diff --git a/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/DisplaySettings.h b/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/DisplaySettings.h
index d395d06..b4cab39 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/DisplaySettings.h
+++ b/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/DisplaySettings.h
@@ -57,8 +57,10 @@
     // orientation.
     uint32_t orientation = ui::Transform::ROT_0;
 
-    // SDR white point, -1f if unknown
-    float sdrWhitePointNits = -1.f;
+    // Target luminance of the display. -1f if unknown.
+    // All layers will be dimmed by (max(layer white points) / targetLuminanceNits).
+    // If the target luminance is unknown, then no display-level dimming occurs.
+    float targetLuminanceNits = -1.f;
 };
 
 static inline bool operator==(const DisplaySettings& lhs, const DisplaySettings& rhs) {
diff --git a/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/LayerSettings.h b/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/LayerSettings.h
index 715f3f8..702e8b0 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/LayerSettings.h
+++ b/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/LayerSettings.h
@@ -171,6 +171,12 @@
 
     // Name associated with the layer for debugging purposes.
     std::string name;
+
+    // Luminance of the white point for this layer. Used for linear dimming.
+    // Individual layers will be dimmed by (whitePointNits / maxWhitePoint).
+    // If white point nits are unknown, then this layer is assumed to have the
+    // same luminance as the brightest layer in the scene.
+    float whitePointNits = -1.f;
 };
 
 // Keep in sync with custom comparison function in
diff --git a/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaGLRenderEngine.cpp b/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaGLRenderEngine.cpp
index 376e279..cc90946 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaGLRenderEngine.cpp
+++ b/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaGLRenderEngine.cpp
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 #include <cmath>
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <memory>
+#include <numeric>
 
 #include "../gl/GLExtensions.h"
 #include "Cache.h"
@@ -612,33 +613,33 @@
     AutoBackendTexture::CleanupManager& mMgr;
 };
 
-sk_sp<SkShader> SkiaGLRenderEngine::createRuntimeEffectShader(sk_sp<SkShader> shader,
-                                                              const LayerSettings& layer,
-                                                              const DisplaySettings& display,
-                                                              bool undoPremultipliedAlpha,
-                                                              bool requiresLinearEffect) {
-    const auto stretchEffect = layer.stretchEffect;
+sk_sp<SkShader> SkiaGLRenderEngine::createRuntimeEffectShader(
+        const RuntimeEffectShaderParameters& parameters) {
     // The given surface will be stretched by HWUI via matrix transformation
     // which gets similar results for most surfaces
     // Determine later on if we need to leverage the stertch shader within
     // surface flinger
+    const auto& stretchEffect = parameters.layer.stretchEffect;
+    auto shader = parameters.shader;
     if (stretchEffect.hasEffect()) {
-        const auto targetBuffer = layer.source.buffer.buffer;
+        const auto targetBuffer = parameters.layer.source.buffer.buffer;
         const auto graphicBuffer = targetBuffer ? targetBuffer->getBuffer() : nullptr;
-        if (graphicBuffer && shader) {
+        if (graphicBuffer && parameters.shader) {
             shader = mStretchShaderFactory.createSkShader(shader, stretchEffect);
         }
     }
 
-    if (requiresLinearEffect) {
-        const ui::Dataspace inputDataspace =
-                mUseColorManagement ? layer.sourceDataspace : ui::Dataspace::V0_SRGB_LINEAR;
-        const ui::Dataspace outputDataspace =
-                mUseColorManagement ? display.outputDataspace : ui::Dataspace::V0_SRGB_LINEAR;
+    if (parameters.requiresLinearEffect) {
+        const ui::Dataspace inputDataspace = mUseColorManagement ? parameters.layer.sourceDataspace
+                                                                 : ui::Dataspace::V0_SRGB_LINEAR;
+        const ui::Dataspace outputDataspace = mUseColorManagement
+                ? parameters.display.outputDataspace
+                : ui::Dataspace::V0_SRGB_LINEAR;
 
