diff --git a/include/node.h b/include/node.h
index 5704761c..07e6aff4 100644
--- a/include/node.h
+++ b/include/node.h
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@ struct node_descriptor {
  * @scene_node: wlr_scene_node to attached node_descriptor to
  * @type: node descriptor type
  * @data: struct to point to as follows:
- *   - LAB_NODE_DESC_VIEW		struct view
- *   - LAB_NODE_DESC_XDG_POPUP		struct view
- *   - LAB_NODE_DESC_LAYER_SURFACE	struct lab_layer_surface
- *   - LAB_NODE_DESC_LAYER_POPUP	struct lab_layer_popup
+ *   - LAB_NODE_DESC_VIEW           struct view
+ *   - LAB_NODE_DESC_XDG_POPUP      struct view
+ *   - LAB_NODE_DESC_LAYER_SURFACE  struct lab_layer_surface
+ *   - LAB_NODE_DESC_LAYER_POPUP    struct lab_layer_popup
  */
 void node_descriptor_create(struct wlr_scene_node *scene_node,
 	enum node_descriptor_type type, void *data);
diff --git a/src/desktop.c b/src/desktop.c
index c9301a31..9169c1df 100644
--- a/src/desktop.c
+++ b/src/desktop.c
@@ -294,6 +294,11 @@ desktop_node_and_view_at(struct server *server, double lx, double ly,
 			if (desc->type == LAB_NODE_DESC_XDG_POPUP) {
 				goto has_view_data;
 			}
+			if (desc->type == LAB_NODE_DESC_LAYER_SURFACE) {
+				/* FIXME: we shouldn't have to set *view_area */
+				*view_area = LAB_SSD_CLIENT;
+				return NULL;
+			}
 			if (desc->type == LAB_NODE_DESC_LAYER_POPUP) {
 				/* FIXME: we shouldn't have to set *view_area */
 				*view_area = LAB_SSD_CLIENT;