diff --git a/graphics/composer/aidl/include/android/hardware/graphics/composer3/ComposerClientWriter.h b/graphics/composer/aidl/include/android/hardware/graphics/composer3/ComposerClientWriter.h
index 4a5ac69..2e902e5 100644
--- a/graphics/composer/aidl/include/android/hardware/graphics/composer3/ComposerClientWriter.h
+++ b/graphics/composer/aidl/include/android/hardware/graphics/composer3/ComposerClientWriter.h
@@ -70,12 +70,6 @@
     ComposerClientWriter(const ComposerClientWriter&) = delete;
     ComposerClientWriter& operator=(const ComposerClientWriter&) = delete;
 
-    void reset() {
-        mDisplayCommand.reset();
-        mLayerCommand.reset();
-        mCommands.clear();
-    }
-
     void setColorTransform(int64_t display, const float* matrix) {
         std::vector<float> matVec;
         matVec.reserve(16);
@@ -235,10 +229,12 @@
         getLayerCommand(display, layer).blockingRegion.emplace(blocking.begin(), blocking.end());
     }
 
-    const std::vector<DisplayCommand>& getPendingCommands() {
+    std::vector<DisplayCommand> takePendingCommands() {
         flushLayerCommand();
         flushDisplayCommand();
-        return mCommands;
+        std::vector<DisplayCommand> moved = std::move(mCommands);
+        mCommands.clear();
+        return moved;
     }
 
   private:
@@ -289,6 +285,12 @@
         }
         return *mLayerCommand;
     }
+
+    void reset() {
+        mDisplayCommand.reset();
+        mLayerCommand.reset();
+        mCommands.clear();
+    }
 };
 
 }  // namespace aidl::android::hardware::graphics::composer3
diff --git a/graphics/composer/aidl/vts/VtsHalGraphicsComposer3_ReadbackTest.cpp b/graphics/composer/aidl/vts/VtsHalGraphicsComposer3_ReadbackTest.cpp
index 6fa3392..b047220 100644
--- a/graphics/composer/aidl/vts/VtsHalGraphicsComposer3_ReadbackTest.cpp
+++ b/graphics/composer/aidl/vts/VtsHalGraphicsComposer3_ReadbackTest.cpp
@@ -207,9 +207,8 @@
     }
 
     void execute() {
-        const auto& commands = mWriter->getPendingCommands();
+        auto commands = mWriter->takePendingCommands();
         if (commands.empty()) {
-            mWriter->reset();
             return;
         }
 
@@ -217,7 +216,6 @@
         ASSERT_TRUE(status.isOk()) << "executeCommands failed " << status.getDescription();
 
         mReader.parse(std::move(results));
-        mWriter->reset();
     }
 
     bool getHasReadbackBuffer() {
diff --git a/graphics/composer/aidl/vts/VtsHalGraphicsComposer3_TargetTest.cpp b/graphics/composer/aidl/vts/VtsHalGraphicsComposer3_TargetTest.cpp
index 3ea5bf5..ed4f28c 100644
--- a/graphics/composer/aidl/vts/VtsHalGraphicsComposer3_TargetTest.cpp
+++ b/graphics/composer/aidl/vts/VtsHalGraphicsComposer3_TargetTest.cpp
@@ -1171,15 +1171,13 @@
     void execute() {
         std::vector<CommandResultPayload> payloads;
         for (auto& [_, writer] : mWriters) {
-            const auto& commands = writer.getPendingCommands();
+            auto commands = writer.takePendingCommands();
             if (commands.empty()) {
-                writer.reset();
                 continue;
             }
 
             auto [status, results] = mComposerClient->executeCommands(commands);
             ASSERT_TRUE(status.isOk()) << "executeCommands failed " << status.getDescription();
-            writer.reset();
 
             payloads.reserve(payloads.size() + results.size());
             payloads.insert(payloads.end(), std::make_move_iterator(results.begin()),