diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
index 14195577e..0d57ae589 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
@@ -2018,18 +2018,25 @@ void SurfaceFlinger::drawWormhole(const sp<const DisplayDevice>& hw, const Regio
     engine.fillRegionWithColor(region, height, 0, 0, 0, 0);
 }
 
-void SurfaceFlinger::addClientLayer(const sp<Client>& client,
+status_t SurfaceFlinger::addClientLayer(const sp<Client>& client,
         const sp<IBinder>& handle,
         const sp<IGraphicBufferProducer>& gbc,
         const sp<Layer>& lbc)
 {
+    // add this layer to the current state list
+    {
+        Mutex::Autolock _l(mStateLock);
+        if (mCurrentState.layersSortedByZ.size() >= MAX_LAYERS) {
+            return NO_MEMORY;
+        }
+        mCurrentState.layersSortedByZ.add(lbc);
+        mGraphicBufferProducerList.add(IInterface::asBinder(gbc));
+    }
+
     // attach this layer to the client
     client->attachLayer(handle, lbc);
 
-    // add this layer to the current state list
-    Mutex::Autolock _l(mStateLock);
-    mCurrentState.layersSortedByZ.add(lbc);
-    mGraphicBufferProducerList.add(IInterface::asBinder(gbc));
+    return NO_ERROR;
 }
 
 status_t SurfaceFlinger::removeLayer(const sp<Layer>& layer) {
@@ -2286,10 +2293,16 @@ status_t SurfaceFlinger::createLayer(
             break;
     }
 
-    if (result == NO_ERROR) {
-        addClientLayer(client, *handle, *gbp, layer);
-        setTransactionFlags(eTransactionNeeded);
+    if (result != NO_ERROR) {
+        return result;
     }
+
+    result = addClientLayer(client, *handle, *gbp, layer);
+    if (result != NO_ERROR) {
+        return result;
+    }
+
+    setTransactionFlags(eTransactionNeeded);
     return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h
index d2654d42c..3759a9240 100644
--- a/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h
+++ b/services/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.h
@@ -144,6 +144,8 @@ private:
     // every half hour.
     enum { LOG_FRAME_STATS_PERIOD =  30*60*60 };
 
+    static const size_t MAX_LAYERS = 4096;
+
     // We're reference counted, never destroy SurfaceFlinger directly
     virtual ~SurfaceFlinger();
 
@@ -305,7 +307,7 @@ private:
     status_t removeLayer(const sp<Layer>& layer);
 
     // add a layer to SurfaceFlinger
-    void addClientLayer(const sp<Client>& client,
+    status_t addClientLayer(const sp<Client>& client,
             const sp<IBinder>& handle,
             const sp<IGraphicBufferProducer>& gbc,
             const sp<Layer>& lbc);