diff --git a/sway/input/seatop_move_tiling.c b/sway/input/seatop_move_tiling.c
index 025197852..af2ed2056 100644
--- a/sway/input/seatop_move_tiling.c
+++ b/sway/input/seatop_move_tiling.c
@@ -27,14 +27,36 @@ struct seatop_move_tiling_event {
 	bool split_target;
 	bool insert_after_target;
 	struct wlr_scene_rect *indicator_rect;
+	struct wl_listener target_node_destroy; // Clears target_node if destroyed mid-drag
 };
 
 static void handle_end(struct sway_seat *seat) {
 	struct seatop_move_tiling_event *e = seat->seatop_data;
+	wl_list_remove(&e->target_node_destroy.link);
 	wlr_scene_node_destroy(&e->indicator_rect->node);
 	e->indicator_rect = NULL;
 }
 
+// Update target_node and its destruction listener
+static void set_target_node(struct seatop_move_tiling_event *e, struct sway_node *node) {
+	if (e->target_node == node) {
+		return;
+	}
+	wl_list_remove(&e->target_node_destroy.link);
+	e->target_node = node;
+	if (node) {
+		wl_signal_add(&node->events.destroy, &e->target_node_destroy);
+	} else {
+		wl_list_init(&e->target_node_destroy.link);
+	}
+}
+
+static void handle_target_node_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
+	struct seatop_move_tiling_event *e =
+		wl_container_of(listener, e, target_node_destroy);
+	set_target_node(e, NULL);
+}
+
 static void handle_motion_prethreshold(struct sway_seat *seat) {
 	struct seatop_move_tiling_event *e = seat->seatop_data;
 	double cx = seat->cursor->cursor->x;
@@ -168,14 +190,14 @@ static void handle_motion_postthreshold(struct sway_seat *seat) {
 
 	if (!node) {
 		// Eg. hovered over a layer surface such as swaybar
-		e->target_node = NULL;
+		set_target_node(e, NULL);
 		e->target_edge = WLR_EDGE_NONE;
 		return;
 	}
 
 	if (node->type == N_WORKSPACE) {
 		// Empty workspace
-		e->target_node = node;
+		set_target_node(e, node);
 		e->target_edge = WLR_EDGE_NONE;
 
 		struct wlr_box drop_box;
@@ -188,7 +210,7 @@ static void handle_motion_postthreshold(struct sway_seat *seat) {
 	struct sway_container *con = node->sway_container;
 	if (workspace_num_tiling_views(e->con->pending.workspace) == 1 &&
 			con->pending.workspace == e->con->pending.workspace) {
-		e->target_node = NULL;
+		set_target_node(e, NULL);
 		e->target_edge = WLR_EDGE_NONE;
 		return;
 	}
@@ -208,9 +230,9 @@ static void handle_motion_postthreshold(struct sway_seat *seat) {
 		// Don't allow dropping over the source container's titlebar
 		// to give users a chance to cancel a drag operation.
 		if (con == e->con) {
-			e->target_node = NULL;
+			set_target_node(e, NULL);
 		} else {
-			e->target_node = node;
+			set_target_node(e, node);
 			e->split_target = true;
 		}
 		e->target_edge = WLR_EDGE_NONE;
@@ -255,10 +277,10 @@ static void handle_motion_postthreshold(struct sway_seat *seat) {
 			}
 		}
 		if (edge) {
-			e->target_node = node_get_parent(&con->node);
+			set_target_node(e, node_get_parent(&con->node));
 			if (e->target_node && (e->target_node == &e->con->node ||
 					node_has_ancestor(e->target_node, &e->con->node))) {
-				e->target_node = node_get_parent(&e->con->node);
+				set_target_node(e, node_get_parent(&e->con->node));
 			}
 			e->target_edge = edge;
 			update_indicator(e, &box);
@@ -271,7 +293,7 @@ static void handle_motion_postthreshold(struct sway_seat *seat) {
 	con = node->sway_container;
 	if (!con->view || !con->view->surface || node == &e->con->node
 			|| node_has_ancestor(node, &e->con->node)) {
-		e->target_node = NULL;
+		set_target_node(e, NULL);
 		e->target_edge = WLR_EDGE_NONE;
 		return;
 	}
@@ -302,7 +324,7 @@ static void handle_motion_postthreshold(struct sway_seat *seat) {
 		e->target_edge = WLR_EDGE_NONE;
 	}
 
-	e->target_node = node;
+	set_target_node(e, node);
 	resize_box(&drop_box, e->target_edge, thickness);
 	update_indicator(e, &drop_box);
 }
@@ -427,7 +449,7 @@ static void handle_tablet_tool_tip(struct sway_seat *seat,
 static void handle_unref(struct sway_seat *seat, struct sway_container *con) {
 	struct seatop_move_tiling_event *e = seat->seatop_data;
 	if (e->target_node == &con->node) { // Drop target
-		e->target_node = NULL;
+		set_target_node(e, NULL);
 	}
 	if (e->con == con) { // The container being moved
 		seatop_begin_default(seat);
@@ -468,6 +490,8 @@ void seatop_begin_move_tiling_threshold(struct sway_seat *seat,
 	e->con = con;
 	e->ref_lx = seat->cursor->cursor->x;
 	e->ref_ly = seat->cursor->cursor->y;
+	wl_list_init(&e->target_node_destroy.link);
+	e->target_node_destroy.notify = handle_target_node_destroy;
 
 	seat->seatop_impl = &seatop_impl;
 	seat->seatop_data = e;