diff --git a/core/java/android/view/View.java b/core/java/android/view/View.java
index 1208b237efa19..258a19c3237a7 100644
--- a/core/java/android/view/View.java
+++ b/core/java/android/view/View.java
@@ -6953,7 +6953,7 @@ public class View implements Drawable.Callback, KeyEvent.Callback, Accessibility
      * well. This is usually true for a full invalidate, but may be set to false if the
      * View's contents or dimensions have not changed.
      */
-    private void invalidate(boolean invalidateCache) {
+    void invalidate(boolean invalidateCache) {
         if (ViewDebug.TRACE_HIERARCHY) {
             ViewDebug.trace(this, ViewDebug.HierarchyTraceType.INVALIDATE);
         }
diff --git a/core/java/android/view/ViewGroup.java b/core/java/android/view/ViewGroup.java
index 5508bbddaaaa0..9ac955b958e8f 100644
--- a/core/java/android/view/ViewGroup.java
+++ b/core/java/android/view/ViewGroup.java
@@ -347,6 +347,10 @@ public abstract class ViewGroup extends View implements ViewParent, ViewManager
     // views during a transition when they otherwise would have become gone/invisible
     private ArrayList<View> mVisibilityChangingChildren;
 
+    // Indicates whether this container will use its children layers to draw
+    @ViewDebug.ExportedProperty(category = "drawing")
+    private boolean mDrawLayers = true;
+
     public ViewGroup(Context context) {
         super(context);
         initViewGroup();
@@ -2160,7 +2164,7 @@ public abstract class ViewGroup extends View implements ViewParent, ViewManager
         flags = mGroupFlags;
 
         if ((flags & FLAG_INVALIDATE_REQUIRED) == FLAG_INVALIDATE_REQUIRED) {
-            invalidate();
+            invalidate(true);
         }
 
         if ((flags & FLAG_ANIMATION_DONE) == 0 && (flags & FLAG_NOTIFY_ANIMATION_LISTENER) == 0 &&
@@ -2216,7 +2220,7 @@ public abstract class ViewGroup extends View implements ViewParent, ViewManager
             }
         }
 
-        invalidate();
+        invalidate(true);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -2275,7 +2279,7 @@ public abstract class ViewGroup extends View implements ViewParent, ViewManager
 
         boolean scalingRequired = false;
         boolean caching;
-        int layerType = child.getLayerType();
+        int layerType = mDrawLayers ? child.getLayerType() : LAYER_TYPE_NONE;
 
         final boolean hardwareAccelerated = canvas.isHardwareAccelerated();
         if ((flags & FLAG_CHILDREN_DRAWN_WITH_CACHE) == FLAG_CHILDREN_DRAWN_WITH_CACHE ||
@@ -2552,10 +2556,10 @@ public abstract class ViewGroup extends View implements ViewParent, ViewManager
             // invalidation is the trigger to recreate display lists, so if we're using
             // display lists to render, force an invalidate to allow the animation to
             // continue drawing another frame
-            invalidate();
+            invalidate(true);
             if (a instanceof AlphaAnimation) {
                 // alpha animations should cause the child to recreate its display list
-                child.invalidate();
+                child.invalidate(true);
             }
         }
 
@@ -2564,6 +2568,17 @@ public abstract class ViewGroup extends View implements ViewParent, ViewManager
         return more;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * 
+     * @param enabled True if children should be drawn with layers, false otherwise.
+     * 
+     * @hide
+     */
+    public void setChildrenLayersEnabled(boolean enabled) {
+        mDrawLayers = enabled;
+        invalidate(true);
+    }
+
     /**
      * By default, children are clipped to their bounds before drawing. This
      * allows view groups to override this behavior for animations, etc.
@@ -2596,7 +2611,6 @@ public abstract class ViewGroup extends View implements ViewParent, ViewManager
         final View[] children = mChildren;
         final int count = mChildrenCount;
         for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {
-
             children[i].setSelected(selected);
         }
     }
@@ -2609,7 +2623,6 @@ public abstract class ViewGroup extends View implements ViewParent, ViewManager
         final View[] children = mChildren;
         final int count = mChildrenCount;
         for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {
-
             children[i].setActivated(activated);
         }
     }
@@ -2802,7 +2815,7 @@ public abstract class ViewGroup extends View implements ViewParent, ViewManager
         // therefore, we call requestLayout() on ourselves before, so that the child's request
         // will be blocked at our level
         requestLayout();
-        invalidate();
+        invalidate(true);
         addViewInner(child, index, params, false);
     }
 
