diff --git a/include/view.h b/include/view.h
index a555a44f..491a0c9c 100644
--- a/include/view.h
+++ b/include/view.h
@@ -237,7 +237,6 @@ struct view {
 	struct mappable mappable;
 
 	struct wl_listener destroy;
-	struct wl_listener surface_destroy;
 	struct wl_listener commit;
 	struct wl_listener request_move;
 	struct wl_listener request_resize;
diff --git a/src/xwayland-unmanaged.c b/src/xwayland-unmanaged.c
index b003e4ec..fe22398a 100644
--- a/src/xwayland-unmanaged.c
+++ b/src/xwayland-unmanaged.c
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@ handle_map(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 		seat_focus_surface(&unmanaged->server->seat, xsurface->surface);
 	}
 
-	/* node will be destroyed automatically once surface is destroyed */
 	unmanaged->node = &wlr_scene_surface_create(
 			unmanaged->server->unmanaged_tree,
 			xsurface->surface)->buffer->node;
@@ -128,13 +127,15 @@ handle_unmap(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 
 	wl_list_remove(&unmanaged->link);
 	wl_list_remove(&unmanaged->set_geometry.link);
-	wlr_scene_node_set_enabled(unmanaged->node, false);
 
 	/*
-	 * Mark the node as gone so a racing configure event
-	 * won't try to reposition the node while unmapped.
+	 * Destroy the scene node. It would get destroyed later when
+	 * the wlr_surface is destroyed, but if the unmanaged surface
+	 * gets converted to a managed surface, that may be a while.
 	 */
+	wlr_scene_node_destroy(unmanaged->node);
 	unmanaged->node = NULL;
+
 	cursor_update_focus(unmanaged->server);
 
 	if (seat->seat->keyboard_state.focused_surface == xsurface->surface) {
diff --git a/src/xwayland.c b/src/xwayland.c
index 4be48c69..5600e8d2 100644
--- a/src/xwayland.c
+++ b/src/xwayland.c
@@ -320,9 +320,8 @@ handle_associate(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 	assert(xwayland_view->xwayland_surface &&
 		xwayland_view->xwayland_surface->surface);
 
-	mappable_connect(&xwayland_view->base.mappable,
-		xwayland_view->xwayland_surface->surface,
-		handle_map, handle_unmap);
+	set_surface(&xwayland_view->base,
+		xwayland_view->xwayland_surface->surface);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -331,18 +330,7 @@ handle_dissociate(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 	struct xwayland_view *xwayland_view =
 		wl_container_of(listener, xwayland_view, dissociate);
 
-	/* https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/wlroots/wlroots/-/merge_requests/4524 */
-	assert(xwayland_view->base.mappable.connected);
-	mappable_disconnect(&xwayland_view->base.mappable);
-}
-
-static void
-handle_surface_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
-{
-	struct view *view = wl_container_of(listener, view, surface_destroy);
-	assert(data && data == view->surface);
-
-	set_surface(view, NULL);
+	set_surface(&xwayland_view->base, NULL);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -781,16 +769,15 @@ set_surface(struct view *view, struct wlr_surface *surface)
 {
 	if (view->surface) {
 		/* Disconnect wlr_surface event listeners */
+		mappable_disconnect(&view->mappable);
 		wl_list_remove(&view->commit.link);
-		wl_list_remove(&view->surface_destroy.link);
 	}
 	view->surface = surface;
 	if (surface) {
 		/* Connect wlr_surface event listeners */
-		view->commit.notify = handle_commit;
-		wl_signal_add(&surface->events.commit, &view->commit);
-		view->surface_destroy.notify = handle_surface_destroy;
-		wl_signal_add(&surface->events.destroy, &view->surface_destroy);
+		mappable_connect(&view->mappable, surface,
+			handle_map, handle_unmap);
+		CONNECT_SIGNAL(surface, view, commit);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -803,6 +790,7 @@ handle_map(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 		xwayland_view->xwayland_surface;
 	assert(xwayland_surface);
 	assert(xwayland_surface->surface);
+	assert(xwayland_surface->surface == view->surface);
 
 	if (view->mapped) {
 		return;
@@ -818,18 +806,14 @@ handle_map(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 
 	view->mapped = true;
 
-	if (view->surface != xwayland_surface->surface) {
-		set_surface(view, xwayland_surface->surface);
-
-		/* Will be free'd automatically once the surface is being destroyed */
-		struct wlr_scene_tree *tree = wlr_scene_subsurface_tree_create(
+	if (!view->content_tree) {
+		view->content_tree = wlr_scene_subsurface_tree_create(
 			view->scene_tree, view->surface);
-		if (!tree) {
+		if (!view->content_tree) {
 			/* TODO: might need further clean up */
 			wl_resource_post_no_memory(view->surface->resource);
 			return;
 		}
-		view->content_tree = tree;
 	}
 
 	if (!view->been_mapped) {
@@ -870,6 +854,17 @@ handle_unmap(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 	}
 	view->mapped = false;
 	view_impl_unmap(view);
+
+	/*
+	 * Destroy the content_tree at unmap. Alternatively, we could
+	 * let wlr_scene manage its lifetime automatically, but this
+	 * approach is symmetrical with handle_map() and avoids any
+	 * concern of a dangling pointer in view->content_tree.
+	 */
+	if (view->content_tree) {
+		wlr_scene_node_destroy(&view->content_tree->node);
+		view->content_tree = NULL;
+	}
 }
 
 static void