diff --git a/configstore/1.0/ISurfaceFlingerConfigs.hal b/configstore/1.0/ISurfaceFlingerConfigs.hal
index 58cb9f1..ce967ee 100644
--- a/configstore/1.0/ISurfaceFlingerConfigs.hal
+++ b/configstore/1.0/ISurfaceFlingerConfigs.hal
@@ -76,4 +76,12 @@
      * present fences.
      */
     presentTimeOffsetFromVSyncNs() generates(OptionalInt64 value);
+
+    /*
+     * Some hardware can do RGB->YUV conversion more efficiently in hardware
+     * controlled by HWC than in hardware controlled by the video encoder.
+     * This instruct VirtualDisplaySurface to use HWC for such conversion on
+     * GL composition.
+     */
+    useHwcForRGBtoYUV() generates(OptionalBool value);
 };
diff --git a/configstore/1.0/default/SurfaceFlingerConfigs.cpp b/configstore/1.0/default/SurfaceFlingerConfigs.cpp
index 86e9b35..c4db9fb 100644
--- a/configstore/1.0/default/SurfaceFlingerConfigs.cpp
+++ b/configstore/1.0/default/SurfaceFlingerConfigs.cpp
@@ -79,8 +79,17 @@
       return Void();
 }
 
-// Methods from ::android::hidl::base::V1_0::IBase follow.
+Return<void> SurfaceFlingerConfigs::useHwcForRGBtoYUV(useHwcForRGBtoYUV_cb _hidl_cb) {
+    bool value = false;
+#ifdef FORCE_HWC_COPY_FOR_VIRTUAL_DISPLAYS
+    value = true;
+#endif
+    _hidl_cb({true, value});
+    LOG(INFO) << "SurfaceFlinger forceHwcForRGBtoYUV: " << value;
+    return Void();
+}
 
+// Methods from ::android::hidl::base::V1_0::IBase follow.
 ISurfaceFlingerConfigs* HIDL_FETCH_ISurfaceFlingerConfigs(const char* /* name */) {
     return new SurfaceFlingerConfigs();
 }
diff --git a/configstore/1.0/default/SurfaceFlingerConfigs.h b/configstore/1.0/default/SurfaceFlingerConfigs.h
index 8378383..ecd488c 100644
--- a/configstore/1.0/default/SurfaceFlingerConfigs.h
+++ b/configstore/1.0/default/SurfaceFlingerConfigs.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
     Return<void> hasWideColorDisplay(hasWideColorDisplay_cb _hidl_cb) override;
     Return<void> hasHDRDisplay(hasHDRDisplay_cb _hidl_cb) override;
     Return<void> presentTimeOffsetFromVSyncNs(presentTimeOffsetFromVSyncNs_cb _hidl_cb) override;
+    Return<void> useHwcForRGBtoYUV(useHwcForRGBtoYUV_cb _hidl_cb) override;
 
     // Methods from ::android::hidl::base::V1_0::IBase follow.
 
diff --git a/configstore/1.0/default/surfaceflinger.mk b/configstore/1.0/default/surfaceflinger.mk
index d824072..c28524b 100644
--- a/configstore/1.0/default/surfaceflinger.mk
+++ b/configstore/1.0/default/surfaceflinger.mk
@@ -34,3 +34,7 @@
 else
     LOCAL_CFLAGS += -DPRESENT_TIME_OFFSET_FROM_VSYNC_NS=0
 endif
+
+ifeq ($(TARGET_FORCE_HWC_FOR_VIRTUAL_DISPLAYS),true)
+    LOCAL_CFLAGS += -DFORCE_HWC_COPY_FOR_VIRTUAL_DISPLAYS
+endif