diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/LayerStats.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/LayerStats.cpp
index 04ab121..9c2d312 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/LayerStats.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/LayerStats.cpp
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
 }
 
 void LayerStats::traverseLayerTreeStatsLocked(
-        const std::vector<std::unique_ptr<LayerProtoParser::Layer>>& layerTree,
+        const std::vector<LayerProtoParser::Layer*>& layerTree,
         const LayerProtoParser::LayerGlobal& layerGlobal,
         std::vector<std::string>* const outLayerShapeVec) {
     for (const auto& layer : layerTree) {
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@
         base::StringAppendF(&key, ",%s",
                             destinationSize(layer->hwcFrame.bottom - layer->hwcFrame.top,
                                             layerGlobal.resolution[1], false));
-        base::StringAppendF(&key, ",%s", scaleRatioWH(layer.get()).c_str());
+        base::StringAppendF(&key, ",%s", scaleRatioWH(layer).c_str());
         base::StringAppendF(&key, ",%s", alpha(static_cast<float>(layer->color.a)));
 
         outLayerShapeVec->push_back(key);
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@
     std::vector<std::string> layerShapeVec;
 
     std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(mMutex);
-    traverseLayerTreeStatsLocked(layerTree, layerGlobal, &layerShapeVec);
+    traverseLayerTreeStatsLocked(layerTree.topLevelLayers, layerGlobal, &layerShapeVec);
 
     std::string layerShapeKey =
             base::StringPrintf("%d,%s,%s,%s", static_cast<int32_t>(layerShapeVec.size()),
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/LayerStats.h b/services/surfaceflinger/LayerStats.h
index 7a190fd..944073b 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/LayerStats.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/LayerStats.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 private:
     // Traverse layer tree to get all visible layers' stats
     void traverseLayerTreeStatsLocked(
-            const std::vector<std::unique_ptr<LayerProtoParser::Layer>>& layerTree,
+            const std::vector<LayerProtoParser::Layer*>& layerTree,
             const LayerProtoParser::LayerGlobal& layerGlobal,
             std::vector<std::string>* const outLayerShapeVec);
     // Convert layer's top-left position into 8x8 percentage of the display
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
index fa9cc79..eb04563 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
@@ -4620,10 +4620,12 @@
                         mGraphicBufferProducerList.size(), mMaxGraphicBufferProducerListSize);
     colorizer.reset(result);
 
-    LayersProto layersProto = dumpProtoInfo(LayerVector::StateSet::Current);
-    auto layerTree = LayerProtoParser::generateLayerTree(layersProto);
-    result.append(LayerProtoParser::layersToString(std::move(layerTree)).c_str());
-    result.append("\n");
+    {
+        LayersProto layersProto = dumpProtoInfo(LayerVector::StateSet::Current);
+        auto layerTree = LayerProtoParser::generateLayerTree(layersProto);
+        result.append(LayerProtoParser::layerTreeToString(layerTree).c_str());
+        result.append("\n");
+    }
 
     result.append("\nFrame-Composition information:\n");
     dumpFrameCompositionInfo(result);
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/layerproto/LayerProtoParser.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/layerproto/LayerProtoParser.cpp
index bf12df6..1d7fb67 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/layerproto/LayerProtoParser.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/layerproto/LayerProtoParser.cpp
@@ -37,11 +37,6 @@
     return lhs->id < rhs->id;
 }
 
-bool sortLayerUniquePtrs(const std::unique_ptr<LayerProtoParser::Layer>& lhs,
-                   const std::unique_ptr<LayerProtoParser::Layer>& rhs) {
-    return sortLayers(lhs.get(), rhs.get());
-}
-
 const LayerProtoParser::LayerGlobal LayerProtoParser::generateLayerGlobalInfo(
         const LayersProto& layersProto) {
     LayerGlobal layerGlobal;
@@ -52,77 +47,80 @@
     return layerGlobal;
 }
 
