diff --git a/backend/drm/drm.c b/backend/drm/drm.c
index a99ce50b2..0b336cc3d 100644
--- a/backend/drm/drm.c
+++ b/backend/drm/drm.c
@@ -1718,14 +1718,12 @@ static void handle_page_flip(int fd, unsigned seq,
 		/* The DRM backend guarantees that the presentation event will be for
 		 * the last submitted frame. */
 		.output = &conn->output,
-		.commit_seq = conn->output.commit_seq,
 		.presented = drm->session->active,
 		.when = &present_time,
 		.seq = seq,
 		.refresh = mhz_to_nsec(conn->output.refresh),
 		.flags = present_flags,
 	};
-	wlr_output_send_present(&conn->output, &present_event);
 	wl_signal_emit_mutable(&conn->commit.events.present, &present_event);
 
 	if (drm->session->active) {
diff --git a/backend/wayland/output.c b/backend/wayland/output.c
index dd7261a0f..d5e244630 100644
--- a/backend/wayland/output.c
+++ b/backend/wayland/output.c
@@ -103,7 +103,6 @@ static void presentation_feedback_handle_presented(void *data,
 		.tv_nsec = tv_nsec,
 	};
 	struct wlr_output_event_present event = {
-		.commit_seq = feedback->commit_seq,
 		.presented = true,
 		.output = &feedback->output->wlr_output,
 		.when = &t,
@@ -111,7 +110,6 @@ static void presentation_feedback_handle_presented(void *data,
 		.refresh = refresh_ns,
 		.flags = flags,
 	};
-	wlr_output_send_present(&feedback->output->wlr_output, &event);
 	wl_signal_emit_mutable(&feedback->commit.events.present, &event);
 
 	presentation_feedback_destroy(feedback);
@@ -122,11 +120,9 @@ static void presentation_feedback_handle_discarded(void *data,
 	struct wlr_wl_presentation_feedback *feedback = data;
 
 	struct wlr_output_event_present event = {
-		.commit_seq = feedback->commit_seq,
 		.presented = false,
 		.output = &feedback->output->wlr_output,
 	};
-	wlr_output_send_present(&feedback->output->wlr_output, &event);
 	wl_signal_emit_mutable(&feedback->commit.events.present, &event);
 
 	presentation_feedback_destroy(feedback);
@@ -588,7 +584,6 @@ static struct wlr_output_commit *output_commit(struct wlr_output *wlr_output,
 			}
 			feedback->output = output;
 			feedback->feedback = wp_feedback;
-			feedback->commit_seq = output->wlr_output.commit_seq + 1;
 			wl_list_insert(&output->presentation_feedbacks, &feedback->link);
 
 			wp_presentation_feedback_add_listener(wp_feedback,
diff --git a/backend/x11/output.c b/backend/x11/output.c
index 5c8b0697d..64be76c49 100644
--- a/backend/x11/output.c
+++ b/backend/x11/output.c
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ static struct wlr_output_commit *output_commit(struct wlr_output *wlr_output,
 		}
 	}
 
-	uint32_t serial = output->wlr_output.commit_seq;
+	uint32_t serial = output->serial++;
 
 	wlr_output_commit_init(&commit->commit, wlr_output);
 	wl_list_insert(&output->commits, &commit->link);
@@ -754,13 +754,11 @@ void handle_x11_present_event(struct wlr_x11_backend *x11,
 		bool presented = complete_notify->mode != XCB_PRESENT_COMPLETE_MODE_SKIP;
 		struct wlr_output_event_present present_event = {
 			.output = &output->wlr_output,
-			.commit_seq = complete_notify->serial,
 			.presented = presented,
 			.when = &t,
 			.seq = complete_notify->msc,
 			.flags = flags,
 		};
-		wlr_output_send_present(&output->wlr_output, &present_event);
 		wl_signal_emit_mutable(&commit->commit.events.present, &present_event);
 
 		wl_list_remove(&commit->link);
diff --git a/include/backend/wayland.h b/include/backend/wayland.h
index 17211a92c..ee1c2f716 100644
--- a/include/backend/wayland.h
+++ b/include/backend/wayland.h
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ struct wlr_wl_presentation_feedback {
 	struct wlr_wl_output *output;
 	struct wl_list link; // wlr_wl_output.presentation_feedbacks
 	struct wp_presentation_feedback *feedback;
-	uint32_t commit_seq;
 };
 
 struct wlr_wl_output_layer {
diff --git a/include/backend/x11.h b/include/backend/x11.h
index 218faf7b3..acc51731c 100644
--- a/include/backend/x11.h
+++ b/include/backend/x11.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ struct wlr_x11_output {
 	struct wlr_output wlr_output;
 	struct wlr_x11_backend *x11;
 	struct wl_list link; // wlr_x11_backend.outputs
+	uint32_t serial;
 
 	xcb_window_t win;
 	xcb_present_event_t present_event_id;
diff --git a/include/wlr/interfaces/wlr_output.h b/include/wlr/interfaces/wlr_output.h
index 616f81398..cf0c829f2 100644
--- a/include/wlr/interfaces/wlr_output.h
+++ b/include/wlr/interfaces/wlr_output.h
@@ -115,13 +115,6 @@ void wlr_output_update_needs_frame(struct wlr_output *output);
  * See wlr_output.events.frame.
  */
 void wlr_output_send_frame(struct wlr_output *output);
-/**
- * Send a present event.
- *
- * See wlr_output.events.present.
- */
-void wlr_output_send_present(struct wlr_output *output,
-	struct wlr_output_event_present *event);
 /**
  * Request the compositor to apply new state.
  */
diff --git a/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h b/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h
index 8793fe8b1..b0d5e27e0 100644
--- a/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h
+++ b/include/wlr/types/wlr_output.h
@@ -160,9 +160,6 @@ struct wlr_output {
 
 	struct wlr_output_state pending;
 
