diff --git a/graphics/composer/2.1/default/android.hardware.graphics.composer@2.1-service.rc b/graphics/composer/2.1/default/android.hardware.graphics.composer@2.1-service.rc
index fc21d59e1f..9548d4174c 100644
--- a/graphics/composer/2.1/default/android.hardware.graphics.composer@2.1-service.rc
+++ b/graphics/composer/2.1/default/android.hardware.graphics.composer@2.1-service.rc
@@ -2,4 +2,5 @@ service hwcomposer-2-1 /system/bin/hw/android.hardware.graphics.composer@2.1-ser
     class hal
     user system
     group graphics drmrpc readproc
+    capabilities SYS_NICE
     onrestart restart surfaceflinger
diff --git a/graphics/composer/2.1/default/service.cpp b/graphics/composer/2.1/default/service.cpp
index a31decd3a3..656673e672 100644
--- a/graphics/composer/2.1/default/service.cpp
+++ b/graphics/composer/2.1/default/service.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 
 #define LOG_TAG "android.hardware.graphics.composer@2.1-service"
 
+#include <sched.h>
+
 #include <android/hardware/graphics/composer/2.1/IComposer.h>
 
 #include <binder/ProcessState.h>
@@ -29,5 +31,13 @@ int main() {
     android::ProcessState::self()->setThreadPoolMaxThreadCount(4);
     android::ProcessState::self()->startThreadPool();
 
+    // same as SF main thread
+    struct sched_param param = {0};
+    param.sched_priority = 2;
+    if (sched_setscheduler(0, SCHED_FIFO | SCHED_RESET_ON_FORK,
+                &param) != 0) {
+        ALOGE("Couldn't set SCHED_FIFO: %d", errno);
+    }
+
     return defaultPassthroughServiceImplementation<IComposer>("hwcomposer");
 }