diff --git a/include/core/SkShader.h b/include/core/SkShader.h
index 323d29df4b..4c264e4741 100644
--- a/include/core/SkShader.h
+++ b/include/core/SkShader.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class GrFragmentProcessor;
  */
 class SK_API SkShader : public SkFlattenable {
 public:
+    SkShader(const SkMatrix* localMatrix = NULL);
     virtual ~SkShader();
 
     /**
@@ -466,8 +467,6 @@ public:
                       const SkMatrix& ctm, const SkPaint&) const;
 
 protected:
-    SkShader(const SkMatrix* localMatrix = nullptr);
-
     void flatten(SkWriteBuffer&) const override;
 
     bool computeTotalInverse(const ContextRec&, SkMatrix* totalInverse) const;
@@ -499,7 +498,9 @@ protected:
                                 const SkMatrix* /*local matrix*/) const;
 
 private:
-    const SkMatrix fLocalMatrix;
+    // This is essentially const, but not officially so it can be modified in
+    // constructors.
+    SkMatrix fLocalMatrix;
 
     // So the SkLocalMatrixShader can whack fLocalMatrix in its SkReadBuffer constructor.
     friend class SkLocalMatrixShader;
diff --git a/src/core/SkPictureShader.cpp b/src/core/SkPictureShader.cpp
index 6aa5c45245..71026824cd 100644
--- a/src/core/SkPictureShader.cpp
+++ b/src/core/SkPictureShader.cpp
@@ -106,10 +106,7 @@ SkPictureShader::SkPictureShader(sk_sp<SkPicture> picture, TileMode tmx, TileMod
 
 sk_sp<SkShader> SkPictureShader::Make(sk_sp<SkPicture> picture, TileMode tmx, TileMode tmy,
                                       const SkMatrix* localMatrix, const SkRect* tile) {
-    if (!picture ||
-        picture->cullRect().isEmpty() ||
-        (tile && tile->isEmpty()) ||
-        (localMatrix && !localMatrix->invert(nullptr))) {
+    if (!picture || picture->cullRect().isEmpty() || (tile && tile->isEmpty())) {
         return SkShader::MakeEmptyShader();
     }
     return sk_sp<SkShader>(new SkPictureShader(std::move(picture), tmx, tmy, localMatrix, tile));
diff --git a/src/core/SkShader.cpp b/src/core/SkShader.cpp
index 1b12f01969..81aae116d5 100644
--- a/src/core/SkShader.cpp
+++ b/src/core/SkShader.cpp
@@ -45,11 +45,13 @@ static inline void dec_shader_counter() {
 #endif
 }
 
-SkShader::SkShader(const SkMatrix* localMatrix)
-    : fLocalMatrix(localMatrix ? *localMatrix : SkMatrix::I()) {
-    SkASSERT(!localMatrix || localMatrix->invert(nullptr));
-
+SkShader::SkShader(const SkMatrix* localMatrix) {
     inc_shader_counter();
+    if (localMatrix) {
+        fLocalMatrix = *localMatrix;
+    } else {
+        fLocalMatrix.reset();
+    }
     // Pre-cache so future calls to fLocalMatrix.getType() are threadsafe.
     (void)fLocalMatrix.getType();
 }
diff --git a/src/image/SkImageShader.cpp b/src/image/SkImageShader.cpp
index 733889df0b..64a09dd2dc 100644
--- a/src/image/SkImageShader.cpp
+++ b/src/image/SkImageShader.cpp
@@ -100,9 +100,7 @@ sk_sp<SkShader> SkImageShader::Make(sk_sp<SkImage> image, TileMode tx, TileMode
                                     const SkMatrix* localMatrix,
                                     SkTBlitterAllocator* allocator) {
     SkShader* shader;
-    if (!image ||
-        bitmap_is_too_big(image->width(), image->height()) ||
-        (localMatrix && !localMatrix->invert(nullptr))) {
+    if (!image || bitmap_is_too_big(image->width(), image->height())) {
         if (nullptr == allocator) {
             shader = new SkEmptyShader;
         } else {