diff --git a/core/java/android/view/Surface.java b/core/java/android/view/Surface.java
index 286e0979d12b7..dc19d32815078 100644
--- a/core/java/android/view/Surface.java
+++ b/core/java/android/view/Surface.java
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@ public class Surface implements Parcelable {
 
     private HwuiContext mHwuiContext;
 
+    private boolean mIsSingleBuffered;
+
     /** @hide */
     @Retention(RetentionPolicy.SOURCE)
     @IntDef({SCALING_MODE_FREEZE, SCALING_MODE_SCALE_TO_WINDOW,
@@ -158,7 +160,7 @@ public class Surface implements Parcelable {
         if (surfaceTexture == null) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("surfaceTexture must not be null");
         }
-
+        mIsSingleBuffered = surfaceTexture.isSingleBuffered();
         synchronized (mLock) {
             mName = surfaceTexture.toString();
             setNativeObjectLocked(nativeCreateFromSurfaceTexture(surfaceTexture));
@@ -458,6 +460,7 @@ public class Surface implements Parcelable {
             // the reference count on mNativeObject.  Either way, it is
             // not necessary to call nativeRelease() here.
             mName = source.readString();
+            mIsSingleBuffered = source.readInt() != 0;
             setNativeObjectLocked(nativeReadFromParcel(mNativeObject, source));
         }
     }
@@ -469,6 +472,7 @@ public class Surface implements Parcelable {
         }
         synchronized (mLock) {
             dest.writeString(mName);
+            dest.writeInt(mIsSingleBuffered ? 1 : 0);
             nativeWriteToParcel(mNativeObject, dest);
         }
         if ((flags & Parcelable.PARCELABLE_WRITE_RETURN_VALUE) != 0) {
@@ -530,6 +534,14 @@ public class Surface implements Parcelable {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns whether or not this Surface is backed by a single-buffered SurfaceTexture
+     * @hide
+     */
+    public boolean isSingleBuffered() {
+        return mIsSingleBuffered;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Exception thrown when a Canvas couldn't be locked with {@link Surface#lockCanvas}, or
      * when a SurfaceTexture could not successfully be allocated.
diff --git a/core/jni/android_view_SurfaceControl.cpp b/core/jni/android_view_SurfaceControl.cpp
index 0d8a95c9bcd33..73b3f52f078b9 100644
--- a/core/jni/android_view_SurfaceControl.cpp
+++ b/core/jni/android_view_SurfaceControl.cpp
@@ -371,7 +371,12 @@ static void nativeSetDisplaySurface(JNIEnv* env, jclass clazz,
     if (sur != NULL) {
         bufferProducer = sur->getIGraphicBufferProducer();
     }
-    SurfaceComposerClient::setDisplaySurface(token, bufferProducer);
+    status_t err = SurfaceComposerClient::setDisplaySurface(token,
+            bufferProducer);
+    if (err != NO_ERROR) {
+        doThrowIAE(env, "Illegal Surface, could not enable async mode. Was this"
+                " Surface created with singleBufferMode?");
+    }
 }
 
 static void nativeSetDisplayLayerStack(JNIEnv* env, jclass clazz,
diff --git a/graphics/java/android/graphics/SurfaceTexture.java b/graphics/java/android/graphics/SurfaceTexture.java
index 5c54324d81070..c3861083e2fda 100644
--- a/graphics/java/android/graphics/SurfaceTexture.java
+++ b/graphics/java/android/graphics/SurfaceTexture.java
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ public class SurfaceTexture {
     private long mProducer;
     private long mFrameAvailableListener;
 
+    private boolean mIsSingleBuffered;
+
     /**
      * Callback interface for being notified that a new stream frame is available.
      */
@@ -130,6 +132,7 @@ public class SurfaceTexture {
      */
     public SurfaceTexture(int texName, boolean singleBufferMode) {
         mCreatorLooper = Looper.myLooper();
+        mIsSingleBuffered = singleBufferMode;
         nativeInit(false, texName, singleBufferMode, new WeakReference<SurfaceTexture>(this));
     }
 
@@ -157,6 +160,7 @@ public class SurfaceTexture {
      */
     public SurfaceTexture(boolean singleBufferMode) {
         mCreatorLooper = Looper.myLooper();
+        mIsSingleBuffered = singleBufferMode;
         nativeInit(true, 0, singleBufferMode, new WeakReference<SurfaceTexture>(this));
     }
 
@@ -378,6 +382,14 @@ public class SurfaceTexture {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns true if the SurfaceTexture is single-buffered
+     * @hide
+     */
+    public boolean isSingleBuffered() {
+        return mIsSingleBuffered;
+    }
+
     private native void nativeInit(boolean isDetached, int texName,
             boolean singleBufferMode, WeakReference<SurfaceTexture> weakSelf)
             throws Surface.OutOfResourcesException;
diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/display/DisplayManagerService.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/display/DisplayManagerService.java
index 0abd2e79b45f9..45a96441e57e2 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/display/DisplayManagerService.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/display/DisplayManagerService.java
@@ -1402,6 +1402,9 @@ public final class DisplayManagerService extends SystemService {
                 throw new IllegalArgumentException("width, height, and densityDpi must be "
                         + "greater than 0");
             }
+            if (surface.isSingleBuffered()) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Surface can't be single-buffered");
+            }
 
             if ((flags & DisplayManager.VIRTUAL_DISPLAY_FLAG_PUBLIC) != 0) {
                 flags |= DisplayManager.VIRTUAL_DISPLAY_FLAG_AUTO_MIRROR;