diff --git a/core/java/android/view/SurfaceView.java b/core/java/android/view/SurfaceView.java
index 6d320ef32b0da..824e035697fcc 100644
--- a/core/java/android/view/SurfaceView.java
+++ b/core/java/android/view/SurfaceView.java
@@ -16,8 +16,9 @@
 
 package android.view;
 
-import static android.view.WindowManagerPolicy.APPLICATION_MEDIA_SUBLAYER;
+import static android.view.WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_APPLICATION_PANEL;
 import static android.view.WindowManagerPolicy.APPLICATION_MEDIA_OVERLAY_SUBLAYER;
+import static android.view.WindowManagerPolicy.APPLICATION_MEDIA_SUBLAYER;
 import static android.view.WindowManagerPolicy.APPLICATION_PANEL_SUBLAYER;
 
 import android.content.Context;
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ import android.graphics.PixelFormat;
 import android.graphics.PorterDuff;
 import android.graphics.Rect;
 import android.graphics.Region;
+import android.os.Build;
 import android.os.Handler;
 import android.os.Message;
 import android.os.SystemClock;
@@ -776,6 +778,31 @@ public class SurfaceView extends View {
         return callbacks;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * This method still exists only for compatibility reasons because some applications have relied
+     * on this method via reflection. See Issue 36345857 for details.
+     *
+     * @deprecated No platform code is using this method anymore.
+     * @hide
+     */
+    @Deprecated
+    public void setWindowType(int type) {
+        if (getContext().getApplicationInfo().targetSdkVersion > Build.VERSION_CODES.N_MR1) {
+            throw new UnsupportedOperationException(
+                    "SurfaceView#setWindowType() has never been a public API.");
+        }
+
+        if (type == TYPE_APPLICATION_PANEL) {
+            Log.e(TAG, "If you are calling SurfaceView#setWindowType(TYPE_APPLICATION_PANEL) "
+                    + "just to make the SurfaceView to be placed on top of its window, you must "
+                    + "call setZOrderOnTop(true) instead.", new Throwable());
+            setZOrderOnTop(true);
+            return;
+        }
+        Log.e(TAG, "SurfaceView#setWindowType(int) is deprecated and now does nothing. "
+                + "type=" + type, new Throwable());
+    }
+
     /**
      * Check to see if the surface has fixed size dimensions or if the surface's
      * dimensions are dimensions are dependent on its current layout.