diff --git a/libs/renderengine/gl/GLESRenderEngine.cpp b/libs/renderengine/gl/GLESRenderEngine.cpp
index d0127b8..b595904 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/gl/GLESRenderEngine.cpp
+++ b/libs/renderengine/gl/GLESRenderEngine.cpp
@@ -248,7 +248,8 @@
     bool useContextPriority = extensions.hasContextPriority() &&
             (featureFlags & RenderEngine::USE_HIGH_PRIORITY_CONTEXT);
     EGLContext protectedContext = EGL_NO_CONTEXT;
-    if (extensions.hasProtectedContent()) {
+    if ((featureFlags & RenderEngine::ENABLE_PROTECTED_CONTEXT) &&
+        extensions.hasProtectedContent()) {
         protectedContext = createEglContext(display, config, nullptr, useContextPriority,
                                             Protection::PROTECTED);
         ALOGE_IF(protectedContext == EGL_NO_CONTEXT, "Can't create protected context");
diff --git a/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/RenderEngine.h b/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/RenderEngine.h
index bf614fd..e707004 100644
--- a/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/RenderEngine.h
+++ b/libs/renderengine/include/renderengine/RenderEngine.h
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@
     enum FeatureFlag {
         USE_COLOR_MANAGEMENT = 1 << 0,      // Device manages color
         USE_HIGH_PRIORITY_CONTEXT = 1 << 1, // Use high priority context
+
+        // Create a protected context when if possible
+        ENABLE_PROTECTED_CONTEXT = 1 << 2,
     };
 
     static std::unique_ptr<impl::RenderEngine> create(int hwcFormat, uint32_t featureFlags,
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
index 0345baf..63b77af 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
@@ -667,6 +667,9 @@
                             renderengine::RenderEngine::USE_COLOR_MANAGEMENT : 0);
     renderEngineFeature |= (useContextPriority ?
                             renderengine::RenderEngine::USE_HIGH_PRIORITY_CONTEXT : 0);
+    renderEngineFeature |=
+            (enable_protected_contents(false) ? renderengine::RenderEngine::ENABLE_PROTECTED_CONTEXT
+                                              : 0);
 
     // TODO(b/77156734): We need to stop casting and use HAL types when possible.
     // Sending maxFrameBufferAcquiredBuffers as the cache size is tightly tuned to single-display.
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlingerProperties.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlingerProperties.cpp
index 09b793a..3522429 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlingerProperties.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlingerProperties.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,18 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2019 The Android Open Source Project
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
 
 #include <android/hardware/configstore/1.0/ISurfaceFlingerConfigs.h>
 #include <android/hardware/configstore/1.1/ISurfaceFlingerConfigs.h>
@@ -223,6 +238,14 @@
     return defaultValue;
 }
 
+bool enable_protected_contents(bool defaultValue) {
+    auto temp = SurfaceFlingerProperties::enable_protected_contents();
+    if (temp.has_value()) {
+        return *temp;
+    }
+    return defaultValue;
+}
+
 #define DISPLAY_PRIMARY_SIZE 3
 
 constexpr float kSrgbRedX = 0.4123f;
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlingerProperties.h b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlingerProperties.h
index b2fafdd..1864290 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlingerProperties.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlingerProperties.h
@@ -1,3 +1,18 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2019 The Android Open Source Project
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
 
 #ifndef SURFACEFLINGERPROPERTIES_H_
 #define SURFACEFLINGERPROPERTIES_H_
@@ -59,6 +74,8 @@
 
 bool use_smart_90_for_video(bool defaultValue);
 
+bool enable_protected_contents(bool defaultValue);
+
 android::ui::DisplayPrimaries getDisplayNativePrimaries();
 } // namespace sysprop
 } // namespace android
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/sysprop/SurfaceFlingerProperties.sysprop b/services/surfaceflinger/sysprop/SurfaceFlingerProperties.sysprop
index fe6dc93..830c03e 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/sysprop/SurfaceFlingerProperties.sysprop
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/sysprop/SurfaceFlingerProperties.sysprop
@@ -307,3 +307,11 @@
     access: Readonly
     prop_name: "ro.surface_flinger.use_smart_90_for_video"
 }
+
+prop {
+    api_name: "enable_protected_contents"
+    type: Boolean
+    scope: Internal
+    access: Readonly
+    prop_name: "ro.surface_flinger.protected_contents"
+}