diff --git a/libhwcomposer/hwc.cpp b/libhwcomposer/hwc.cpp
index fccfcde..bc705ac 100644
--- a/libhwcomposer/hwc.cpp
+++ b/libhwcomposer/hwc.cpp
@@ -108,17 +108,12 @@
 }
 
 //clear prev layer prop flags and realloc for current frame
-static void reset_layer_prop(hwc_context_t* ctx, int dpy) {
-    int layer_count = ctx->listStats[dpy].numAppLayers;
-
+static void reset_layer_prop(hwc_context_t* ctx, int dpy, int numAppLayers) {
     if(ctx->layerProp[dpy]) {
        delete[] ctx->layerProp[dpy];
        ctx->layerProp[dpy] = NULL;
     }
-
-    if(layer_count) {
-       ctx->layerProp[dpy] = new LayerProp[layer_count];
-    }
+    ctx->layerProp[dpy] = new LayerProp[numAppLayers];
 }
 
 static int display_commit(hwc_context_t *ctx, int dpy) {
@@ -136,23 +131,27 @@
         hwc_display_contents_1_t *list) {
     hwc_context_t* ctx = (hwc_context_t*)(dev);
     const int dpy = HWC_DISPLAY_PRIMARY;
-    if (LIKELY(list && list->numHwLayers > 1 &&
-        list->numHwLayers <= MAX_NUM_LAYERS) && ctx->dpyAttr[dpy].isActive) {
+    if (LIKELY(list && list->numHwLayers > 1) &&
+            ctx->dpyAttr[dpy].isActive) {
+        reset_layer_prop(ctx, dpy, list->numHwLayers - 1);
         uint32_t last = list->numHwLayers - 1;
         hwc_layer_1_t *fbLayer = &list->hwLayers[last];
         if(fbLayer->handle) {
+            if(list->numHwLayers > MAX_NUM_LAYERS) {
+                ctx->mFBUpdate[dpy]->prepare(ctx, list);
+                return 0;
+            }
             setListStats(ctx, list, dpy);
-            reset_layer_prop(ctx, dpy);
-            int ret = ctx->mMDPComp->prepare(ctx, list);
+            bool ret = ctx->mMDPComp->prepare(ctx, list);
             if(!ret) {
                 // IF MDPcomp fails use this route
                 ctx->mVidOv[dpy]->prepare(ctx, list);
                 ctx->mFBUpdate[dpy]->prepare(ctx, list);
+                // Use Copybit, when MDP comp fails
+                if(ctx->mCopyBit[dpy])
+                    ctx->mCopyBit[dpy]->prepare(ctx, list, dpy);
+                ctx->mLayerCache[dpy]->updateLayerCache(list);
             }
-            ctx->mLayerCache[dpy]->updateLayerCache(list);
-            // Use Copybit, when MDP comp fails
-            if(!ret && ctx->mCopyBit[dpy])
-                ctx->mCopyBit[dpy]->prepare(ctx, list, dpy);
         }
     }
     return 0;
@@ -162,22 +161,25 @@
         hwc_display_contents_1_t *list, int dpy) {
     hwc_context_t* ctx = (hwc_context_t*)(dev);
 
-    if (LIKELY(list && list->numHwLayers > 1 &&
-        list->numHwLayers <= MAX_NUM_LAYERS) &&
-        ctx->dpyAttr[dpy].isActive &&
-        ctx->dpyAttr[dpy].connected) {
+    if (LIKELY(list && list->numHwLayers > 1) &&
+            ctx->dpyAttr[dpy].isActive &&
+            ctx->dpyAttr[dpy].connected) {
+        reset_layer_prop(ctx, dpy, list->numHwLayers - 1);
         uint32_t last = list->numHwLayers - 1;
+        hwc_layer_1_t *fbLayer = &list->hwLayers[last];
         if(!ctx->dpyAttr[dpy].isPause) {
-            hwc_layer_1_t *fbLayer = &list->hwLayers[last];
             if(fbLayer->handle) {
+                ctx->mExtDispConfiguring = false;
+                if(list->numHwLayers > MAX_NUM_LAYERS) {
+                    ctx->mFBUpdate[dpy]->prepare(ctx, list);
+                    return 0;
+                }
                 setListStats(ctx, list, dpy);
-                reset_layer_prop(ctx, dpy);
                 ctx->mVidOv[dpy]->prepare(ctx, list);
                 ctx->mFBUpdate[dpy]->prepare(ctx, list);
                 ctx->mLayerCache[dpy]->updateLayerCache(list);
                 if(ctx->mCopyBit[dpy])
                     ctx->mCopyBit[dpy]->prepare(ctx, list, dpy);
-                ctx->mExtDispConfiguring = false;
             }
         } else {
             // External Display is in Pause state.
@@ -362,19 +364,15 @@
 