-std::vector<std::unique_ptr<LayerProtoParser::Layer>> LayerProtoParser::generateLayerTree(
-        const LayersProto& layersProto) {
-    std::unordered_map<int32_t, LayerProtoParser::Layer*> layerMap = generateMap(layersProto);
-    std::vector<std::unique_ptr<LayerProtoParser::Layer>> layers;
+LayerProtoParser::LayerTree LayerProtoParser::generateLayerTree(const LayersProto& layersProto) {
+    LayerTree layerTree;
+    layerTree.allLayers = generateLayerList(layersProto);
 
-    for (std::pair<int32_t, Layer*> kv : layerMap) {
-        if (kv.second->parent == nullptr) {
-            // Make unique_ptr for top level layers since they are not children. This ensures there
-            // will only be one unique_ptr made for each layer.
-            layers.push_back(std::unique_ptr<Layer>(kv.second));
+    // find and sort the top-level layers
+    for (Layer& layer : layerTree.allLayers) {
+        if (layer.parent == nullptr) {
+            layerTree.topLevelLayers.push_back(&layer);
         }
     }
+    std::sort(layerTree.topLevelLayers.begin(), layerTree.topLevelLayers.end(), sortLayers);
 
-    std::sort(layers.begin(), layers.end(), sortLayerUniquePtrs);
-    return layers;
+    return layerTree;
 }
 
-std::unordered_map<int32_t, LayerProtoParser::Layer*> LayerProtoParser::generateMap(
+std::vector<LayerProtoParser::Layer> LayerProtoParser::generateLayerList(
         const LayersProto& layersProto) {
+    std::vector<Layer> layerList;
     std::unordered_map<int32_t, Layer*> layerMap;
 
+    // build the layer list and the layer map
+    layerList.reserve(layersProto.layers_size());
+    layerMap.reserve(layersProto.layers_size());
     for (int i = 0; i < layersProto.layers_size(); i++) {
-        const LayerProto& layerProto = layersProto.layers(i);
-        layerMap[layerProto.id()] = generateLayer(layerProto);
+        layerList.emplace_back(generateLayer(layersProto.layers(i)));
+        // this works because layerList never changes capacity
+        layerMap[layerList.back().id] = &layerList.back();
     }
 
+    // fix up children and relatives
     for (int i = 0; i < layersProto.layers_size(); i++) {
-        const LayerProto& layerProto = layersProto.layers(i);
-        updateChildrenAndRelative(layerProto, layerMap);
+        updateChildrenAndRelative(layersProto.layers(i), layerMap);
     }
 
