diff --git a/include/wlr/types/wlr_surface.h b/include/wlr/types/wlr_surface.h
index 4b464401c..dd010b5a8 100644
--- a/include/wlr/types/wlr_surface.h
+++ b/include/wlr/types/wlr_surface.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ enum wlr_surface_state_field {
 	WLR_SURFACE_STATE_SCALE = 1 << 6,
 	WLR_SURFACE_STATE_FRAME_CALLBACK_LIST = 1 << 7,
 	WLR_SURFACE_STATE_VIEWPORT = 1 << 8,
+	WLR_SURFACE_STATE_SUBSURFACES = 1 << 9,
 };
 
 struct wlr_surface_state {
diff --git a/types/wlr_surface.c b/types/wlr_surface.c
index 15001c5cd..2b35c058f 100644
--- a/types/wlr_surface.c
+++ b/types/wlr_surface.c
@@ -698,6 +698,7 @@ static void subsurface_destroy(struct wlr_subsurface *subsurface) {
 	wl_list_remove(&subsurface->surface_destroy.link);
 
 	if (subsurface->parent) {
+		subsurface->parent->pending.committed |= WLR_SURFACE_STATE_SUBSURFACES;
 		wl_list_remove(&subsurface->current.link);
 		wl_list_remove(&subsurface->pending.link);
 		wl_list_remove(&subsurface->parent_destroy.link);
@@ -947,6 +948,7 @@ static void subsurface_handle_place_above(struct wl_client *client,
 		node = &sibling->pending.link;
 	}
 
+	subsurface->parent->pending.committed |= WLR_SURFACE_STATE_SUBSURFACES;
 	wl_list_remove(&subsurface->pending.link);
 	wl_list_insert(node, &subsurface->pending.link);
 
@@ -979,6 +981,7 @@ static void subsurface_handle_place_below(struct wl_client *client,
 		node = &sibling->pending.link;
 	}
 
+	subsurface->parent->pending.committed |= WLR_SURFACE_STATE_SUBSURFACES;
 	wl_list_remove(&subsurface->pending.link);
 	wl_list_insert(node->prev, &subsurface->pending.link);
 
@@ -1190,6 +1193,7 @@ struct wlr_subsurface *subsurface_create(struct wlr_surface *surface,
 
 	// link parent
 	subsurface->parent = parent;
+	subsurface->parent->pending.committed |= WLR_SURFACE_STATE_SUBSURFACES;
 	wl_signal_add(&parent->events.destroy, &subsurface->parent_destroy);
 	subsurface->parent_destroy.notify = subsurface_handle_parent_destroy;
 	wl_list_insert(parent->current.subsurfaces_above.prev, &subsurface->current.link);