diff --git a/include/menu/menu.h b/include/menu/menu.h
index a5ec7dd8..777bc6af 100644
--- a/include/menu/menu.h
+++ b/include/menu/menu.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ struct menu_scene {
 
 struct menuitem {
 	struct wl_list actions;
+	struct menu *parent;
 	struct menu *submenu;
 	struct menu_scene normal;
 	struct menu_scene selected;
@@ -75,15 +76,19 @@ void menu_open(struct menu *menu, int x, int y);
  * - handles hover effects
  * - may open/close submenus
  */
-void menu_process_cursor_motion(struct menu *menu, struct wlr_scene_node *node);
+void menu_process_cursor_motion(struct wlr_scene_node *node);
 
 /**
- * menu_call_actions - call actions associated with a menu entry
+ * menu_call_actions - call actions associated with a menu node
  *
- * If actions are found, server->menu_current will be closed and set to NULL
- * Returns true if handled
+ * If menuitem connected to @node does not just open a submenu:
+ * - associated actions will be called
+ * - server->menu_current will be closed
+ * - server->menu_current will be set to NULL
+ *
+ * Returns true if actions have actually been executed
  */
-bool menu_call_actions(struct menu *menu, struct wlr_scene_node *node);
+bool menu_call_actions(struct wlr_scene_node *node);
 
 /* menu_close - close menu */
 void menu_close(struct menu *menu);
diff --git a/include/node.h b/include/node.h
index b1fffb9a..5cc7220e 100644
--- a/include/node.h
+++ b/include/node.h
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 struct view;
 struct lab_layer_surface;
 struct lab_layer_popup;
+struct menuitem;
 
 enum node_descriptor_type {
 	LAB_NODE_DESC_NODE = 0,
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ enum node_descriptor_type {
 	LAB_NODE_DESC_XDG_POPUP,
 	LAB_NODE_DESC_LAYER_SURFACE,
 	LAB_NODE_DESC_LAYER_POPUP,
+	LAB_NODE_DESC_MENUITEM,
 };
 
 struct node_descriptor {
@@ -54,4 +56,11 @@ struct lab_layer_surface *node_layer_surface_from_node(
 struct lab_layer_popup *node_layer_popup_from_node(
 	struct wlr_scene_node *wlr_scene_node);
 
+/**
+ * node_menuitem_from_node - return menuitem struct from node
+ * @wlr_scene_node: wlr_scene_node from which to return data
+ */
+struct menuitem *node_menuitem_from_node(
+	struct wlr_scene_node *wlr_scene_node);
+
 #endif /* __LABWC_NODE_DESCRIPTOR_H */
diff --git a/src/cursor.c b/src/cursor.c
index f6716cb7..7aa32d35 100644
--- a/src/cursor.c
+++ b/src/cursor.c
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ process_cursor_motion(struct server *server, uint32_t time)
 	}
 
 	if (view_area == LAB_SSD_MENU) {
-		menu_process_cursor_motion(server->menu_current, node);
+		menu_process_cursor_motion(node);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -677,8 +677,8 @@ cursor_button(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 		if (view_area != LAB_SSD_MENU) {
 			/* We close the menu on release so we don't leak a stray release */
 			close_menu = true;
-		} else if (menu_call_actions(server->menu_current, node)) {
-			/* Action was successfull, may fail if item contains a submenu */
+		} else if (menu_call_actions(node)) {
+			/* Action was successfull, may fail if item just opens a submenu */
 			close_menu = true;
 		}
 		return;
diff --git a/src/desktop.c b/src/desktop.c
index 8c1c7401..d8768de5 100644
--- a/src/desktop.c
+++ b/src/desktop.c
@@ -284,9 +284,9 @@ desktop_node_and_view_at(struct server *server, double lx, double ly,
 #endif
 	}
 	struct wlr_scene_node *osd = &server->osd_tree->node;
-	struct wlr_scene_node *menu = &server->menu_tree->node;
 	while (node) {
 		struct node_descriptor *desc = node->data;
+		/* TODO: convert to switch() */
 		if (desc) {
 			if (desc->type == LAB_NODE_DESC_VIEW) {
 				goto has_view_data;
@@ -299,13 +299,16 @@ desktop_node_and_view_at(struct server *server, double lx, double ly,
 				*view_area = LAB_SSD_CLIENT;
 				return NULL;
 			}
+			if (desc->type == LAB_NODE_DESC_MENUITEM) {
+				/* Always return the top scene node for menu items */
+				*scene_node = node;
+				*view_area = LAB_SSD_MENU;
+				return NULL;
+			}
 		}
 		if (node == osd) {
 			*view_area = LAB_SSD_OSD;
 			return NULL;
-		} else if (node == menu) {
-			*view_area = LAB_SSD_MENU;
-			return NULL;
 		}
 		node = node->parent;
 	}
diff --git a/src/menu/menu.c b/src/menu/menu.c
index ff9a8b6a..2f34d4e3 100644
--- a/src/menu/menu.c
+++ b/src/menu/menu.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include "theme.h"
 #include "action.h"
 #include "buffer.h"
+#include "node.h"
 
