diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/mobile_signal_group.xml b/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/mobile_signal_group.xml
index 6a4ac2c220799..6ae5cf3ee3c8b 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/mobile_signal_group.xml
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/mobile_signal_group.xml
@@ -19,22 +19,25 @@
 -->
 <FrameLayout
     xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+    xmlns:systemui="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
     android:id="@+id/mobile_combo"
     android:layout_width="wrap_content"
     android:layout_height="wrap_content"
     >
-    <com.android.systemui.statusbar.AlphaOptimizedImageView
+    <com.android.systemui.statusbar.AnimatedImageView
         android:theme="@style/DualToneLightTheme"
         android:id="@+id/mobile_signal"
         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
         android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+        systemui:hasOverlappingRendering="false"
         />
-    <com.android.systemui.statusbar.AlphaOptimizedImageView
+    <com.android.systemui.statusbar.AnimatedImageView
         android:theme="@style/DualToneDarkTheme"
         android:id="@+id/mobile_signal_dark"
         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
         android:layout_width="wrap_content"
         android:alpha="0.0"
+        systemui:hasOverlappingRendering="false"
         />
     <ImageView
         android:id="@+id/mobile_type"
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/signal_cluster_view.xml b/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/signal_cluster_view.xml
index a2121ee8c6d7d..f8bd6fdc4fbb6 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/signal_cluster_view.xml
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/signal_cluster_view.xml
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 <!-- extends LinearLayout -->
 <com.android.systemui.statusbar.SignalClusterView
     xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+    xmlns:systemui="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
     android:layout_height="match_parent"
     android:layout_width="wrap_content"
     android:gravity="center_vertical"
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@
             android:id="@+id/ethernet"
             android:layout_height="wrap_content"
             android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+            systemui:hasOverlappingRendering="false"
             />
         <com.android.systemui.statusbar.AlphaOptimizedImageView
             android:theme="@style/DualToneDarkTheme"
@@ -50,6 +52,7 @@
             android:layout_height="wrap_content"
             android:layout_width="wrap_content"
             android:alpha="0.0"
+            systemui:hasOverlappingRendering="false"
             />
     </FrameLayout>
     <FrameLayout
@@ -62,6 +65,7 @@
             android:id="@+id/wifi_signal"
             android:layout_height="wrap_content"
             android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+            systemui:hasOverlappingRendering="false"
             />
         <com.android.systemui.statusbar.AlphaOptimizedImageView
             android:theme="@style/DualToneDarkTheme"
@@ -69,6 +73,7 @@
             android:layout_height="wrap_content"
             android:layout_width="wrap_content"
             android:alpha="0.0"
+            systemui:hasOverlappingRendering="false"
             />
     </FrameLayout>
     <View
@@ -94,6 +99,7 @@
             android:layout_height="wrap_content"
             android:layout_width="wrap_content"
             android:src="@drawable/stat_sys_no_sims"
+            systemui:hasOverlappingRendering="false"
             />
         <com.android.systemui.statusbar.AlphaOptimizedImageView
             android:theme="@style/DualToneDarkTheme"
@@ -102,6 +108,7 @@
             android:layout_width="wrap_content"
             android:src="@drawable/stat_sys_no_sims"
             android:alpha="0.0"
+            systemui:hasOverlappingRendering="false"
             />
     </FrameLayout>
     <View
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/status_bar_expanded_header.xml b/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/status_bar_expanded_header.xml
index 0e1517f0ec6ad..7262ed2be0544 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/status_bar_expanded_header.xml
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/status_bar_expanded_header.xml
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@
         android:layout_width="match_parent"
         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
         android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
+        systemui:hasOverlappingRendering="false"
         />
 
     <TextView
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/res/values/attrs.xml b/packages/SystemUI/res/values/attrs.xml
index 354b70b8ec3e9..527248cef80b3 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/res/values/attrs.xml
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/res/values/attrs.xml
@@ -86,5 +86,9 @@
     <declare-styleable name="StatusBarWindowView_Layout">
         <attr name="ignoreRightInset" format="boolean" />
     </declare-styleable>
+
+    <declare-styleable name="AlphaOptimizedImageView">
+        <attr name="hasOverlappingRendering" format="boolean" />
+    </declare-styleable>
 </resources>
 
