diff --git a/include/layers.h b/include/layers.h
index 489bf9e2..6f98d41d 100644
--- a/include/layers.h
+++ b/include/layers.h
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ struct seat;
 struct lab_layer_surface {
 	struct wlr_scene_layer_surface_v1 *scene_layer_surface;
 	struct server *server;
+	struct output *output;
+	struct wlr_scene_tree *tree;
 
 	bool mapped;
 
diff --git a/src/layers.c b/src/layers.c
index 9583b7f7..e52ea3c4 100644
--- a/src/layers.c
+++ b/src/layers.c
@@ -45,6 +45,13 @@ arrange_one_layer(const struct wlr_box *full_area, struct wlr_box *usable_area,
 {
 	struct wlr_scene_node *node;
 	wl_list_for_each(node, &tree->children, link) {
+		/*
+		 * Could be null during destruction when called from
+		 * handle_node_destroy()
+		 */
+		if (!node->data) {
+			continue;
+		}
 		struct lab_layer_surface *surface = node_layer_surface_from_node(node);
 		struct wlr_scene_layer_surface_v1 *scene = surface->scene_layer_surface;
 		if (!scene->layer_surface->initialized) {
@@ -119,6 +126,7 @@ handle_output_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 	struct lab_layer_surface *layer =
 		wl_container_of(listener, layer, output_destroy);
 	layer->scene_layer_surface->layer_surface->output = NULL;
+	layer->output = NULL;
 	wlr_layer_surface_v1_destroy(layer->scene_layer_surface->layer_surface);
 }
 
@@ -312,6 +320,16 @@ handle_node_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 	 * focus to.
 	 */
 
+	/*
+	 * Nullify node descriptor early to avoid functions such as
+	 * arrange_one_layer() trying to dereference it.
+	 */
+	layer->tree->node.data = NULL;
+
+	if (layer->output) {
+		output_update_usable_area(layer->output);
+	}
+
 	wl_list_remove(&layer->map.link);
 	wl_list_remove(&layer->unmap.link);
 	wl_list_remove(&layer->surface_commit.link);
@@ -327,9 +345,6 @@ handle_unmap(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 	struct lab_layer_surface *layer = wl_container_of(listener, layer, unmap);
 	struct wlr_layer_surface_v1 *layer_surface =
 		layer->scene_layer_surface->layer_surface;
-	if (layer_surface->output) {
-		output_update_usable_area(layer_surface->output->data);
-	}
 	struct seat *seat = &layer->server->seat;
 	if (seat->focused_layer == layer_surface) {
 		try_to_focus_next_layer_or_toplevel(layer->server);
@@ -552,6 +567,7 @@ handle_new_layer_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 	struct lab_layer_surface *surface = znew(*surface);
 
 	struct output *output = layer_surface->output->data;
+	surface->output = output;
 
 	wlr_fractional_scale_v1_notify_scale(layer_surface->surface,
 		output->wlr_output->scale);
@@ -566,6 +582,7 @@ handle_new_layer_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "could not create layer surface");
 		return;
 	}
+	surface->tree = surface->scene_layer_surface->tree;
 
 	/* In support of IME popup */
 	layer_surface->surface->data = surface->scene_layer_surface->tree;
diff --git a/src/node.c b/src/node.c
index 328c0eb9..e60c13eb 100644
--- a/src/node.c
+++ b/src/node.c
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ descriptor_destroy(struct node_descriptor *node_descriptor)
 		return;
 	}
 	wl_list_remove(&node_descriptor->destroy.link);
-	free(node_descriptor);
+	zfree(node_descriptor);
 }
 
 static void