diff --git a/core/java/android/view/Surface.java b/core/java/android/view/Surface.java
index 07bb8f93e85c8..7ef69394f56fb 100644
--- a/core/java/android/view/Surface.java
+++ b/core/java/android/view/Surface.java
@@ -245,6 +245,7 @@ public class Surface implements Parcelable {
 
     private static native void nativeOpenTransaction();
     private static native void nativeCloseTransaction();
+    private static native void nativeSetAnimationTransaction();
 
     private native void nativeSetLayer(int zorder);
     private native void nativeSetPosition(float x, float y);
@@ -525,6 +526,11 @@ public class Surface implements Parcelable {
         nativeCloseTransaction();
     }
 
+    /** flag the transaction as an animation @hide */
+    public static void setAnimationTransaction() {
+        nativeSetAnimationTransaction();
+    }
+
     /** @hide */
     public void setLayer(int zorder) {
         nativeSetLayer(zorder);
diff --git a/core/jni/android_view_Surface.cpp b/core/jni/android_view_Surface.cpp
index 4982f31ba0729..531445f076b3f 100644
--- a/core/jni/android_view_Surface.cpp
+++ b/core/jni/android_view_Surface.cpp
@@ -526,6 +526,10 @@ static void nativeCloseTransaction(JNIEnv* env, jclass clazz) {
     SurfaceComposerClient::closeGlobalTransaction();
 }
 
+static void nativeSetAnimationTransaction(JNIEnv* env, jclass clazz) {
+    SurfaceComposerClient::setAnimationTransaction();
+}
+
 static void nativeSetLayer(JNIEnv* env, jobject surfaceObj, jint zorder) {
     sp<SurfaceControl> surface(getSurfaceControl(env, surfaceObj));
     if (surface == NULL) return;
@@ -819,6 +823,8 @@ static JNINativeMethod gSurfaceMethods[] = {
             (void*)nativeOpenTransaction },
     {"nativeCloseTransaction", "()V",
             (void*)nativeCloseTransaction },
+    {"nativeSetAnimationTransaction", "()V",
+            (void*)nativeSetAnimationTransaction },
     {"nativeSetLayer", "(I)V",
             (void*)nativeSetLayer },
     {"nativeSetPosition", "(FF)V",
diff --git a/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowAnimator.java b/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowAnimator.java
index b67fb5197b463..269eac074d653 100644
--- a/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowAnimator.java
+++ b/services/java/com/android/server/wm/WindowAnimator.java
@@ -618,6 +618,7 @@ public class WindowAnimator {
         if (WindowManagerService.SHOW_TRANSACTIONS) Slog.i(
                 TAG, ">>> OPEN TRANSACTION animateLocked");
         Surface.openTransaction();
+        Surface.setAnimationTransaction();
         try {
             updateAppWindowsLocked();