@@ -3084,7 +3097,7 @@ public abstract class ViewGroup extends View implements ViewParent, ViewManager
     public void removeView(View view) {
         removeViewInternal(view);
         requestLayout();
-        invalidate();
+        invalidate(true);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -3116,7 +3129,7 @@ public abstract class ViewGroup extends View implements ViewParent, ViewManager
     public void removeViewAt(int index) {
         removeViewInternal(index, getChildAt(index));
         requestLayout();
-        invalidate();
+        invalidate(true);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -3128,7 +3141,7 @@ public abstract class ViewGroup extends View implements ViewParent, ViewManager
     public void removeViews(int start, int count) {
         removeViewsInternal(start, count);
         requestLayout();
-        invalidate();
+        invalidate(true);
     }
 
     private void removeViewInternal(View view) {
@@ -3253,7 +3266,7 @@ public abstract class ViewGroup extends View implements ViewParent, ViewManager
     public void removeAllViews() {
         removeAllViewsInLayout();
         requestLayout();
-        invalidate();
+        invalidate(true);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/tests/HwAccelerationTest/AndroidManifest.xml b/tests/HwAccelerationTest/AndroidManifest.xml
index 2db44175a0181..fc50334da73b6 100644
--- a/tests/HwAccelerationTest/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/tests/HwAccelerationTest/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -88,6 +88,15 @@
             </intent-filter>
         </activity>
         
