diff --git a/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/DocumentHolder.java b/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/DocumentHolder.java
index 5edda3866d5c3..450341f9d4fcd 100644
--- a/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/DocumentHolder.java
+++ b/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/DocumentHolder.java
@@ -77,10 +77,18 @@ public abstract class DocumentHolder
     /**
      * Makes the associated item view appear selected. Note that this merely affects the appearance
      * of the view, it doesn't actually select the item.
+     * TODO: Use the DirectoryItemAnimator instead of manually controlling animation using a boolean
+     * flag.
      *
      * @param selected
+     * @param animate Whether or not to animate the change. Only selection changes initiated by the
+     *            selection manager should be animated. See
+     *            {@link ModelBackedDocumentsAdapter#onBindViewHolder(DocumentHolder, int, java.util.List)}
      */
-    public void setSelected(boolean selected) {
+    public void setSelected(boolean selected, boolean animate) {
+        // Note: the animate param doesn't apply for this base implementation, because the
+        // DirectoryItemAnimator takes care of it. It's required by subclasses, which perform their
+        // own animation.
         itemView.setActivated(selected);
         itemView.setBackgroundColor(selected ? mSelectedBgColor : mDefaultBgColor);
     }
diff --git a/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/GridDirectoryHolder.java b/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/GridDirectoryHolder.java
index 90b23419fcd33..ce5bcb1994540 100644
--- a/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/GridDirectoryHolder.java
+++ b/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/GridDirectoryHolder.java
@@ -42,12 +42,17 @@ final class GridDirectoryHolder extends DocumentHolder {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void setSelected(boolean selected) {
-        super.setSelected(selected);
+    public void setSelected(boolean selected, boolean animate) {
+        super.setSelected(selected, animate);
         float checkAlpha = selected ? 1f : 0f;
 
-        mIconCheck.animate().alpha(checkAlpha).start();
-        mIconMime.animate().alpha(1f - checkAlpha).start();
+        if (animate) {
+            mIconCheck.animate().alpha(checkAlpha).start();
+            mIconMime.animate().alpha(1f - checkAlpha).start();
+        } else {
+            mIconCheck.setAlpha(checkAlpha);
+            mIconMime.setAlpha(1f - checkAlpha);
+        }
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/GridDocumentHolder.java b/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/GridDocumentHolder.java
index c8641a8000f53..c4f6f11b31c98 100644
--- a/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/GridDocumentHolder.java
+++ b/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/GridDocumentHolder.java
@@ -69,12 +69,16 @@ final class GridDocumentHolder extends DocumentHolder {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void setSelected(boolean selected) {
+    public void setSelected(boolean selected, boolean animate) {
         // We always want to make sure our check box disappears if we're not selected,
         // even if the item is disabled. This is because this object can be reused
         // and this method will be called to setup initial state.
         float checkAlpha = selected ? 1f : 0f;
-        mIconCheck.animate().alpha(checkAlpha).start();
+        if (animate) {
+            mIconCheck.animate().alpha(checkAlpha).start();
+        } else {
+            mIconCheck.setAlpha(checkAlpha);
+        }
 
         // But it should be an error to be set to selected && be disabled.
         if (!itemView.isEnabled()) {
@@ -82,9 +86,13 @@ final class GridDocumentHolder extends DocumentHolder {
             return;
         }
 
-        super.setSelected(selected);
+        super.setSelected(selected, animate);
 
-        mIconMimeSm.animate().alpha(1f - checkAlpha).start();
+        if (animate) {
+            mIconMimeSm.animate().alpha(1f - checkAlpha).start();
+        } else {
+            mIconMimeSm.setAlpha(1f - checkAlpha);
+        }
     }
 
     public void setEnabled(boolean enabled) {
diff --git a/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/ListDocumentHolder.java b/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/ListDocumentHolder.java
index 3a1be119896bd..ace53e0b5f4ee 100644
--- a/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/ListDocumentHolder.java
+++ b/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/ListDocumentHolder.java
@@ -65,22 +65,31 @@ final class ListDocumentHolder extends DocumentHolder {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void setSelected(boolean selected) {
+    public void setSelected(boolean selected, boolean animate) {
         // We always want to make sure our check box disappears if we're not selected,
         // even if the item is disabled. But it should be an error (see assert below)
         // to be set to selected && be disabled.
         float checkAlpha = selected ? 1f : 0f;
-        mIconCheck.animate().alpha(checkAlpha).start();
+        if (animate) {
+            mIconCheck.animate().alpha(checkAlpha).start();
+        } else {
+            mIconCheck.setAlpha(checkAlpha);
+        }
 
         if (!itemView.isEnabled()) {
             assert(!selected);
             return;
         }
 
-        super.setSelected(selected);
+        super.setSelected(selected, animate);
 
-        mIconMime.animate().alpha(1f - checkAlpha).start();
-        mIconThumb.animate().alpha(1f - checkAlpha).start();
+        if (animate) {
+            mIconMime.animate().alpha(1f - checkAlpha).start();
+            mIconThumb.animate().alpha(1f - checkAlpha).start();
+        } else {
+            mIconMime.setAlpha(1f - checkAlpha);
+            mIconThumb.setAlpha(1f - checkAlpha);
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/ModelBackedDocumentsAdapter.java b/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/ModelBackedDocumentsAdapter.java
index 149ecdd585658..ca3b2e23648b7 100644
--- a/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/ModelBackedDocumentsAdapter.java
+++ b/packages/DocumentsUI/src/com/android/documentsui/dirlist/ModelBackedDocumentsAdapter.java
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ import android.util.SparseArray;
 import android.view.ViewGroup;
 
 import com.android.documentsui.State;
-
 import com.google.common.collect.Sets;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
@@ -103,7 +102,7 @@ final class ModelBackedDocumentsAdapter extends DocumentsAdapter {
     public void onBindViewHolder(DocumentHolder holder, int position, List<Object> payload) {
         if (payload.contains(SELECTION_CHANGED_MARKER)) {
             final boolean selected = mEnv.isSelected(mModelIds.get(position));
-            holder.setSelected(selected);
+            holder.setSelected(selected, true);
         } else {
             onBindViewHolder(holder, position);
         }
@@ -124,7 +123,7 @@ final class ModelBackedDocumentsAdapter extends DocumentsAdapter {
             assert(!selected);
         }
         holder.setEnabled(enabled);
-        holder.setSelected(mEnv.isSelected(modelId));
+        holder.setSelected(mEnv.isSelected(modelId), false);
 
         mEnv.onBindDocumentHolder(holder, cursor);
     }