diff --git a/libs/hwui/RenderNode.cpp b/libs/hwui/RenderNode.cpp
index e009451..ac4c0d0 100644
--- a/libs/hwui/RenderNode.cpp
+++ b/libs/hwui/RenderNode.cpp
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@
 }
 
 void RenderNode::prepareLayer(TreeInfo& info, uint32_t dirtyMask) {
-    LayerType layerType = properties().layerProperties().type();
+    LayerType layerType = properties().effectiveLayerType();
     if (CC_UNLIKELY(layerType == LayerType::RenderLayer)) {
         // Damage applied so far needs to affect our parent, but does not require
         // the layer to be updated. So we pop/push here to clear out the current
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@
 }
 
 void RenderNode::pushLayerUpdate(TreeInfo& info) {
-    LayerType layerType = properties().layerProperties().type();
+    LayerType layerType = properties().effectiveLayerType();
     // If we are not a layer OR we cannot be rendered (eg, view was detached)
     // we need to destroy any Layers we may have had previously
     if (CC_LIKELY(layerType != LayerType::RenderLayer) || CC_UNLIKELY(!isRenderable())) {
@@ -384,33 +384,16 @@
             renderer.concatMatrix(*properties().getTransformMatrix());
         }
     }
-    const bool isLayer = properties().layerProperties().type() != LayerType::None;
+    const bool isLayer = properties().effectiveLayerType() != LayerType::None;
     int clipFlags = properties().getClippingFlags();
     if (properties().getAlpha() < 1) {
         if (isLayer) {
             clipFlags &= ~CLIP_TO_BOUNDS; // bounds clipping done by layer
 
             renderer.setOverrideLayerAlpha(properties().getAlpha());
-        } else if (!properties().getHasOverlappingRendering()) {
-            renderer.scaleAlpha(properties().getAlpha());
         } else {
-            Rect layerBounds(0, 0, getWidth(), getHeight());
-            int saveFlags = SkCanvas::kHasAlphaLayer_SaveFlag;
-            if (clipFlags) {
-                saveFlags |= SkCanvas::kClipToLayer_SaveFlag;
-                properties().getClippingRectForFlags(clipFlags, &layerBounds);
-                clipFlags = 0; // all clipping done by saveLayer
-            }
-
-            ATRACE_FORMAT("%s alpha caused %ssaveLayer %dx%d", getName(),
-                    (saveFlags & SkCanvas::kClipToLayer_SaveFlag) ? "" : "unclipped ",
-                    static_cast<int>(layerBounds.getWidth()),
-                    static_cast<int>(layerBounds.getHeight()));
-
-            SaveLayerOp* op = new (handler.allocator()) SaveLayerOp(
-                    layerBounds.left, layerBounds.top, layerBounds.right, layerBounds.bottom,
-                    properties().getAlpha() * 255, saveFlags);
-            handler(op, PROPERTY_SAVECOUNT, properties().getClipToBounds());
+            LOG_ALWAYS_FATAL_IF(properties().getHasOverlappingRendering());
+            renderer.scaleAlpha(properties().getAlpha());
         }
     }
     if (clipFlags) {
diff --git a/libs/hwui/RenderProperties.cpp b/libs/hwui/RenderProperties.cpp
index 9f1ceed..0ed3c47 100644
--- a/libs/hwui/RenderProperties.cpp
+++ b/libs/hwui/RenderProperties.cpp
@@ -144,27 +144,16 @@
         }
     }
 
-    const bool isLayer = layerProperties().type() != LayerType::None;
+    const bool isLayer = effectiveLayerType() != LayerType::None;
     int clipFlags = getClippingFlags();
     if (mPrimitiveFields.mAlpha < 1) {
         if (isLayer) {
             clipFlags &= ~CLIP_TO_BOUNDS; // bounds clipping done by layer
 
             ALOGD("%*sSetOverrideLayerAlpha %.2f", level * 2, "", mPrimitiveFields.mAlpha);
-        } else if (!mPrimitiveFields.mHasOverlappingRendering) {
-            ALOGD("%*sScaleAlpha %.2f", level * 2, "", mPrimitiveFields.mAlpha);
         } else {
-            Rect layerBounds(0, 0, getWidth(), getHeight());
-            int saveFlags = SkCanvas::kHasAlphaLayer_SaveFlag;
-            if (clipFlags) {
-                saveFlags |= SkCanvas::kClipToLayer_SaveFlag;
-                getClippingRectForFlags(clipFlags, &layerBounds);
-                clipFlags = 0; // all clipping done by saveLayer
-            }
-
-            ALOGD("%*sSaveLayerAlpha %d, %d, %d, %d, %d, 0x%x", level * 2, "",
-                    (int)layerBounds.left, (int)layerBounds.top, (int)layerBounds.right, (int)layerBounds.bottom,
-                    (int)(mPrimitiveFields.mAlpha * 255), saveFlags);
+            LOG_ALWAYS_FATAL_IF(mPrimitiveFields.mHasOverlappingRendering);
+            ALOGD("%*sScaleAlpha %.2f", level * 2, "", mPrimitiveFields.mAlpha);
         }
     }
     if (clipFlags) {
diff --git a/libs/hwui/RenderProperties.h b/libs/hwui/RenderProperties.h
index 61e98d2..a43566d 100644
--- a/libs/hwui/RenderProperties.h
+++ b/libs/hwui/RenderProperties.h
@@ -73,10 +73,6 @@
         return false;
     }
 
-    LayerType type() const {
-        return mType;
-    }
-
     bool setOpaque(bool opaque) {
         return RP_SET(mOpaque, opaque);
     }
@@ -122,6 +118,11 @@
     ~LayerProperties();
     void reset();
 
+    // Private since external users should go through properties().effectiveLayerType()
+    LayerType type() const {
+        return mType;
+    }
+
     friend class RenderProperties;
 
     LayerType mType = LayerType::None;
@@ -575,6 +576,17 @@
                 && getOutline().getAlpha() != 0.0f;
     }
 
+    LayerType effectiveLayerType() const {
+        LayerType type = mLayerProperties.mType;
+        if (type == LayerType::None
+                && !MathUtils::isZero(mPrimitiveFields.mAlpha)
+                && mPrimitiveFields.mAlpha < 1
+                && mPrimitiveFields.mHasOverlappingRendering) {
+            return LayerType::RenderLayer;
+        }
+        return type;
+    }
+
 private:
     // Rendering properties
     struct PrimitiveFields {