-        auto effect = shaders::LinearEffect{.inputDataspace = inputDataspace,
-                                            .outputDataspace = outputDataspace,
-                                            .undoPremultipliedAlpha = undoPremultipliedAlpha};
+        auto effect =
+                shaders::LinearEffect{.inputDataspace = inputDataspace,
+                                      .outputDataspace = outputDataspace,
+                                      .undoPremultipliedAlpha = parameters.undoPremultipliedAlpha};
 
         auto effectIter = mRuntimeEffects.find(effect);
         sk_sp<SkRuntimeEffect> runtimeEffect = nullptr;
@@ -648,16 +649,16 @@
         } else {
             runtimeEffect = effectIter->second;
         }
-        float maxLuminance = layer.source.buffer.maxLuminanceNits;
-        // If the buffer doesn't have a max luminance, treat it as SDR & use the display's SDR
-        // white point
-        if (maxLuminance <= 0.f) {
-            maxLuminance = display.sdrWhitePointNits;
-        }
-        return createLinearEffectShader(shader, effect, runtimeEffect, layer.colorTransform,
-                                        display.maxLuminance, maxLuminance);
+        mat4 colorTransform = parameters.layer.colorTransform;
+
+        colorTransform *=
+                mat4::scale(vec4(parameters.layerDimmingRatio, parameters.layerDimmingRatio,
+                                 parameters.layerDimmingRatio, 1.f));
+        return createLinearEffectShader(parameters.shader, effect, runtimeEffect, colorTransform,
+                                        parameters.display.maxLuminance,
+                                        parameters.layer.source.buffer.maxLuminanceNits);
     }
-    return shader;
+    return parameters.shader;
 }
 
 void SkiaGLRenderEngine::initCanvas(SkCanvas* canvas, const DisplaySettings& display) {
@@ -730,6 +731,11 @@
     return roundedRect;
 }
 
+static bool equalsWithinMargin(float expected, float value, float margin) {
+    LOG_ALWAYS_FATAL_IF(margin < 0.f, "Margin is negative!");
+    return std::abs(expected - value) < margin;
+}
+
 void SkiaGLRenderEngine::drawLayersInternal(
         const std::shared_ptr<std::promise<RenderEngineResult>>&& resultPromise,
         const DisplaySettings& display, const std::vector<LayerSettings>& layers,
@@ -791,6 +797,18 @@
     const bool ctModifiesAlpha =
             displayColorTransform && !displayColorTransform->isAlphaUnchanged();
 
+    // Find the max layer white point to determine the max luminance of the scene...
+    const float maxLayerWhitePoint = std::transform_reduce(
+            layers.cbegin(), layers.cend(), 0.f,
+            [](float left, float right) { return std::max(left, right); },
+            [&](const auto& l) { return l.whitePointNits; });
+
+    // ...and compute the dimming ratio if dimming is requested
+    const float displayDimmingRatio = display.targetLuminanceNits > 0.f &&
+                    maxLayerWhitePoint > 0.f && display.targetLuminanceNits > maxLayerWhitePoint
+            ? maxLayerWhitePoint / display.targetLuminanceNits
+            : 1.f;
+
     // Find if any layers have requested blur, we'll use that info to decide when to render to an
     // offscreen buffer and when to render to the native buffer.
     sk_sp<SkSurface> activeSurface(dstSurface);
@@ -964,11 +982,14 @@
             drawShadow(canvas, rrect, layer.shadow);
         }
 
+        const float layerDimmingRatio = layer.whitePointNits <= 0.f
+                ? displayDimmingRatio
+                : (layer.whitePointNits / maxLayerWhitePoint) * displayDimmingRatio;
+
         const bool requiresLinearEffect = layer.colorTransform != mat4() ||
                 (mUseColorManagement &&
                  needsToneMapping(layer.sourceDataspace, display.outputDataspace)) ||
-                (display.sdrWhitePointNits > 0.f &&
-                 display.sdrWhitePointNits != display.maxLuminance);
+                !equalsWithinMargin(1.f, layerDimmingRatio, 0.001f);
 
         // quick abort from drawing the remaining portion of the layer
         if (layer.skipContentDraw ||
@@ -1067,9 +1088,20 @@
                                                            toSkColorSpace(layerDataspace)));
             }
 