-    return layerMap;
+    return layerList;
 }
 
-LayerProtoParser::Layer* LayerProtoParser::generateLayer(const LayerProto& layerProto) {
-    Layer* layer = new Layer();
-    layer->id = layerProto.id();
-    layer->name = layerProto.name();
-    layer->type = layerProto.type();
-    layer->transparentRegion = generateRegion(layerProto.transparent_region());
-    layer->visibleRegion = generateRegion(layerProto.visible_region());
-    layer->damageRegion = generateRegion(layerProto.damage_region());
-    layer->layerStack = layerProto.layer_stack();
-    layer->z = layerProto.z();
-    layer->position = {layerProto.position().x(), layerProto.position().y()};
-    layer->requestedPosition = {layerProto.requested_position().x(),
+LayerProtoParser::Layer LayerProtoParser::generateLayer(const LayerProto& layerProto) {
+    Layer layer;
+    layer.id = layerProto.id();
+    layer.name = layerProto.name();
+    layer.type = layerProto.type();
+    layer.transparentRegion = generateRegion(layerProto.transparent_region());
+    layer.visibleRegion = generateRegion(layerProto.visible_region());
+    layer.damageRegion = generateRegion(layerProto.damage_region());
+    layer.layerStack = layerProto.layer_stack();
+    layer.z = layerProto.z();
+    layer.position = {layerProto.position().x(), layerProto.position().y()};
+    layer.requestedPosition = {layerProto.requested_position().x(),
                                 layerProto.requested_position().y()};
-    layer->size = {layerProto.size().w(), layerProto.size().h()};
-    layer->crop = generateRect(layerProto.crop());
-    layer->isOpaque = layerProto.is_opaque();
-    layer->invalidate = layerProto.invalidate();
-    layer->dataspace = layerProto.dataspace();
-    layer->pixelFormat = layerProto.pixel_format();
-    layer->color = {layerProto.color().r(), layerProto.color().g(), layerProto.color().b(),
+    layer.size = {layerProto.size().w(), layerProto.size().h()};
+    layer.crop = generateRect(layerProto.crop());
+    layer.isOpaque = layerProto.is_opaque();
+    layer.invalidate = layerProto.invalidate();
+    layer.dataspace = layerProto.dataspace();
+    layer.pixelFormat = layerProto.pixel_format();
+    layer.color = {layerProto.color().r(), layerProto.color().g(), layerProto.color().b(),
                     layerProto.color().a()};
-    layer->requestedColor = {layerProto.requested_color().r(), layerProto.requested_color().g(),
+    layer.requestedColor = {layerProto.requested_color().r(), layerProto.requested_color().g(),
                              layerProto.requested_color().b(), layerProto.requested_color().a()};
-    layer->flags = layerProto.flags();
-    layer->transform = generateTransform(layerProto.transform());
-    layer->requestedTransform = generateTransform(layerProto.requested_transform());
-    layer->activeBuffer = generateActiveBuffer(layerProto.active_buffer());
-    layer->bufferTransform = generateTransform(layerProto.buffer_transform());
-    layer->queuedFrames = layerProto.queued_frames();
-    layer->refreshPending = layerProto.refresh_pending();
-    layer->hwcFrame = generateRect(layerProto.hwc_frame());
-    layer->hwcCrop = generateFloatRect(layerProto.hwc_crop());
-    layer->hwcTransform = layerProto.hwc_transform();
-    layer->windowType = layerProto.window_type();
-    layer->appId = layerProto.app_id();
-    layer->hwcCompositionType = layerProto.hwc_composition_type();
-    layer->isProtected = layerProto.is_protected();
+    layer.flags = layerProto.flags();
+    layer.transform = generateTransform(layerProto.transform());
+    layer.requestedTransform = generateTransform(layerProto.requested_transform());
+    layer.activeBuffer = generateActiveBuffer(layerProto.active_buffer());
+    layer.bufferTransform = generateTransform(layerProto.buffer_transform());
+    layer.queuedFrames = layerProto.queued_frames();
+    layer.refreshPending = layerProto.refresh_pending();
+    layer.hwcFrame = generateRect(layerProto.hwc_frame());
+    layer.hwcCrop = generateFloatRect(layerProto.hwc_crop());
+    layer.hwcTransform = layerProto.hwc_transform();
+    layer.windowType = layerProto.window_type();
+    layer.appId = layerProto.app_id();
+    layer.hwcCompositionType = layerProto.hwc_composition_type();
+    layer.isProtected = layerProto.is_protected();
 
     return layer;
 }
@@ -186,9 +184,7 @@
 
     for (int i = 0; i < layerProto.children_size(); i++) {
         if (layerMap.count(layerProto.children(i)) > 0) {
-            // Only make unique_ptrs for children since they are guaranteed to be unique, only one
-            // parent per child. This ensures there will only be one unique_ptr made for each layer.
-            currLayer->children.push_back(std::unique_ptr<Layer>(layerMap[layerProto.children(i)]));
+            currLayer->children.push_back(layerMap[layerProto.children(i)]);
         }
     }
 
@@ -211,29 +207,28 @@
     }
 }
 
-std::string LayerProtoParser::layersToString(
-        std::vector<std::unique_ptr<LayerProtoParser::Layer>> layers) {
+std::string LayerProtoParser::layerTreeToString(const LayerTree& layerTree) {
     std::string result;
-    for (std::unique_ptr<LayerProtoParser::Layer>& layer : layers) {
+    for (const LayerProtoParser::Layer* layer : layerTree.topLevelLayers) {
         if (layer->zOrderRelativeOf != nullptr) {
             continue;
         }
-        result.append(layerToString(layer.get()).c_str());
+        result.append(layerToString(layer));
     }
 
     return result;
 }
 
-std::string LayerProtoParser::layerToString(LayerProtoParser::Layer* layer) {
+std::string LayerProtoParser::layerToString(const LayerProtoParser::Layer* layer) {
     std::string result;
 
     std::vector<Layer*> traverse(layer->relatives);
-    for (std::unique_ptr<LayerProtoParser::Layer>& child : layer->children) {
+    for (LayerProtoParser::Layer* child : layer->children) {
         if (child->zOrderRelativeOf != nullptr) {
             continue;
         }
 
