diff --git a/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowAnimator.java b/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowAnimator.java
index 4d32bcc5af072..fd9be5eb406c5 100644
--- a/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowAnimator.java
+++ b/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowAnimator.java
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import static com.android.server.wm.WindowManagerService.LayoutFields.SET_UPDATE
 import static com.android.server.wm.WindowManagerService.LayoutFields.SET_WALLPAPER_MAY_CHANGE;
 import static com.android.server.wm.WindowManagerService.LayoutFields.SET_FORCE_HIDING_CHANGED;
 
-import static com.android.server.wm.WindowManagerService.H.SET_DIM_PARAMETERS;
 import static com.android.server.wm.WindowManagerService.H.UPDATE_ANIM_PARAMETERS;
 
 import android.content.Context;
@@ -108,6 +107,7 @@ public class WindowAnimator {
         };
 
         mWindowAnimationBackgroundSurface = new DimSurface(mService.mFxSession);
+        mDimAnimator = new DimAnimator(mService.mFxSession);
     }
 
     /** Locked on mAnimToLayout */
@@ -133,6 +133,24 @@ public class WindowAnimator {
 
             mWinAnimators = new ArrayList<WindowStateAnimator>(layoutToAnim.mWinAnimators);
             mWallpaperTarget = layoutToAnim.mWallpaperTarget;
+
+            // Set the new DimAnimator params.
+            DimAnimator.Parameters dimParams = layoutToAnim.mDimParams;
+            if (dimParams == null) {
+                mDimParams = dimParams;
+            } else {
+                final WindowStateAnimator newWinAnimator = dimParams.mDimWinAnimator;
+
+                // Only set dim params on the highest dimmed layer.
+                final WindowStateAnimator existingDimWinAnimator = mDimParams == null
+                        ? null : mDimParams.mDimWinAnimator;
+                // Don't turn on for an unshown surface, or for any layer but the highest dimmed one.
+                if (newWinAnimator.mSurfaceShown &&
+                        (existingDimWinAnimator == null || !existingDimWinAnimator.mSurfaceShown
+                        || existingDimWinAnimator.mAnimLayer < newWinAnimator.mAnimLayer)) {
+                    mDimParams = dimParams;
+                }
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -571,28 +589,6 @@ public class WindowAnimator {
         mInnerDh = appHeight;
     }
 
-    void startDimming(final WindowStateAnimator winAnimator, final float target,
-                      final int width, final int height) {
-        if (mDimAnimator == null) {
-            mDimAnimator = new DimAnimator(mService.mFxSession);
-        }
-        // Only set dim params on the highest dimmed layer.
-        final WindowStateAnimator dimWinAnimator = mDimParams == null
-                ? null : mDimParams.mDimWinAnimator;
-        // Don't turn on for an unshown surface, or for any layer but the highest dimmed one.
-        if (winAnimator.mSurfaceShown &&
-                (dimWinAnimator == null || !dimWinAnimator.mSurfaceShown
-                || dimWinAnimator.mAnimLayer < winAnimator.mAnimLayer)) {
-            mService.mH.sendMessage(mService.mH.obtainMessage(SET_DIM_PARAMETERS,
-                    new DimAnimator.Parameters(winAnimator, width, height, target)));
-        }
-    }
-
-    // TODO(cmautner): Move into Handler
-    void stopDimming() {
-        mService.mH.sendMessage(mService.mH.obtainMessage(SET_DIM_PARAMETERS, null));
-    }
-
     boolean isDimming() {
         return mDimParams != null;
     }
diff --git a/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowManagerService.java b/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowManagerService.java
index 6ae8df1c441fb..0f87d8e00ca4d 100755
--- a/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowManagerService.java
+++ b/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowManagerService.java
@@ -6914,8 +6914,7 @@ public class WindowManagerService extends IWindowManager.Stub
         public static final int ANIMATOR_WHAT_OFFSET = 100000;
         public static final int SET_TRANSPARENT_REGION = ANIMATOR_WHAT_OFFSET + 1;
         public static final int SET_WALLPAPER_OFFSET = ANIMATOR_WHAT_OFFSET + 2;
-        public static final int SET_DIM_PARAMETERS = ANIMATOR_WHAT_OFFSET + 3;
-        public static final int CLEAR_PENDING_ACTIONS = ANIMATOR_WHAT_OFFSET + 4;
+        public static final int CLEAR_PENDING_ACTIONS = ANIMATOR_WHAT_OFFSET + 3;
 
         private Session mLastReportedHold;
 
@@ -7412,13 +7411,6 @@ public class WindowManagerService extends IWindowManager.Stub
                     break;
                 }
 
-                case SET_DIM_PARAMETERS: {
-                    mAnimator.mDimParams = (DimAnimator.Parameters) msg.obj;
-
-                    scheduleAnimationLocked();
-                    break;
-                }
-
                 case CLEAR_PENDING_ACTIONS: {
                     mAnimator.clearPendingActions();
                     break;
@@ -8539,8 +8531,7 @@ public class WindowManagerService extends IWindowManager.Stub
                         width = innerDw;
                         height = innerDh;
                     }
-                    mAnimator.startDimming(winAnimator, w.mExiting ? 0 : w.mAttrs.dimAmount,
-                            width, height);
+                    startDimming(winAnimator, w.mExiting ? 0 : w.mAttrs.dimAmount, width, height);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -8806,7 +8797,7 @@ public class WindowManagerService extends IWindowManager.Stub
             }
 
             if (!mInnerFields.mDimming && mAnimator.isDimming()) {
-                mAnimator.stopDimming();
+                stopDimming();
             }
         } catch (RuntimeException e) {
             Log.wtf(TAG, "Unhandled exception in Window Manager", e);
@@ -9149,6 +9140,22 @@ public class WindowManagerService extends IWindowManager.Stub
         }
     }
 
+    void setAnimDimParams(DimAnimator.Parameters params) {
+        synchronized (mLayoutToAnim) {
+            mLayoutToAnim.mDimParams = params;
+            scheduleAnimationLocked();
+        }
+    }
+
+    void startDimming(final WindowStateAnimator winAnimator, final float target,
+                      final int width, final int height) {
+        setAnimDimParams(new DimAnimator.Parameters(winAnimator, width, height, target));
+    }
+
+    void stopDimming() {
+        setAnimDimParams(null);
+    }
+
     boolean reclaimSomeSurfaceMemoryLocked(WindowStateAnimator winAnimator, String operation,
                                            boolean secure) {
         final Surface surface = winAnimator.mSurface;
diff --git a/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowStateAnimator.java b/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowStateAnimator.java
index a788ceeb0d01f..012e58b86d9de 100644
--- a/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowStateAnimator.java
+++ b/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowStateAnimator.java
@@ -1104,7 +1104,7 @@ class WindowStateAnimator {
                 mAnimator.mPendingLayoutChanges |=
                         WindowManagerPolicy.FINISH_LAYOUT_REDO_WALLPAPER;
                 if ((w.mAttrs.flags & LayoutParams.FLAG_DIM_BEHIND) != 0) {
-                    mAnimator.startDimming(this, w.mExiting ? 0 : w.mAttrs.dimAmount,
+                    mService.startDimming(this, w.mExiting ? 0 : w.mAttrs.dimAmount,
                             mService.mAppDisplayWidth, mService.mAppDisplayHeight);
                 }
             } catch (RuntimeException e) {