-	// Commit sequence number. Incremented on each commit, may overflow.
-	uint32_t commit_seq;
-
 	struct {
 		// Request to render a frame
 		struct wl_signal frame;
@@ -176,9 +173,6 @@ struct wlr_output {
 		struct wl_signal precommit; // struct wlr_output_event_precommit
 		// Emitted right after commit
 		struct wl_signal commit; // struct wlr_output_event_commit
-		// Emitted right after a commit has been presented to the user for
-		// enabled outputs
-		struct wl_signal present; // struct wlr_output_event_present
 		// Emitted after a client bound the wl_output global
 		struct wl_signal bind; // struct wlr_output_event_bind
 		struct wl_signal description;
@@ -209,6 +203,11 @@ struct wlr_output {
 	struct wlr_addon_set addons;
 
 	void *data;
+
+	// private state
+
+	// used for when to create a new back buffer
+	bool not_committed;
 };
 
 struct wlr_output_event_damage {
@@ -246,9 +245,6 @@ enum wlr_output_present_flag {
 
 struct wlr_output_event_present {
 	struct wlr_output *output;
-	// Frame submission for which this presentation event is for (see
-	// wlr_output.commit_seq).
-	uint32_t commit_seq;
 	// Whether the frame was presented at all.
 	bool presented;
 	// Time when the content update turned into light the first time.
diff --git a/types/output/output.c b/types/output/output.c
index a370f32d1..174e81595 100644
--- a/types/output/output.c
+++ b/types/output/output.c
@@ -411,7 +411,6 @@ void wlr_output_init(struct wlr_output *output, struct wlr_backend *backend,
 		.render_format = DRM_FORMAT_XRGB8888,
 		.transform = WL_OUTPUT_TRANSFORM_NORMAL,
 		.scale = 1,
-		.commit_seq = 0,
 	};
 
 	wl_list_init(&output->modes);
@@ -423,7 +422,6 @@ void wlr_output_init(struct wlr_output *output, struct wlr_backend *backend,
 	wl_signal_init(&output->events.needs_frame);
 	wl_signal_init(&output->events.precommit);
 	wl_signal_init(&output->events.commit);
-	wl_signal_init(&output->events.present);
 	wl_signal_init(&output->events.bind);
 	wl_signal_init(&output->events.description);
 	wl_signal_init(&output->events.request_state);
@@ -440,6 +438,8 @@ void wlr_output_init(struct wlr_output *output, struct wlr_backend *backend,
 	output->display_destroy.notify = handle_display_destroy;
 	wl_display_add_destroy_listener(display, &output->display_destroy);
 
+	output->not_committed = true;
+
 	if (state) {
 		output_apply_state(output, state);
 	}
@@ -829,8 +829,6 @@ bool wlr_output_commit_state(struct wlr_output *output,
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	output->commit_seq++;
-
 	if (output_pending_enabled(output, state)) {
 		output->frame_pending = true;
 		output->needs_frame = false;
@@ -851,6 +849,8 @@ bool wlr_output_commit_state(struct wlr_output *output,
 		wlr_buffer_unlock(pending.buffer);
 	}
 
+	output->not_committed = false;
+
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -915,26 +915,6 @@ void wlr_output_schedule_frame(struct wlr_output *output) {
 		wl_event_loop_add_idle(ev, schedule_frame_handle_idle_timer, output);
 }
 
-void wlr_output_send_present(struct wlr_output *output,
-		struct wlr_output_event_present *event) {
-	assert(event);
-	event->output = output;
-
-	struct timespec now;
-	if (event->presented && event->when == NULL) {
-		clockid_t clock = wlr_backend_get_presentation_clock(output->backend);
-		errno = 0;
-		if (clock_gettime(clock, &now) != 0) {
-			wlr_log_errno(WLR_ERROR, "failed to send output present event: "
-				"failed to read clock");
-			return;
-		}
-		event->when = &now;
-	}
-
-	wl_signal_emit_mutable(&output->events.present, event);
-}
-
 struct deferred_present_event {
 	struct wlr_output_commit *commit;
 	struct wl_event_source *idle_source;
diff --git a/types/output/render.c b/types/output/render.c
index a185d8446..a16f4405a 100644
--- a/types/output/render.c
+++ b/types/output/render.c
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ bool output_ensure_buffer(struct wlr_output *output,
 	if (state->committed & WLR_OUTPUT_STATE_RENDER_FORMAT) {
 		needs_new_buffer = true;
 	}
-	if (state->allow_artifacts && output->commit_seq == 0 && enabled) {
+	if (state->allow_artifacts && output->not_committed && enabled) {
 		// On first commit, require a new buffer if the compositor called a
 		// mode-setting function, even if the mode won't change. This makes it
 		// so the swapchain is created now.