diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/DisplayHardware.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/DisplayHardware.cpp
index a774841..33125c4 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/DisplayHardware.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/DisplayHardware/DisplayHardware.cpp
@@ -103,6 +103,11 @@
 {
     mNativeWindow = new FramebufferNativeWindow();
     framebuffer_device_t const * fbDev = mNativeWindow->getDevice();
+    if (!fbDev) {
+        LOGE("Display subsystem failed to initialize. check logs. exiting...");
+        exit(0);
+    }
+
     mDpiX = mNativeWindow->xdpi;
     mDpiY = mNativeWindow->ydpi;
     mRefreshRate = fbDev->fps;
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
index 685613e..d69bff2 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
@@ -163,9 +163,34 @@
     const nsecs_t duration = now - mBootTime;
     LOGI("Boot is finished (%ld ms)", long(ns2ms(duration)) );
     mBootFinished = true;
+
+    // wait patiently for the window manager death
+    const String16 name("window");
+    sp<IBinder> window(defaultServiceManager()->getService(name));
+    if (window != 0) {
+        window->linkToDeath(this);
+    }
+
+    // stop boot animation
     property_set("ctl.stop", "bootanim");
 }
 
+void SurfaceFlinger::binderDied(const wp<IBinder>& who)
+{
+    // the window manager died on us. prepare its eulogy.
+
+    // unfreeze the screen in case it was... frozen
+    mFreezeDisplayTime = 0;
+    mFreezeCount = 0;
+    mFreezeDisplay = false;
+
+    // reset screen orientation
+    setOrientation(0, eOrientationDefault, 0);
+
+    // restart the boot-animation
+    property_set("ctl.start", "bootanim");
+}
+
 void SurfaceFlinger::onFirstRef()
 {
     run("SurfaceFlinger", PRIORITY_URGENT_DISPLAY);
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h
index b49fa36..4712261 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@
 class SurfaceFlinger :
         public BinderService<SurfaceFlinger>,
         public BnSurfaceComposer,
+        public IBinder::DeathRecipient,
         protected Thread
 {
 public:
@@ -193,6 +194,10 @@
     sp<Layer> getLayer(const sp<ISurface>& sur) const;
 
 private:
+    // DeathRecipient interface
+    virtual void binderDied(const wp<IBinder>& who);
+
+private:
     friend class Client;
     friend class LayerBase;
     friend class LayerBaseClient;