+        <activity
+                android:name="ViewLayersActivity5"
+                android:label="_ViewLayers5">
+            <intent-filter>
+                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
+                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
+            </intent-filter>
+        </activity>
+        
         <activity
                 android:name="AlphaLayersActivity"
                 android:label="_αLayers">
diff --git a/tests/HwAccelerationTest/res/layout/view_layers_5.xml b/tests/HwAccelerationTest/res/layout/view_layers_5.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..653f3a8b27897
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/HwAccelerationTest/res/layout/view_layers_5.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<!-- Copyright (C) 2011 The Android Open Source Project
+
+     Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+     you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+     You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+          http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+     Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+     distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+     WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+     See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+     limitations under the License.
+-->
+
+<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+    android:orientation="horizontal"
+    android:layout_width="match_parent"
+    android:layout_height="match_parent">
+
+    <LinearLayout
+        android:orientation="vertical"
+        android:layout_width="0dip"
+        android:layout_height="match_parent"
+        android:layout_weight="1">
+
+        <Button
+            android:onClick="setLayerEnabled"
+            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+            android:text="Enable layer" />
+
+        <Button
+            android:onClick="setLayerDisabled"
+            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+            android:text="Disable layer" />
+        
+    </LinearLayout>
+
+    <ListView
+        android:id="@+id/list1"
+        android:layout_width="0dip"
+        android:layout_height="match_parent"
+        android:layout_weight="1" />
+
+</LinearLayout>
diff --git a/tests/HwAccelerationTest/src/com/android/test/hwui/ViewLayersActivity5.java b/tests/HwAccelerationTest/src/com/android/test/hwui/ViewLayersActivity5.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..95a5b0d8b36d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/HwAccelerationTest/src/com/android/test/hwui/ViewLayersActivity5.java
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2011 The Android Open Source Project
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package com.android.test.hwui;
+
+import android.app.Activity;
+import android.content.Context;
+import android.content.res.Resources;
+import android.graphics.Paint;
+import android.graphics.PorterDuff;
+import android.graphics.PorterDuffColorFilter;
+import android.os.Bundle;
+import android.util.DisplayMetrics;
+import android.view.View;
+import android.view.ViewGroup;
+import android.widget.ArrayAdapter;
+import android.widget.ListView;
+import android.widget.TextView;
+
+@SuppressWarnings({"UnusedDeclaration"})
+public class ViewLayersActivity5 extends Activity {
+    @Override
+    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
+        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
+        
+        setContentView(R.layout.view_layers_5);
+
+        setupList(R.id.list1);
+    }
+
+    public void setLayerDisabled(View v) {
+        ((ViewGroup) findViewById(R.id.list1).getParent()).setChildrenLayersEnabled(false);
+    }
+    
+    public void setLayerEnabled(View v) {
+        ((ViewGroup) findViewById(R.id.list1).getParent()).setChildrenLayersEnabled(true);
+    }
+    
+    private void setupList(int listId) {
+        final Paint p = new Paint();
+        p.setColorFilter(new PorterDuffColorFilter(0xff00ff00, PorterDuff.Mode.MULTIPLY));
+
+        final ListView list = (ListView) findViewById(listId);
+        list.setAdapter(new SimpleListAdapter(this));
+        list.setLayerType(View.LAYER_TYPE_HARDWARE, p);
+    }
+
+    private static class SimpleListAdapter extends ArrayAdapter<String> {
+        public SimpleListAdapter(Context context) {
+            super(context, android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1, DATA_LIST);
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public View getView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent) {
+            TextView v = (TextView) super.getView(position, convertView, parent);
+            final Resources r = getContext().getResources();
+            final DisplayMetrics metrics = r.getDisplayMetrics();
+            v.setCompoundDrawablePadding((int) (6 * metrics.density + 0.5f));
+            v.setCompoundDrawablesWithIntrinsicBounds(r.getDrawable(R.drawable.icon),
+                    null, null, null);
+            return v;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static final String[] DATA_LIST = {
+            "Afghanistan", "Albania", "Algeria", "American Samoa", "Andorra",
+            "Angola", "Anguilla", "Antarctica", "Antigua and Barbuda", "Argentina",
+            "Armenia", "Aruba", "Australia", "Austria", "Azerbaijan",
+            "Bahrain", "Bangladesh", "Barbados", "Belarus", "Belgium",
+            "Belize", "Benin", "Bermuda", "Bhutan", "Bolivia",
+            "Bosnia and Herzegovina", "Botswana", "Bouvet Island", "Brazil",
+            "British Indian Ocean Territory", "British Virgin Islands", "Brunei", "Bulgaria",
+            "Burkina Faso", "Burundi", "Cote d'Ivoire", "Cambodia", "Cameroon", "Canada", "Cape Verde",
+            "Cayman Islands", "Central African Republic", "Chad", "Chile", "China",
+            "Christmas Island", "Cocos (Keeling) Islands", "Colombia", "Comoros", "Congo",
+            "Cook Islands", "Costa Rica", "Croatia", "Cuba", "Cyprus", "Czech Republic",
+            "Democratic Republic of the Congo", "Denmark", "Djibouti", "Dominica", "Dominican Republic",
+            "East Timor", "Ecuador", "Egypt", "El Salvador", "Equatorial Guinea", "Eritrea",
+            "Estonia", "Ethiopia", "Faeroe Islands", "Falkland Islands", "Fiji", "Finland",
+            "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", "France", "French Guiana", "French Polynesia",
+            "French Southern Territories", "Gabon", "Georgia", "Germany", "Ghana", "Gibraltar",
+            "Greece", "Greenland", "Grenada", "Guadeloupe", "Guam", "Guatemala", "Guinea", "Guinea-Bissau",
+            "Guyana", "Haiti", "Heard Island and McDonald Islands", "Honduras", "Hong Kong", "Hungary",
+            "Iceland", "India", "Indonesia", "Iran", "Iraq", "Ireland", "Israel", "Italy", "Jamaica",
+            "Japan", "Jordan", "Kazakhstan", "Kenya", "Kiribati", "Kuwait", "Kyrgyzstan", "Laos",
+            "Latvia", "Lebanon", "Lesotho", "Liberia", "Libya", "Liechtenstein", "Lithuania", "Luxembourg",
+            "Macau", "Madagascar", "Malawi", "Malaysia", "Maldives", "Mali", "Malta", "Marshall Islands",
+            "Martinique", "Mauritania", "Mauritius", "Mayotte", "Mexico", "Micronesia", "Moldova",
+            "Monaco", "Mongolia", "Montserrat", "Morocco", "Mozambique", "Myanmar", "Namibia",
+            "Nauru", "Nepal", "Netherlands", "Netherlands Antilles", "New Caledonia", "New Zealand",
+            "Nicaragua", "Niger", "Nigeria", "Niue", "Norfolk Island", "North Korea", "Northern Marianas",
+            "Norway", "Oman", "Pakistan", "Palau", "Panama", "Papua New Guinea", "Paraguay", "Peru",
+            "Philippines", "Pitcairn Islands", "Poland", "Portugal", "Puerto Rico", "Qatar",
+            "Reunion", "Romania", "Russia", "Rwanda", "Sqo Tome and Principe", "Saint Helena",
+            "Saint Kitts and Nevis", "Saint Lucia", "Saint Pierre and Miquelon",
+            "Saint Vincent and the Grenadines", "Samoa", "San Marino", "Saudi Arabia", "Senegal",
+            "Seychelles", "Sierra Leone", "Singapore", "Slovakia", "Slovenia", "Solomon Islands",
+            "Somalia", "South Africa", "South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands", "South Korea",
+            "Spain", "Sri Lanka", "Sudan", "Suriname", "Svalbard and Jan Mayen", "Swaziland", "Sweden",
+            "Switzerland", "Syria", "Taiwan", "Tajikistan", "Tanzania", "Thailand", "The Bahamas",
+            "The Gambia", "Togo", "Tokelau", "Tonga", "Trinidad and Tobago", "Tunisia", "Turkey",
+            "Turkmenistan", "Turks and Caicos Islands", "Tuvalu", "Virgin Islands", "Uganda",
+            "Ukraine", "United Arab Emirates", "United Kingdom",
+            "United States", "United States Minor Outlying Islands", "Uruguay", "Uzbekistan",
+            "Vanuatu", "Vatican City", "Venezuela", "Vietnam", "Wallis and Futuna", "Western Sahara",
+            "Yemen", "Yugoslavia", "Zambia", "Zimbabwe"
+    };
+}