diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/MessageQueue.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/MessageQueue.cpp
index 4fb1e6133..aebe1b82d 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/MessageQueue.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/MessageQueue.cpp
@@ -72,14 +72,6 @@ sp<MessageBase> MessageQueue::waitMessage(nsecs_t timeout)
             nsecs_t now = systemTime();
             nsecs_t nextEventTime = -1;
 
-            // invalidate messages are always handled first
-            if (mInvalidate) {
-                mInvalidate = false;
-                mInvalidateMessage->when = now;
-                result = mInvalidateMessage;
-                break;
-            }
-
             LIST::iterator cur(mMessages.begin());
             if (cur != mMessages.end()) {
                 result = *cur;
@@ -95,6 +87,14 @@ sp<MessageBase> MessageQueue::waitMessage(nsecs_t timeout)
                 result = 0;
             }
 
+            // see if we have an invalidate message
+            if (mInvalidate) {
+                mInvalidate = false;
+                mInvalidateMessage->when = now;
+                result = mInvalidateMessage;
+                break;
+            }
+
             if (timeout >= 0) {
                 if (timeoutTime < now) {
                     // we timed-out, return a NULL message