-            paint.setShader(createRuntimeEffectShader(shader, layer, display,
-                                                      !item.isOpaque && item.usePremultipliedAlpha,
-                                                      requiresLinearEffect));
+            paint.setShader(createRuntimeEffectShader(
+                    RuntimeEffectShaderParameters{.shader = shader,
+                                                  .layer = layer,
+                                                  .display = display,
+                                                  .undoPremultipliedAlpha = !item.isOpaque &&
+                                                          item.usePremultipliedAlpha,
+                                                  .requiresLinearEffect = requiresLinearEffect,
+                                                  .layerDimmingRatio = layerDimmingRatio}));
+
+            // Turn on dithering when dimming beyond this threshold.
+            static constexpr float kDimmingThreshold = 0.2f;
+            if (layerDimmingRatio <= kDimmingThreshold) {
+                paint.setDither(true);
+            }
             paint.setAlphaf(layer.alpha);
         } else {
             ATRACE_NAME("DrawColor");
@@ -1079,9 +1111,13 @@
                                                                 .fB = color.b,
                                                                 .fA = layer.alpha},
                                                       toSkColorSpace(layerDataspace));
-            paint.setShader(createRuntimeEffectShader(shader, layer, display,
-                                                      /* undoPremultipliedAlpha */ false,
-                                                      requiresLinearEffect));
+            paint.setShader(createRuntimeEffectShader(
+                    RuntimeEffectShaderParameters{.shader = shader,
+                                                  .layer = layer,
+                                                  .display = display,
+                                                  .undoPremultipliedAlpha = false,
+                                                  .requiresLinearEffect = requiresLinearEffect,
+                                                  .layerDimmingRatio = layerDimmingRatio}));
         }
 
         if (layer.disableBlending) {
diff --git a/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaGLRenderEngine.h b/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaGLRenderEngine.h
index 53792f9..a650313 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaGLRenderEngine.h
+++ b/libs/renderengine/skia/SkiaGLRenderEngine.h
@@ -106,12 +106,18 @@
     void initCanvas(SkCanvas* canvas, const DisplaySettings& display);
     void drawShadow(SkCanvas* canvas, const SkRRect& casterRRect,
                     const ShadowSettings& shadowSettings);
+
     // If requiresLinearEffect is true or the layer has a stretchEffect a new shader is returned.
     // Otherwise it returns the input shader.
-    sk_sp<SkShader> createRuntimeEffectShader(sk_sp<SkShader> shader, const LayerSettings& layer,
-                                              const DisplaySettings& display,
-                                              bool undoPremultipliedAlpha,
-                                              bool requiresLinearEffect);
+    struct RuntimeEffectShaderParameters {
+        sk_sp<SkShader> shader;
+        const LayerSettings& layer;
+        const DisplaySettings& display;
+        bool undoPremultipliedAlpha;
+        bool requiresLinearEffect;
+        float layerDimmingRatio;
+    };
+    sk_sp<SkShader> createRuntimeEffectShader(const RuntimeEffectShaderParameters&);
 
     EGLDisplay mEGLDisplay;
     EGLContext mEGLContext;
diff --git a/libs/renderengine/tests/RenderEngineTest.cpp b/libs/renderengine/tests/RenderEngineTest.cpp
index 8259063..eb2b2dc 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/tests/RenderEngineTest.cpp
+++ b/libs/renderengine/tests/RenderEngineTest.cpp
@@ -208,6 +208,21 @@
                                                  renderengine::ExternalTexture::Usage::WRITEABLE);
     }
 
+    std::shared_ptr<renderengine::ExternalTexture> allocateAndFillSourceBuffer(uint32_t width,
+                                                                               uint32_t height,
+                                                                               ubyte4 color) {
+        const auto buffer = allocateSourceBuffer(width, height);
+        uint8_t* pixels;
+        buffer->getBuffer()->lock(GRALLOC_USAGE_SW_READ_OFTEN | GRALLOC_USAGE_SW_WRITE_OFTEN,
+                                  reinterpret_cast<void**>(&pixels));
+        pixels[0] = color.r;
+        pixels[1] = color.g;
+        pixels[2] = color.b;
+        pixels[3] = color.a;
+        buffer->getBuffer()->unlock();
+        return buffer;
+    }
+
     RenderEngineTest() {
         const ::testing::TestInfo* const test_info =
                 ::testing::UnitTest::GetInstance()->current_test_info();
@@ -2195,6 +2210,133 @@
     expectBufferColor(rect, 0, 128, 0, 128);
 }
 
