diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
index 85c16b7..5fc22c5 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
@@ -7539,6 +7539,12 @@
         return;
     }
 
+    if (args.captureSecureLayers && !hasCaptureBlackoutContentPermission()) {
+        ALOGE("Attempting to capture secure layers without CAPTURE_BLACKOUT_CONTENT");
+        invokeScreenCaptureError(PERMISSION_DENIED, captureListener);
+        return;
+    }
+
     wp<const DisplayDevice> displayWeak;
     ui::LayerStack layerStack;
     ui::Size reqSize(args.width, args.height);
@@ -7669,8 +7675,11 @@
     std::unordered_set<uint32_t> excludeLayerIds;
     ui::Dataspace dataspace = args.dataspace;
 
-    // Call this before holding mStateLock to avoid any deadlocking.
-    bool canCaptureBlackoutContent = hasCaptureBlackoutContentPermission();
+    if (args.captureSecureLayers && !hasCaptureBlackoutContentPermission()) {
+        ALOGE("Attempting to capture secure layers without CAPTURE_BLACKOUT_CONTENT");
+        invokeScreenCaptureError(PERMISSION_DENIED, captureListener);
+        return;
+    }
 
     {
         Mutex::Autolock lock(mStateLock);
@@ -7682,13 +7691,6 @@
             return;
         }
 
-        if (!canCaptureBlackoutContent &&
-            parent->getDrawingState().flags & layer_state_t::eLayerSecure) {
-            ALOGW("Attempting to capture secure layer: PERMISSION_DENIED");
-            invokeScreenCaptureError(PERMISSION_DENIED, captureListener);
-            return;
-        }
-
         Rect parentSourceBounds = parent->getCroppedBufferSize(parent->getDrawingState());
         if (args.sourceCrop.width() <= 0) {
             crop.left = 0;
@@ -7866,8 +7868,6 @@
         bool grayscale, const sp<IScreenCaptureListener>& captureListener) {
     ATRACE_CALL();
 
-    bool canCaptureBlackoutContent = hasCaptureBlackoutContentPermission();
-
     auto future = mScheduler->schedule(
             [=, renderAreaFuture = std::move(renderAreaFuture)]() FTL_FAKE_GUARD(
                     kMainThreadContext) mutable -> ftl::SharedFuture<FenceResult> {
@@ -7885,8 +7885,7 @@
                 ftl::SharedFuture<FenceResult> renderFuture;
                 renderArea->render([&]() FTL_FAKE_GUARD(kMainThreadContext) {
                     renderFuture = renderScreenImpl(renderArea, getLayerSnapshots, buffer,
-                                                    canCaptureBlackoutContent, regionSampling,
-                                                    grayscale, captureResults);
+                                                    regionSampling, grayscale, captureResults);
                 });
 
                 if (captureListener) {
@@ -7913,9 +7912,8 @@
 
 ftl::SharedFuture<FenceResult> SurfaceFlinger::renderScreenImpl(
         std::shared_ptr<const RenderArea> renderArea, GetLayerSnapshotsFunction getLayerSnapshots,
-        const std::shared_ptr<renderengine::ExternalTexture>& buffer,
-        bool canCaptureBlackoutContent, bool regionSampling, bool grayscale,
-        ScreenCaptureResults& captureResults) {
+        const std::shared_ptr<renderengine::ExternalTexture>& buffer, bool regionSampling,
+        bool grayscale, ScreenCaptureResults& captureResults) {
     ATRACE_CALL();
 
     auto layers = getLayerSnapshots();
@@ -7930,14 +7928,6 @@
                 layerFE->mSnapshot->geomLayerTransform.inverse();
     }
 
-    // We allow the system server to take screenshots of secure layers for
-    // use in situations like the Screen-rotation animation and place
-    // the impetus on WindowManager to not persist them.
-    if (captureResults.capturedSecureLayers && !canCaptureBlackoutContent) {
-        ALOGW("FB is protected: PERMISSION_DENIED");
-        return ftl::yield<FenceResult>(base::unexpected(PERMISSION_DENIED)).share();
-    }
-
     auto capturedBuffer = buffer;
 
     auto requestedDataspace = renderArea->getReqDataSpace();
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h
index 788fe73..c4af271 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h
@@ -858,8 +858,8 @@
             bool grayscale, const sp<IScreenCaptureListener>&);
     ftl::SharedFuture<FenceResult> renderScreenImpl(
             std::shared_ptr<const RenderArea>, GetLayerSnapshotsFunction,
-            const std::shared_ptr<renderengine::ExternalTexture>&, bool canCaptureBlackoutContent,
-            bool regionSampling, bool grayscale, ScreenCaptureResults&) EXCLUDES(mStateLock)
+            const std::shared_ptr<renderengine::ExternalTexture>&, bool regionSampling,
+            bool grayscale, ScreenCaptureResults&) EXCLUDES(mStateLock)
             REQUIRES(kMainThreadContext);
 
     // If the uid provided is not UNSET_UID, the traverse will skip any layers that don't have a
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/tests/ScreenCapture_test.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/tests/ScreenCapture_test.cpp
index 061e121..18262f6 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/tests/ScreenCapture_test.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/tests/ScreenCapture_test.cpp
@@ -99,25 +99,42 @@
         ASSERT_EQ(PERMISSION_DENIED, ScreenCapture::captureLayers(mCaptureArgs, mCaptureResults));
     }
 
