diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/Client.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/Client.cpp
index e14a59b..415bdca 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/Client.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/Client.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,10 @@
 {
     const size_t count = mLayers.size();
     for (size_t i=0 ; i<count ; i++) {
-        mFlinger->removeLayer(mLayers.valueAt(i));
+        sp<Layer> layer(mLayers.valueAt(i).promote());
+        if (layer != 0) {
+            mFlinger->removeLayer(layer);
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.cpp
index c8911f3..6c1234f 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.cpp
@@ -1313,14 +1313,9 @@
     // If this transaction is waiting on the receipt of a frame, generate a sync
     // point and send it to the remote layer.
     if (mCurrentState.handle != nullptr) {
-        sp<IBinder> strongBinder = mCurrentState.handle.promote();
-        sp<Handle> handle = nullptr;
-        sp<Layer> handleLayer = nullptr;
-        if (strongBinder != nullptr) {
-            handle = static_cast<Handle*>(strongBinder.get());
-            handleLayer = handle->owner.promote();
-        }
-        if (strongBinder == nullptr || handleLayer == nullptr) {
+        sp<Handle> handle = static_cast<Handle*>(mCurrentState.handle.get());
+        sp<Layer> handleLayer = handle->owner.promote();
+        if (handleLayer == nullptr) {
             ALOGE("[%s] Unable to promote Layer handle", mName.string());
             // If we can't promote the layer we are intended to wait on,
             // then it is expired or otherwise invalid. Allow this transaction
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.h b/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.h
index 56f6607..a63656e 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/Layer.h
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@
 
         // If set, defers this state update until the Layer identified by handle
         // receives a frame with the given frameNumber
-        wp<IBinder> handle;
+        sp<IBinder> handle;
         uint64_t frameNumber;
 
         // the transparentRegion hint is a bit special, it's latched only
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
index 320f416..cd570e7 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
@@ -2276,14 +2276,8 @@
     return NO_ERROR;
 }
 
-status_t SurfaceFlinger::removeLayer(const wp<Layer>& weakLayer) {
+status_t SurfaceFlinger::removeLayer(const sp<Layer>& layer) {
     Mutex::Autolock _l(mStateLock);
-    sp<Layer> layer = weakLayer.promote();
-    if (layer == nullptr) {
-        // The layer has already been removed, carry on
-        return NO_ERROR;
-    }
-
     ssize_t index = mCurrentState.layersSortedByZ.remove(layer);
     if (index >= 0) {
         mLayersPendingRemoval.push(layer);
@@ -2627,7 +2621,14 @@
 {
     // called by ~LayerCleaner() when all references to the IBinder (handle)
     // are gone
-    return removeLayer(layer);
+    status_t err = NO_ERROR;
+    sp<Layer> l(layer.promote());
+    if (l != NULL) {
+        err = removeLayer(l);
+        ALOGE_IF(err<0 && err != NAME_NOT_FOUND,
+                "error removing layer=%p (%s)", l.get(), strerror(-err));
+    }
+    return err;
 }
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h
index 00790b1..664c28f 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@
     status_t onLayerDestroyed(const wp<Layer>& layer);
 
     // remove a layer from SurfaceFlinger immediately
-    status_t removeLayer(const wp<Layer>& layer);
+    status_t removeLayer(const sp<Layer>& layer);
 
     // add a layer to SurfaceFlinger
     status_t addClientLayer(const sp<Client>& client,
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger_hwc1.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger_hwc1.cpp
index bccefe8..5332599 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger_hwc1.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger_hwc1.cpp
@@ -2193,14 +2193,8 @@
     return NO_ERROR;
 }
 
-status_t SurfaceFlinger::removeLayer(const wp<Layer>& weakLayer) {
+status_t SurfaceFlinger::removeLayer(const sp<Layer>& layer) {
     Mutex::Autolock _l(mStateLock);
-    sp<Layer> layer = weakLayer.promote();
-    if (layer == nullptr) {
-        // The layer has already been removed, carry on
-        return NO_ERROR;
-    }
-
     ssize_t index = mCurrentState.layersSortedByZ.remove(layer);
     if (index >= 0) {
         mLayersPendingRemoval.push(layer);
@@ -2544,7 +2538,14 @@
 {
     // called by ~LayerCleaner() when all references to the IBinder (handle)
     // are gone
-    return removeLayer(layer);
+    status_t err = NO_ERROR;
+    sp<Layer> l(layer.promote());
+    if (l != NULL) {
+        err = removeLayer(l);
+        ALOGE_IF(err<0 && err != NAME_NOT_FOUND,
+                "error removing layer=%p (%s)", l.get(), strerror(-err));
+    }
+    return err;
 }
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------