diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/communal/service/CommunalSurfaceViewController.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/communal/service/CommunalSurfaceViewController.java
index 4927e0908c5a2..d554b5e26d4f5 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/communal/service/CommunalSurfaceViewController.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/communal/service/CommunalSurfaceViewController.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package com.android.systemui.communal.service;
 
 import android.annotation.IntDef;
 import android.content.res.Resources;
+import android.graphics.PixelFormat;
 import android.graphics.Region;
 import android.util.Log;
 import android.view.IWindow;
@@ -125,6 +126,7 @@ public class CommunalSurfaceViewController extends ViewController<SurfaceView> {
 
     @Override
     protected void onInit() {
+        mView.getHolder().setFormat(PixelFormat.TRANSPARENT);
         mView.getHolder().addCallback(mSurfaceHolderCallback);
         mView.addOnLayoutChangeListener(mOnLayoutChangeListener);
     }
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/tests/src/com/android/systemui/communal/service/CommunalSurfaceViewControllerTest.java b/packages/SystemUI/tests/src/com/android/systemui/communal/service/CommunalSurfaceViewControllerTest.java
index 6ca1357bef20c..c2d6b9aff96d9 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/tests/src/com/android/systemui/communal/service/CommunalSurfaceViewControllerTest.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/tests/src/com/android/systemui/communal/service/CommunalSurfaceViewControllerTest.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
 import android.content.res.Resources;
+import android.graphics.PixelFormat;
 import android.graphics.Region;
 import android.os.IBinder;
 import android.view.Display;
@@ -125,6 +126,7 @@ public class CommunalSurfaceViewControllerTest extends SysuiTestCase {
         final ArgumentCaptor<SurfaceHolder.Callback> callbackCapture =
                 ArgumentCaptor.forClass(SurfaceHolder.Callback.class);
         verify(mSurfaceHolder).addCallback(callbackCapture.capture());
+        verify(mSurfaceHolder).setFormat(PixelFormat.TRANSPARENT);
         mCallback = callbackCapture.getValue();
 
         final ArgumentCaptor<View.OnLayoutChangeListener> listenerCapture =