diff --git a/include/sway/scene_descriptor.h b/include/sway/scene_descriptor.h
index f29bb6b1d..e71b5c42a 100644
--- a/include/sway/scene_descriptor.h
+++ b/include/sway/scene_descriptor.h
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ enum sway_scene_descriptor_type {
 bool scene_descriptor_assign(struct wlr_scene_node *node,
 	enum sway_scene_descriptor_type type, void *data);
 
+bool scene_descriptor_reassign(struct wlr_scene_node *node,
+	enum sway_scene_descriptor_type type, void *data);
+
 void *scene_descriptor_try_get(struct wlr_scene_node *node,
 	enum sway_scene_descriptor_type type);
 
diff --git a/sway/scene_descriptor.c b/sway/scene_descriptor.c
index 5768a8802..ca0003058 100644
--- a/sway/scene_descriptor.c
+++ b/sway/scene_descriptor.c
@@ -92,3 +92,14 @@ bool scene_descriptor_assign(struct wlr_scene_node *node,
 	desc->data = data;
 	return true;
 }
+
+bool scene_descriptor_reassign(struct wlr_scene_node *node,
+		enum sway_scene_descriptor_type type, void *data) {
+	struct scene_descriptor *desc = scene_node_get_descriptor(node, type);
+	if (desc) {
+		desc->data = data;
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	return scene_descriptor_assign(node, type, data);
+}