         //TODO We dont check for SKIP flag on this layer because we need PAN
         //always. Last layer is always FB
-        private_handle_t *hnd = NULL;
+        private_handle_t *hnd = (private_handle_t *)fbLayer->handle;
         if(copybitDone) {
             hnd = ctx->mCopyBit[dpy]->getCurrentRenderBuffer();
-        } else {
-            hnd = (private_handle_t *)fbLayer->handle;
         }
-        if(fbLayer->compositionType == HWC_FRAMEBUFFER_TARGET && hnd) {
-            if(!(fbLayer->flags & HWC_SKIP_LAYER) &&
-                (list->numHwLayers > 1)) {
-                if (!ctx->mFBUpdate[dpy]->draw(ctx, hnd)) {
-                    ALOGE("%s: FBUpdate draw failed", __FUNCTION__);
-                    ret = -1;
-                }
+
+        if(hnd) {
+            if (!ctx->mFBUpdate[dpy]->draw(ctx, hnd)) {
+                ALOGE("%s: FBUpdate draw failed", __FUNCTION__);
+                ret = -1;
             }
         }
 
@@ -413,16 +411,12 @@
             ret = -1;
         }
 
-        private_handle_t *hnd = NULL;
+        private_handle_t *hnd = (private_handle_t *)fbLayer->handle;
         if(copybitDone) {
             hnd = ctx->mCopyBit[dpy]->getCurrentRenderBuffer();
-        } else {
-            hnd = (private_handle_t *)fbLayer->handle;
         }
 
-        if(fbLayer->compositionType == HWC_FRAMEBUFFER_TARGET &&
-                !(fbLayer->flags & HWC_SKIP_LAYER) && hnd &&
-                (list->numHwLayers > 1)) {
+        if(hnd) {
             if (!ctx->mFBUpdate[dpy]->draw(ctx, hnd)) {
                 ALOGE("%s: FBUpdate::draw fail!", __FUNCTION__);
                 ret = -1;
@@ -431,7 +425,7 @@
 
         if (display_commit(ctx, dpy) < 0) {
             ALOGE("%s: display commit fail!", __FUNCTION__);
-            return -1;
+            ret = -1;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/libhwcomposer/hwc_fbupdate.cpp b/libhwcomposer/hwc_fbupdate.cpp
index 7a740ee..a8ad8fe 100644
--- a/libhwcomposer/hwc_fbupdate.cpp
+++ b/libhwcomposer/hwc_fbupdate.cpp
@@ -66,10 +66,6 @@
     if (LIKELY(ctx->mOverlay)) {
         overlay::Overlay& ov = *(ctx->mOverlay);
         private_handle_t *hnd = (private_handle_t *)layer->handle;
-        if (!hnd) {
-            ALOGE("%s:NULL private handle for layer!", __FUNCTION__);
-            return false;
-        }
         ovutils::Whf info(hnd->width, hnd->height,
                 ovutils::getMdpFormat(hnd->format), hnd->size);
 
@@ -167,10 +163,6 @@
     if (LIKELY(ctx->mOverlay)) {
         overlay::Overlay& ov = *(ctx->mOverlay);
         private_handle_t *hnd = (private_handle_t *)layer->handle;
-        if (!hnd) {
-            ALOGE("%s:NULL private handle for layer!", __FUNCTION__);
-            return false;
-        }
         ovutils::Whf info(hnd->width, hnd->height,
                 ovutils::getMdpFormat(hnd->format), hnd->size);
 
diff --git a/libhwcomposer/hwc_utils.h b/libhwcomposer/hwc_utils.h
index 52069ba..945eb3d 100644
--- a/libhwcomposer/hwc_utils.h
+++ b/libhwcomposer/hwc_utils.h
@@ -33,9 +33,7 @@
 #define ALIGN_TO(x, align)     (((x) + ((align)-1)) & ~((align)-1))
 #define LIKELY( exp )       (__builtin_expect( (exp) != 0, true  ))
 #define UNLIKELY( exp )     (__builtin_expect( (exp) != 0, false ))
-#define FINAL_TRANSFORM_MASK 0x000F
-#define MAX_NUM_DISPLAYS 4 //Yes, this is ambitious
-#define MAX_NUM_LAYERS 32
+#define MAX_NUM_LAYERS 32 //includes fb layer
 #define MAX_DISPLAY_DIM 2048
 
 // For support of virtual displays