     const DisplayHardware& hw(graphicPlane(0).displayHardware());
     PixelFormatInfo displayInfo;
     getPixelFormatInfo(hw.getFormat(), &displayInfo);
-
+    const uint32_t hwFlags = hw.getFlags();
+    
     mFormat = format;
     mWidth = w;
     mHeight = h;
     mSecure = (flags & ISurfaceComposer::eSecure) ? true : false;
     mNeedsBlending = (info.h_alpha - info.l_alpha) > 0;
-
+    mNoEGLImageForSwBuffers = !(hwFlags & DisplayHardware::CACHED_BUFFERS);
+    
     // we use the red index
     int displayRedSize = displayInfo.getSize(PixelFormatInfo::INDEX_RED);
     int layerRedsize = info.getSize(PixelFormatInfo::INDEX_RED);
@@ -331,7 +334,15 @@
     } else {
         // it's allowed to modify the usage flags here, but generally
         // the requested flags should be honored.
-        usage |= GraphicBuffer::USAGE_HW_TEXTURE;
+        if (mNoEGLImageForSwBuffers) {
+            if (usage & GraphicBuffer::USAGE_HW_MASK) {
+                // request EGLImage for h/w buffers only
+                usage |= GraphicBuffer::USAGE_HW_TEXTURE;
+            }
+        } else {
+            // request EGLImage for all buffers
+            usage |= GraphicBuffer::USAGE_HW_TEXTURE;
+        }
     }
     return usage;
 }
diff --git a/libs/surfaceflinger/Layer.h b/libs/surfaceflinger/Layer.h
index e176cfc..6f59241 100644
--- a/libs/surfaceflinger/Layer.h
+++ b/libs/surfaceflinger/Layer.h
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@
     sp<Surface>             mSurface;
 
             bool            mSecure;
+            bool            mNoEGLImageForSwBuffers;
             int32_t         mFrontBufferIndex;
             bool            mNeedsBlending;
             bool            mNeedsDithering;