diff --git a/src/core/SkPaint.cpp b/src/core/SkPaint.cpp
index 3543f7497c..e3d8dd19af 100644
--- a/src/core/SkPaint.cpp
+++ b/src/core/SkPaint.cpp
@@ -1104,8 +1104,15 @@ static void add_flattenable(SkDescriptor* desc, uint32_t tag,
     buffer->flatten(desc->addEntry(tag, buffer->size(), NULL));
 }
 
+/*
+ *  Returns false if any condition holds where we cannot support rendering
+ *  LCD16 text. Over time we may loosen these restrictions (e.g. as we write
+ *  more blits that can handle it).
+ *
+ *  The goal is to never return false if the user has requested it, but for now
+ *  we have some restrictions.
+ */
 static bool canSupportLCD16(const SkPaint& paint) {
-#if 0
     return  !paint.getShader() &&
             !paint.getXfermode() && // unless its srcover
             !paint.getMaskFilter() &&
@@ -1114,23 +1121,14 @@ static bool canSupportLCD16(const SkPaint& paint) {
             !paint.getPathEffect() &&
             !paint.isFakeBoldText() &&
             paint.getStyle() == SkPaint::kFill_Style;
-#else
-    // disable for now, while we test more
-    return false;
-#endif
 }
 
 static SkMask::Format computeMaskFormat(const SkPaint& paint) {
     uint32_t flags = paint.getFlags();
 
     // Antialiasing being disabled trumps all other settings.
-    if (!(flags & SkPaint::kAntiAlias_Flag))
+    if (!(flags & SkPaint::kAntiAlias_Flag)) {
         return SkMask::kBW_Format;
-
-    if (flags & SkPaint::kLCDRenderText_Flag) {
-        if (canSupportLCD16(paint)) {
-            return SkMask::kLCD16_Format;
-        }
     }
 
 #if defined(SK_SUPPORT_LCDTEXT)
@@ -1138,6 +1136,12 @@ static SkMask::Format computeMaskFormat(const SkPaint& paint) {
         return SkFontHost::GetSubpixelOrientation() == SkFontHost::kHorizontal_LCDOrientation ?
                    SkMask::kHorizontalLCD_Format : SkMask::kVerticalLCD_Format;
     }
+#else
+    if (flags & SkPaint::kLCDRenderText_Flag) {
+        if (canSupportLCD16(paint)) {
+            return SkMask::kLCD16_Format;
+        }
+    }
 #endif
 
     return SkMask::kA8_Format;