diff --git a/java/com/android/contacts/common/lettertiles/LetterTileDrawable.java b/java/com/android/contacts/common/lettertiles/LetterTileDrawable.java
index 5b7dcbe..5c401fe 100644
--- a/java/com/android/contacts/common/lettertiles/LetterTileDrawable.java
+++ b/java/com/android/contacts/common/lettertiles/LetterTileDrawable.java
@@ -87,23 +87,23 @@
   /** Default icon scale for vector drawable. */
   private static final float VECTOR_ICON_SCALE = 0.7f;
 
-  private static Paint sPaint;
+  /** Reusable components to avoid new allocations */
+  private static final Paint sPaint = new Paint();
 
   private static final Rect sRect = new Rect();
   private static final char[] sFirstChar = new char[1];
+  /** Letter tile */
+  private static TypedArray sColors;
 
-  private static volatile Integer sSpamColor;
-  private static volatile Integer sDefaultColor;
-  private static volatile Integer sTileFontColor;
-  private static volatile Float sLetterToTileRatio;
-
-  private static volatile TypedArray sColors;
-
-  private static volatile Drawable sDefaultPersonAvatar;
-  private static volatile Drawable sDefaultBusinessAvatar;
-  private static volatile Drawable sDefaultVoicemailAvatar;
-  private static volatile Drawable sDefaultSpamAvatar;
-  private static volatile Drawable sDefaultConferenceAvatar;
+  private static int sSpamColor;
+  private static int sDefaultColor;
+  private static int sTileFontColor;
+  private static float sLetterToTileRatio;
+  private static Drawable sDefaultPersonAvatar;
+  private static Drawable sDefaultBusinessAvatar;
+  private static Drawable sDefaultVoicemailAvatar;
+  private static Drawable sDefaultSpamAvatar;
+  private static Drawable sDefaultConferenceAvatar;
 
   private final Paint mPaint;
   @ContactType private int mContactType = TYPE_DEFAULT;
@@ -117,66 +117,35 @@
   private String mDisplayName;
 
   public LetterTileDrawable(final Resources res) {
-    // Guard static members with null checks to insulate against concurrent calls to the
-    // constructor.
-    if (sSpamColor == null) {
-      sSpamColor = res.getColor(R.color.spam_contact_background);
-    }
-    if (sDefaultColor == null) {
-      sDefaultColor = res.getColor(R.color.letter_tile_default_color);
-    }
-    if (sTileFontColor == null) {
-      sTileFontColor = res.getColor(R.color.letter_tile_font_color);
-    }
-    if (sTileFontColor == null) {
-      sLetterToTileRatio = res.getFraction(R.dimen.letter_to_tile_ratio, 1, 1);
-    }
-
     if (sColors == null) {
       sColors = res.obtainTypedArray(R.array.letter_tile_colors);
-    }
-    if (sDefaultPersonAvatar == null) {
+      sSpamColor = res.getColor(R.color.spam_contact_background);
+      sDefaultColor = res.getColor(R.color.letter_tile_default_color);
+      sTileFontColor = res.getColor(R.color.letter_tile_font_color);
+      sLetterToTileRatio = res.getFraction(R.dimen.letter_to_tile_ratio, 1, 1);
       sDefaultPersonAvatar =
           res.getDrawable(R.drawable.product_logo_avatar_anonymous_white_color_120, null);
-    }
-    if (sDefaultBusinessAvatar == null) {
+      Assert.isNotNull(sDefaultPersonAvatar, "sDefaultPersonAvatar is null");
       sDefaultBusinessAvatar = res.getDrawable(R.drawable.quantum_ic_business_vd_theme_24, null);
-    }
-    if (sDefaultVoicemailAvatar == null) {
+      Assert.isNotNull(sDefaultBusinessAvatar, "sDefaultBusinessAvatar is null");
       sDefaultVoicemailAvatar = res.getDrawable(R.drawable.quantum_ic_voicemail_vd_theme_24, null);
-    }
-    if (sDefaultSpamAvatar == null) {
+      Assert.isNotNull(sDefaultVoicemailAvatar, "sDefaultVoicemailAvatar is null");
       sDefaultSpamAvatar = res.getDrawable(R.drawable.quantum_ic_report_vd_theme_24, null);
-    }
-    if (sDefaultConferenceAvatar == null) {
+      Assert.isNotNull(sDefaultSpamAvatar, "sDefaultSpamAvatar is null");
       sDefaultConferenceAvatar = res.getDrawable(R.drawable.quantum_ic_group_vd_theme_24, null);
+      Assert.isNotNull(sDefaultConferenceAvatar, "sDefaultConferenceAvatar is null");
+
+      sPaint.setTypeface(
+          Typeface.create(res.getString(R.string.letter_tile_letter_font_family), Typeface.NORMAL));
+      sPaint.setTextAlign(Align.CENTER);
+      sPaint.setAntiAlias(true);
     }
-
-    // Calls in this method are potentially not idempotent, and need to be set after
-    // the member is initilaized.
-    this.initializeDefaultPaintOptions(res);
-
-    // These values should be reset on every call to the constructor.
     mPaint = new Paint();
     mPaint.setFilterBitmap(true);
     mPaint.setDither(true);
-
     mColor = sDefaultColor;
   }
 
-  private static void initializeDefaultPaintOptions(final Resources res) {
-    if (sPaint == null) {
-      synchronized (LetterTileDrawable.class) {
-        sPaint = new Paint();
-        sPaint.setTypeface(
-            Typeface.create(
-                res.getString(R.string.letter_tile_letter_font_family), Typeface.NORMAL));
-        sPaint.setTextAlign(Align.CENTER);
-        sPaint.setAntiAlias(true);
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
   private Rect getScaledBounds(float scale, float offset) {
     // The drawable should be drawn in the middle of the canvas without changing its width to
     // height ratio.