-        traverse.push_back(child.get());
+        traverse.push_back(child);
     }
 
     std::sort(traverse.begin(), traverse.end(), sortLayers);
@@ -244,13 +239,13 @@
         if (relative->z >= 0) {
             break;
         }
-        result.append(layerToString(relative).c_str());
+        result.append(layerToString(relative));
     }
-    result.append(layer->to_string().c_str());
+    result.append(layer->to_string());
     result.append("\n");
     for (; i < traverse.size(); i++) {
         auto& relative = traverse[i];
-        result.append(layerToString(relative).c_str());
+        result.append(layerToString(relative));
     }
 
     return result;
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/layerproto/include/layerproto/LayerProtoParser.h b/services/surfaceflinger/layerproto/include/layerproto/LayerProtoParser.h
index b1610cf..6b3b497 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/layerproto/include/layerproto/LayerProtoParser.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/layerproto/include/layerproto/LayerProtoParser.h
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
     public:
         int32_t id;
         std::string name;
-        std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Layer>> children;
+        std::vector<Layer*> children;
         std::vector<Layer*> relatives;
         std::string type;
         LayerProtoParser::Region transparentRegion;
@@ -126,13 +126,22 @@
         int32_t globalTransform;
     };
 
+    class LayerTree {
+    public:
+        // all layers in LayersProto and in the original order
+        std::vector<Layer> allLayers;
+
+        // pointers to top-level layers in allLayers
+        std::vector<Layer*> topLevelLayers;
+    };
+
     static const LayerGlobal generateLayerGlobalInfo(const LayersProto& layersProto);
-    static std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Layer>> generateLayerTree(const LayersProto& layersProto);
-    static std::string layersToString(std::vector<std::unique_ptr<LayerProtoParser::Layer>> layers);
+    static LayerTree generateLayerTree(const LayersProto& layersProto);
+    static std::string layerTreeToString(const LayerTree& layerTree);
 
 private:
-    static std::unordered_map<int32_t, Layer*> generateMap(const LayersProto& layersProto);
-    static LayerProtoParser::Layer* generateLayer(const LayerProto& layerProto);
+    static std::vector<Layer> generateLayerList(const LayersProto& layersProto);
+    static LayerProtoParser::Layer generateLayer(const LayerProto& layerProto);
     static LayerProtoParser::Region generateRegion(const RegionProto& regionProto);
     static LayerProtoParser::Rect generateRect(const RectProto& rectProto);
     static LayerProtoParser::FloatRect generateFloatRect(const FloatRectProto& rectProto);
@@ -142,7 +151,7 @@
     static void updateChildrenAndRelative(const LayerProto& layerProto,
                                           std::unordered_map<int32_t, Layer*>& layerMap);
 
-    static std::string layerToString(LayerProtoParser::Layer* layer);
+    static std::string layerToString(const LayerProtoParser::Layer* layer);
 };
 
 } // namespace surfaceflinger
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/tests/Stress_test.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/tests/Stress_test.cpp
index 4577153..3e1be8e 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/tests/Stress_test.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/tests/Stress_test.cpp
@@ -101,10 +101,7 @@
     for (int i = 0; i < 100000; i++) {
         surfaceflinger::LayersProto layersProto = generateLayerProto();
         auto layerTree = surfaceflinger::LayerProtoParser::generateLayerTree(layersProto);
-        // Allow some layerTrees to just fall out of scope (instead of std::move)
-        if (i % 2) {
-            surfaceflinger::LayerProtoParser::layersToString(std::move(layerTree));
-        }
+        surfaceflinger::LayerProtoParser::layerTreeToString(layerTree);
     }
     system(cmd.c_str());
 }