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/AlphaOptimizedImageView.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/AlphaOptimizedImageView.java
index 858c1183334ff..700ea346e3271 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/AlphaOptimizedImageView.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/AlphaOptimizedImageView.java
@@ -17,34 +17,49 @@
 package com.android.systemui.statusbar;
 
 import android.content.Context;
+import android.content.res.TypedArray;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
 import android.widget.ImageView;
 
+import com.android.systemui.R;
+
 /**
- * An ImageView which does not have overlapping rendering commands and therefore does not need a
- * layer when alpha is changed.
+ * An ImageView which supports an attribute specifying whether it has overlapping rendering
+ * commands and therefore does not need a layer when alpha is changed.
  */
-public class AlphaOptimizedImageView extends ImageView
-{
+public class AlphaOptimizedImageView extends ImageView {
+    private final boolean mHasOverlappingRendering;
+
     public AlphaOptimizedImageView(Context context) {
-        super(context);
+        this(context, null /* attrs */);
     }
 
     public AlphaOptimizedImageView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
-        super(context, attrs);
+        this(context, attrs, 0 /* defStyleAttr */);
     }
 
     public AlphaOptimizedImageView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs, int defStyleAttr) {
-        super(context, attrs, defStyleAttr);
+        this(context, attrs, defStyleAttr, 0 /* defStyleRes */);
     }
 
     public AlphaOptimizedImageView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs, int defStyleAttr,
             int defStyleRes) {
         super(context, attrs, defStyleAttr, defStyleRes);
+
+        TypedArray a = context.getTheme().obtainStyledAttributes(attrs,
+                R.styleable.AlphaOptimizedImageView, 0, 0);
+
+        try {
+            // Default to true, which is what View.java defaults to
+            mHasOverlappingRendering = a.getBoolean(
+                    R.styleable.AlphaOptimizedImageView_hasOverlappingRendering, true);
+        } finally {
+            a.recycle();
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
     public boolean hasOverlappingRendering() {
-        return false;
+        return mHasOverlappingRendering;
     }
 }
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/AnimatedImageView.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/AnimatedImageView.java
index 9839fe9e6f4d6..90f7c08e4ed79 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/AnimatedImageView.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/AnimatedImageView.java
@@ -25,10 +25,15 @@ import android.widget.ImageView;
 import android.widget.RemoteViews.RemoteView;
 
 @RemoteView
-public class AnimatedImageView extends ImageView {
+public class AnimatedImageView extends AlphaOptimizedImageView {
     AnimationDrawable mAnim;
     boolean mAttached;
 
+    // Tracks the last image that was set, so that we don't refresh the image if it is exactly
+    // the same as the previous one. If this is a resid, we track that. If it's a drawable, we
+    // track the hashcode of the drawable.
+    int mDrawableId;
+
     public AnimatedImageView(Context context) {
         super(context);
     }
@@ -43,7 +48,7 @@ public class AnimatedImageView extends ImageView {
             mAnim.stop();
         }
         if (drawable instanceof AnimationDrawable) {
-            mAnim = (AnimationDrawable)drawable;
+            mAnim = (AnimationDrawable) drawable;
             if (isShown()) {
                 mAnim.start();
             }
@@ -54,6 +59,13 @@ public class AnimatedImageView extends ImageView {
 
     @Override
     public void setImageDrawable(Drawable drawable) {
+        if (drawable != null) {
+            if (mDrawableId == drawable.hashCode()) return;
+
+            mDrawableId = drawable.hashCode();
+        } else {
+            mDrawableId = 0;
+        }
         super.setImageDrawable(drawable);
         updateAnim();
     }
@@ -61,6 +73,9 @@ public class AnimatedImageView extends ImageView {
     @Override
     @android.view.RemotableViewMethod
     public void setImageResource(int resid) {
+        if (mDrawableId == resid) return;
+
+        mDrawableId = resid;
         super.setImageResource(resid);
         updateAnim();
     }