+TEST_P(RenderEngineTest, testDimming) {
+    if (GetParam()->type() == renderengine::RenderEngine::RenderEngineType::GLES) {
+        return;
+    }
+    initializeRenderEngine();
+
+    const auto displayRect = Rect(3, 1);
+    const renderengine::DisplaySettings display{
+            .physicalDisplay = displayRect,
+            .clip = displayRect,
+            .outputDataspace = ui::Dataspace::V0_SRGB_LINEAR,
+            .targetLuminanceNits = 1000.f,
+    };
+
+    const auto greenBuffer = allocateAndFillSourceBuffer(1, 1, ubyte4(0, 255, 0, 255));
+    const auto blueBuffer = allocateAndFillSourceBuffer(1, 1, ubyte4(0, 0, 255, 255));
+    const auto redBuffer = allocateAndFillSourceBuffer(1, 1, ubyte4(255, 0, 0, 255));
+
+    const renderengine::LayerSettings greenLayer{
+            .geometry.boundaries = FloatRect(0.f, 0.f, 1.f, 1.f),
+            .source =
+                    renderengine::PixelSource{
+                            .buffer =
+                                    renderengine::Buffer{
+                                            .buffer = greenBuffer,
+                                            .usePremultipliedAlpha = true,
+                                    },
+                    },
+            .alpha = 1.0f,
+            .sourceDataspace = ui::Dataspace::V0_SRGB_LINEAR,
+            .whitePointNits = 200.f,
+    };
+
+    const renderengine::LayerSettings blueLayer{
+            .geometry.boundaries = FloatRect(1.f, 0.f, 2.f, 1.f),
+            .source =
+                    renderengine::PixelSource{
+                            .buffer =
+                                    renderengine::Buffer{
+                                            .buffer = blueBuffer,
+                                            .usePremultipliedAlpha = true,
+                                    },
+                    },
+            .alpha = 1.0f,
+            .sourceDataspace = ui::Dataspace::V0_SRGB_LINEAR,
+            .whitePointNits = 1000.f / 51.f,
+    };
+
+    const renderengine::LayerSettings redLayer{
+            .geometry.boundaries = FloatRect(2.f, 0.f, 3.f, 1.f),
+            .source =
+                    renderengine::PixelSource{
+                            .buffer =
+                                    renderengine::Buffer{
+                                            .buffer = redBuffer,
+                                            .usePremultipliedAlpha = true,
+                                    },
+                    },
+            .alpha = 1.0f,
+            .sourceDataspace = ui::Dataspace::V0_SRGB_LINEAR,
+            // When the white point is not set for a layer, just ignore it and treat it as the same
+            // as the max layer
+            .whitePointNits = -1.f,
+    };
+
+    std::vector<renderengine::LayerSettings> layers{greenLayer, blueLayer, redLayer};
+    invokeDraw(display, layers);
+
+    expectBufferColor(Rect(1, 1), 0, 51, 0, 255, 1);
+    expectBufferColor(Rect(1, 0, 2, 1), 0, 0, 5, 255, 1);
+    expectBufferColor(Rect(2, 0, 3, 1), 51, 0, 0, 255, 1);
+}
+
+TEST_P(RenderEngineTest, testDimming_withoutTargetLuminance) {
+    initializeRenderEngine();
+    if (GetParam()->type() == renderengine::RenderEngine::RenderEngineType::GLES) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    const auto displayRect = Rect(2, 1);
+    const renderengine::DisplaySettings display{
+            .physicalDisplay = displayRect,
+            .clip = displayRect,
+            .outputDataspace = ui::Dataspace::V0_SRGB_LINEAR,
+            .targetLuminanceNits = -1.f,
+    };
+
+    const auto greenBuffer = allocateAndFillSourceBuffer(1, 1, ubyte4(0, 255, 0, 255));
+    const auto blueBuffer = allocateAndFillSourceBuffer(1, 1, ubyte4(0, 0, 255, 255));
+
+    const renderengine::LayerSettings greenLayer{
+            .geometry.boundaries = FloatRect(0.f, 0.f, 1.f, 1.f),
+            .source =
+                    renderengine::PixelSource{
+                            .buffer =
+                                    renderengine::Buffer{
+                                            .buffer = greenBuffer,
+                                            .usePremultipliedAlpha = true,
+                                    },
+                    },
+            .alpha = 1.0f,
+            .sourceDataspace = ui::Dataspace::V0_SRGB_LINEAR,
+            .whitePointNits = 200.f,
+    };
+
+    const renderengine::LayerSettings blueLayer{
+            .geometry.boundaries = FloatRect(1.f, 0.f, 2.f, 1.f),
+            .source =
+                    renderengine::PixelSource{
+                            .buffer =
+                                    renderengine::Buffer{
+                                            .buffer = blueBuffer,
+                                            .usePremultipliedAlpha = true,
+                                    },
+                    },
+            .alpha = 1.0f,
+            .sourceDataspace = ui::Dataspace::V0_SRGB_LINEAR,
+            .whitePointNits = 1000.f,
+    };
+
+    std::vector<renderengine::LayerSettings> layers{greenLayer, blueLayer};
+    invokeDraw(display, layers);
+
+    expectBufferColor(Rect(1, 1), 0, 51, 0, 255, 1);
+    expectBufferColor(Rect(1, 0, 2, 1), 0, 0, 255, 255);
+}
+
 TEST_P(RenderEngineTest, test_isOpaque) {
     initializeRenderEngine();
 
