diff --git a/libs/renderengine/RenderEngine.cpp b/libs/renderengine/RenderEngine.cpp
index 65d4895..c7ad058 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/RenderEngine.cpp
+++ b/libs/renderengine/RenderEngine.cpp
@@ -26,23 +26,7 @@
 namespace android {
 namespace renderengine {
 
-std::unique_ptr<RenderEngine> RenderEngine::create(RenderEngineCreationArgs args) {
-    // Keep the ability to override by PROPERTIES:
-    char prop[PROPERTY_VALUE_MAX];
-    property_get(PROPERTY_DEBUG_RENDERENGINE_BACKEND, prop, "");
-    if (strcmp(prop, "gles") == 0) {
-        args.renderEngineType = RenderEngineType::GLES;
-    }
-    if (strcmp(prop, "threaded") == 0) {
-        args.renderEngineType = RenderEngineType::THREADED;
-    }
-    if (strcmp(prop, "skiagl") == 0) {
-        args.renderEngineType = RenderEngineType::SKIA_GL;
-    }
-    if (strcmp(prop, "skiaglthreaded") == 0) {
-        args.renderEngineType = RenderEngineType::SKIA_GL_THREADED;
-    }
-
+std::unique_ptr<RenderEngine> RenderEngine::create(const RenderEngineCreationArgs& args) {
     switch (args.renderEngineType) {
         case RenderEngineType::THREADED:
             ALOGD("Threaded RenderEngine with GLES Backend");
diff --git a/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/RenderEngine.h b/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/RenderEngine.h
index 6b85c57..b9cc648 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/RenderEngine.h
+++ b/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/RenderEngine.h
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@
         SKIA_GL_THREADED = 4,
     };
 
-    static std::unique_ptr<RenderEngine> create(RenderEngineCreationArgs args);
+    static std::unique_ptr<RenderEngine> create(const RenderEngineCreationArgs& args);
 
     virtual ~RenderEngine() = 0;
 
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
index 45e0a3f..4752caf 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
@@ -772,6 +772,25 @@
     ATRACE_INT("TexturePoolSize", mTexturePool.size());
 }
 
+static std::optional<renderengine::RenderEngine::RenderEngineType>
+chooseRenderEngineTypeViaSysProp() {
+    char prop[PROPERTY_VALUE_MAX];
+    property_get(PROPERTY_DEBUG_RENDERENGINE_BACKEND, prop, "");
+
+    if (strcmp(prop, "gles") == 0) {
+        return renderengine::RenderEngine::RenderEngineType::GLES;
+    } else if (strcmp(prop, "threaded") == 0) {
+        return renderengine::RenderEngine::RenderEngineType::THREADED;
+    } else if (strcmp(prop, "skiagl") == 0) {
+        return renderengine::RenderEngine::RenderEngineType::SKIA_GL;
+    } else if (strcmp(prop, "skiaglthreaded") == 0) {
+        return renderengine::RenderEngine::RenderEngineType::SKIA_GL_THREADED;
+    } else {
+        ALOGE("Unrecognized RenderEngineType %s; ignoring!", prop);
+        return {};
+    }
+}
+
 // Do not call property_set on main thread which will be blocked by init
 // Use StartPropertySetThread instead.
 void SurfaceFlinger::init() {
@@ -782,19 +801,21 @@
     // Get a RenderEngine for the given display / config (can't fail)
     // TODO(b/77156734): We need to stop casting and use HAL types when possible.
     // Sending maxFrameBufferAcquiredBuffers as the cache size is tightly tuned to single-display.
-    mCompositionEngine->setRenderEngine(renderengine::RenderEngine::create(
-            renderengine::RenderEngineCreationArgs::Builder()
-                    .setPixelFormat(static_cast<int32_t>(defaultCompositionPixelFormat))
-                    .setImageCacheSize(maxFrameBufferAcquiredBuffers)
-                    .setUseColorManagerment(useColorManagement)
-                    .setEnableProtectedContext(enable_protected_contents(false))
-                    .setPrecacheToneMapperShaderOnly(false)
-                    .setSupportsBackgroundBlur(mSupportsBlur)
-                    .setContextPriority(
-                            useContextPriority
-                                    ? renderengine::RenderEngine::ContextPriority::REALTIME
-                                    : renderengine::RenderEngine::ContextPriority::MEDIUM)
-                    .build()));
+    auto builder = renderengine::RenderEngineCreationArgs::Builder()
+                           .setPixelFormat(static_cast<int32_t>(defaultCompositionPixelFormat))
+                           .setImageCacheSize(maxFrameBufferAcquiredBuffers)
+                           .setUseColorManagerment(useColorManagement)
+                           .setEnableProtectedContext(enable_protected_contents(false))
+                           .setPrecacheToneMapperShaderOnly(false)
+                           .setSupportsBackgroundBlur(mSupportsBlur)
+                           .setContextPriority(
+                                   useContextPriority
+                                           ? renderengine::RenderEngine::ContextPriority::REALTIME
+                                           : renderengine::RenderEngine::ContextPriority::MEDIUM);
+    if (auto type = chooseRenderEngineTypeViaSysProp()) {
+        builder.setRenderEngineType(type.value());
+    }
+    mCompositionEngine->setRenderEngine(renderengine::RenderEngine::create(builder.build()));
     mMaxRenderTargetSize =
             std::min(getRenderEngine().getMaxTextureSize(), getRenderEngine().getMaxViewportDims());