 #define MENUWIDTH (110)
 #define MENU_ITEM_PADDING_Y (4)
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ item_create(struct menu *menu, const char *text)
 	if (!menuitem) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
+	menuitem->parent = menu;
 	struct server *server = menu->server;
 	struct theme *theme = server->theme;
 	struct font font = {
@@ -117,6 +119,12 @@ item_create(struct menu *menu, const char *text)
 	menuitem->selected.text = &wlr_scene_buffer_create(
 		menuitem->selected.background, &menuitem->selected.buffer->base)->node;
 
+	/* Node descriptors for top scene nodes of menuitem */
+	node_descriptor_create(menuitem->normal.background,
+		LAB_NODE_DESC_MENUITEM, menuitem);
+	node_descriptor_create(menuitem->selected.background,
+		LAB_NODE_DESC_MENUITEM, menuitem);
+
 	/* Center font nodes */
 	y = (menu->item_height - menuitem->normal.buffer->base.height) / 2;
 	x = MENU_ITEM_PADDING_X;
@@ -132,7 +140,7 @@ item_create(struct menu *menu, const char *text)
 	/* Hide selected state */
 	wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(menuitem->selected.background, false);
 
-	/* Update menu extends */
+	/* Update menu extents */
 	menu->size.height = (item_count + 1) * menu->item_height;
 
 	wl_list_insert(&menu->menuitems, &menuitem->link);
@@ -516,74 +524,47 @@ menu_open(struct menu *menu, int x, int y)
 }
 
 void
-menu_process_cursor_motion(struct menu *menu, struct wlr_scene_node *node)
+menu_process_cursor_motion(struct wlr_scene_node *node)
 {
-	if (!node) {
-		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "%s() node == NULL", __func__);
+	assert(node && node->data);
+	struct menuitem *item = node_menuitem_from_node(node);
+
+	if (node == item->selected.background) {
+		/* We are on an already selected item */
 		return;
 	}
-	assert(menu);
 
-	/* TODO: this would be much easier if we could use node->data */
-
-	struct menuitem *item;
-	wl_list_for_each (item, &menu->menuitems, link) {
-		if (node == item->selected.background
-				|| node->parent == item->selected.background) {
-			/* We are on an already selected item */
-			return;
-		}
-		if (node == item->normal.background
-				|| node->parent == item->normal.background) {
-			/* We are on an item that has new mouse-focus */
-			menu_set_selection(menu, item);
-			if (menu->selection.menu) {
-				/* Close old submenu tree */
-				menu_close(menu->selection.menu);
-			}
-			if (item->submenu) {
-				/* And open the new one */
-				wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(
-					&item->submenu->scene_tree->node, true);
-			}
-			menu->selection.menu = item->submenu;
-			return;
-		}
-		if (item->submenu && item->submenu == menu->selection.menu) {
-			menu_process_cursor_motion(item->submenu, node);
-		}
+	/* We are on an item that has new mouse-focus */
+	menu_set_selection(item->parent, item);
+	if (item->parent->selection.menu) {
+		/* Close old submenu tree */
+		menu_close(item->parent->selection.menu);
 	}
+
+	if (item->submenu) {
+		/* And open the new one */
+		wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(
+			&item->submenu->scene_tree->node, true);
+	}
+	item->parent->selection.menu = item->submenu;
 }
 
 
 bool
-menu_call_actions(struct menu *menu, struct wlr_scene_node *node)
+menu_call_actions(struct wlr_scene_node *node)
 {
-	/* TODO: this would be much easier if we could use node->data */
+	assert(node && node->data);
+	struct menuitem *item = node_menuitem_from_node(node);
 
-	if (!menu->selection.item) {
-		/* No item selected in current menu */
-		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "No item on menu_action_selected");
+	if (item->submenu) {
+		/* We received a click on an item that just opens a submenu */
 		return false;
 	}
-	struct wlr_scene_node *menu_node =
-		menu->selection.item->selected.background;
-	if (node == menu_node || node->parent == menu_node) {
-		/* We found the correct menu item */
-		if (menu->selection.item->submenu) {
-			/* ..but it just opens a submenu */
-			return false;
-		}
-		actions_run(NULL, menu->server, &menu->selection.item->actions, 0);
-		menu_close(menu->server->menu_current);
-		menu->server->menu_current = NULL;
-		return true;
-	}
-	if (menu->selection.menu) {
-		return menu_call_actions(menu->selection.menu, node);
-	}
-	wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "No match on menu_action_selected");
-	return false;
+
+	actions_run(NULL, item->parent->server, &item->actions, 0);
+	menu_close(item->parent->server->menu_current);
+	item->parent->server->menu_current = NULL;
+	return true;
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/node.c b/src/node.c
index c189358a..f667d82a 100644
--- a/src/node.c
+++ b/src/node.c
@@ -64,3 +64,12 @@ node_layer_popup_from_node(struct wlr_scene_node *wlr_scene_node)
 	assert(node_descriptor->type == LAB_NODE_DESC_LAYER_POPUP);
 	return (struct lab_layer_popup *)node_descriptor->data;
 }
+
+struct menuitem *
+node_menuitem_from_node(struct wlr_scene_node *wlr_scene_node)
+{
+	assert(wlr_scene_node->data);
+	struct node_descriptor *node_descriptor = wlr_scene_node->data;
+	assert(node_descriptor->type == LAB_NODE_DESC_MENUITEM);
+	return (struct menuitem *)node_descriptor->data;
+}