-    UIDFaker f(AID_SYSTEM);
-
-    // By default the system can capture screenshots with secure layers but they
-    // will be blacked out
-    ASSERT_EQ(NO_ERROR, ScreenCapture::captureLayers(mCaptureArgs, mCaptureResults));
-
     {
-        SCOPED_TRACE("as system");
-        auto shot = screenshot();
-        shot->expectColor(Rect(0, 0, 32, 32), Color::BLACK);
+        UIDFaker f(AID_SYSTEM);
+
+        // By default the system can capture screenshots with secure layers but they
+        // will be blacked out
+        ASSERT_EQ(NO_ERROR, ScreenCapture::captureLayers(mCaptureArgs, mCaptureResults));
+
+        {
+            SCOPED_TRACE("as system");
+            auto shot = screenshot();
+            shot->expectColor(Rect(0, 0, 32, 32), Color::BLACK);
+        }
+
+        mCaptureArgs.captureSecureLayers = true;
+        // AID_SYSTEM is allowed to capture secure content.
+        ASSERT_EQ(NO_ERROR, ScreenCapture::captureLayers(mCaptureArgs, mCaptureResults));
+        ASSERT_TRUE(mCaptureResults.capturedSecureLayers);
+        ScreenCapture sc(mCaptureResults.buffer, mCaptureResults.capturedHdrLayers);
+        sc.expectColor(Rect(0, 0, 32, 32), Color::RED);
     }
 
-    // Here we pass captureSecureLayers = true and since we are AID_SYSTEM we should be able
-    // to receive them...we are expected to take care with the results.
-    mCaptureArgs.captureSecureLayers = true;
-    ASSERT_EQ(NO_ERROR, ScreenCapture::captureLayers(mCaptureArgs, mCaptureResults));
-    ASSERT_TRUE(mCaptureResults.capturedSecureLayers);
-    ScreenCapture sc(mCaptureResults.buffer, mCaptureResults.capturedHdrLayers);
-    sc.expectColor(Rect(0, 0, 32, 32), Color::RED);
+    {
+        // Attempt secure screenshot from shell since it doesn't have CAPTURE_BLACKOUT_CONTENT
+        // permission, but is allowed normal screenshots.
+        UIDFaker faker(AID_SHELL);
+        ASSERT_EQ(PERMISSION_DENIED, ScreenCapture::captureLayers(mCaptureArgs, mCaptureResults));
+    }
+
+    // Remove flag secure from the layer.
+    Transaction().setFlags(layer, 0, layer_state_t::eLayerSecure).apply(true);
+    {
+        // Assert that screenshot fails without CAPTURE_BLACKOUT_CONTENT when requesting
+        // captureSecureLayers even if there are no actual secure layers on screen.
+        UIDFaker faker(AID_SHELL);
+        ASSERT_EQ(PERMISSION_DENIED, ScreenCapture::captureLayers(mCaptureArgs, mCaptureResults));
+    }
 }
 
 TEST_F(ScreenCaptureTest, CaptureChildSetParentFlagsSecureEUidSystem) {
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/tests/unittests/CompositionTest.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/tests/unittests/CompositionTest.cpp
index ee967979..0b9a030 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/tests/unittests/CompositionTest.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/tests/unittests/CompositionTest.cpp
@@ -194,7 +194,6 @@
     LayerCase::setupForScreenCapture(this);
 
     const Rect sourceCrop(0, 0, DEFAULT_DISPLAY_WIDTH, DEFAULT_DISPLAY_HEIGHT);
-    constexpr bool forSystem = true;
     constexpr bool regionSampling = false;
 
     auto renderArea = DisplayRenderArea::create(mDisplay, sourceCrop, sourceCrop.getSize(),
@@ -216,7 +215,7 @@
                                                                       usage);
 
     auto future = mFlinger.renderScreenImpl(std::move(renderArea), getLayerSnapshots,
-                                            mCaptureScreenBuffer, forSystem, regionSampling);
+                                            mCaptureScreenBuffer, regionSampling);
     ASSERT_TRUE(future.valid());
     const auto fenceResult = future.get();
 
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/tests/unittests/TestableSurfaceFlinger.h b/services/surfaceflinger/tests/unittests/TestableSurfaceFlinger.h
index 0909178..ebb05d4 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/tests/unittests/TestableSurfaceFlinger.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/tests/unittests/TestableSurfaceFlinger.h
@@ -493,11 +493,11 @@
     auto renderScreenImpl(std::shared_ptr<const RenderArea> renderArea,
                           SurfaceFlinger::GetLayerSnapshotsFunction traverseLayers,
                           const std::shared_ptr<renderengine::ExternalTexture>& buffer,
-                          bool forSystem, bool regionSampling) {
+                          bool regionSampling) {
         ScreenCaptureResults captureResults;
         return FTL_FAKE_GUARD(kMainThreadContext,
                               mFlinger->renderScreenImpl(std::move(renderArea), traverseLayers,
-                                                         buffer, forSystem, regionSampling,
+                                                         buffer, regionSampling,
                                                          false /* grayscale */, captureResults));
     }