diff --git a/libs/ui/include_types/ui/DataspaceUtils.h b/libs/ui/include_types/ui/DataspaceUtils.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a461cb4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/ui/include_types/ui/DataspaceUtils.h
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2021 The Android Open Source Project
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <ui/GraphicTypes.h>
+
+namespace android {
+
+inline bool isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace dataspace) {
+    const auto transfer = dataspace & HAL_DATASPACE_TRANSFER_MASK;
+
+    return transfer == HAL_DATASPACE_TRANSFER_ST2084 || transfer == HAL_DATASPACE_TRANSFER_HLG;
+}
+
+} // namespace android
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/libs/ui/tests/Android.bp b/libs/ui/tests/Android.bp
index 0ee15f2..22fbf45 100644
--- a/libs/ui/tests/Android.bp
+++ b/libs/ui/tests/Android.bp
@@ -163,3 +163,13 @@
         "-Werror",
     ],
 }
+
+cc_test {
+    name: "DataspaceUtils_test",
+    shared_libs: ["libui"],
+    srcs: ["DataspaceUtils_test.cpp"],
+    cflags: [
+        "-Wall",
+        "-Werror",
+    ],
+}
diff --git a/libs/ui/tests/DataspaceUtils_test.cpp b/libs/ui/tests/DataspaceUtils_test.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3e09671
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/ui/tests/DataspaceUtils_test.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2021 The Android Open Source Project
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+#undef LOG_TAG
+#define LOG_TAG "DataspaceUtilsTest"
+
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+#include <ui/DataspaceUtils.h>
+
+namespace android {
+
+class DataspaceUtilsTest : public testing::Test {};
+
+TEST_F(DataspaceUtilsTest, isHdrDataspace) {
+    EXPECT_TRUE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::BT2020_ITU_HLG));
+    EXPECT_TRUE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::BT2020_ITU_PQ));
+    EXPECT_TRUE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::BT2020_PQ));
+    EXPECT_TRUE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::BT2020_HLG));
+
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::V0_SRGB_LINEAR));
+    // scRGB defines a very wide gamut but not an expanded luminance range
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::V0_SCRGB_LINEAR));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::V0_SRGB));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::V0_SCRGB));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::V0_JFIF));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::V0_BT601_625));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::V0_BT601_525));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::V0_BT709));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::DCI_P3_LINEAR));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::DCI_P3));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::DISPLAY_P3_LINEAR));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::DISPLAY_P3));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::ADOBE_RGB));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::BT2020_LINEAR));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::BT2020));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::BT2020_ITU));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(isHdrDataspace(ui::Dataspace::DISPLAY_BT2020));
+}
+
+} // namespace android