diff --git a/backend/drm/drm.c b/backend/drm/drm.c
index 262a533e6..723beee24 100644
--- a/backend/drm/drm.c
+++ b/backend/drm/drm.c
@@ -1508,8 +1508,7 @@ static void handle_page_flip(int fd, unsigned seq,
 	 * data between the GPUs, even if we were using the direct scanout
 	 * interface.
 	 */
-	if (!drm->parent && plane->current_fb &&
-			wlr_client_buffer_get(plane->current_fb->wlr_buf)) {
+	if (!drm->parent && plane->current_fb && false) {
 		present_flags |= WLR_OUTPUT_PRESENT_ZERO_COPY;
 	}
 
diff --git a/examples/fullscreen-shell.c b/examples/fullscreen-shell.c
index bc4bb7a86..de4ba4dc8 100644
--- a/examples/fullscreen-shell.c
+++ b/examples/fullscreen-shell.c
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ static void render_surface(struct wlr_surface *surface,
 	struct render_data *rdata = data;
 	struct wlr_output *output = rdata->output;
 
-	struct wlr_texture *texture = wlr_surface_get_texture(surface);
+	struct wlr_texture *texture = wlr_texture_from_buffer(output->renderer,
+		surface->current.buffer);
 	if (texture == NULL) {
 		return;
 	}
@@ -77,6 +78,8 @@ static void render_surface(struct wlr_surface *surface,
 	wlr_render_texture_with_matrix(rdata->renderer, texture, matrix, 1);
 
 	wlr_surface_send_frame_done(surface, rdata->when);
+
+	wlr_texture_destroy(texture);
 }
 
 static void output_handle_frame(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
diff --git a/include/wlr/types/wlr_buffer.h b/include/wlr/types/wlr_buffer.h
index b24c0ccd1..46a9198bc 100644
--- a/include/wlr/types/wlr_buffer.h
+++ b/include/wlr/types/wlr_buffer.h
@@ -132,50 +132,9 @@ bool wlr_buffer_begin_data_ptr_access(struct wlr_buffer *buffer, uint32_t flags,
 	void **data, uint32_t *format, size_t *stride);
 void wlr_buffer_end_data_ptr_access(struct wlr_buffer *buffer);
 
-/**
- * A client buffer.
- */
-struct wlr_client_buffer {
-	struct wlr_buffer base;
-
-	/**
-	 * The buffer's texture, if any. A buffer will not have a texture if the
-	 * client destroys the buffer before it has been released.
-	 */
-	struct wlr_texture *texture;
-	/**
-	 * The buffer this client buffer was created from. NULL if destroyed.
-	 */
-	struct wlr_buffer *source;
-
-	// private state
-
-	struct wl_listener source_destroy;
-};
-
-/**
- * Creates a struct wlr_client_buffer from a given struct wlr_buffer by creating
- * a texture from it, and copying its struct wl_resource.
- */
-struct wlr_client_buffer *wlr_client_buffer_create(struct wlr_buffer *buffer,
-	struct wlr_renderer *renderer);
-
-/**
- * Get a client buffer from a generic buffer. If the buffer isn't a client
- * buffer, returns NULL.
- */
-struct wlr_client_buffer *wlr_client_buffer_get(struct wlr_buffer *buffer);
 /**
  * Check if a resource is a wl_buffer resource.
  */
 bool wlr_resource_is_buffer(struct wl_resource *resource);
-/**
- * Try to update the buffer's content.
- *
- * Fails if there's more than one reference to the buffer or if the texture
- * isn't mutable.
- */
-bool wlr_client_buffer_apply_damage(struct wlr_client_buffer *client_buffer,
-	struct wlr_buffer *next, pixman_region32_t *damage);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/include/wlr/types/wlr_compositor.h b/include/wlr/types/wlr_compositor.h
index 034b075b1..a8577087d 100644
--- a/include/wlr/types/wlr_compositor.h
+++ b/include/wlr/types/wlr_compositor.h
@@ -89,13 +89,6 @@ struct wlr_surface_output {
 struct wlr_surface {
 	struct wl_resource *resource;
 	struct wlr_renderer *renderer;
-	/**
-	 * The surface's buffer, if any. A surface has an attached buffer when it
-	 * commits with a non-null buffer in its pending state. A surface will not
-	 * have a buffer if it has never committed one, has committed a null buffer,
-	 * or something went wrong with uploading the buffer.
-	 */
-	struct wlr_client_buffer *buffer;
 	/**
 	 * The buffer position, in surface-local units.
 	 */
@@ -199,13 +192,6 @@ bool wlr_surface_set_role(struct wlr_surface *surface,
  */
 bool wlr_surface_has_buffer(struct wlr_surface *surface);
 
-/**
- * Get the texture of the buffer currently attached to this surface. Returns
- * NULL if no buffer is currently attached or if something went wrong with
- * uploading the buffer.
- */
-struct wlr_texture *wlr_surface_get_texture(struct wlr_surface *surface);
-
 /**
  * Get the root of the subsurface tree for this surface. Can return NULL if
  * a surface in the tree has been destroyed.
diff --git a/types/output/cursor.c b/types/output/cursor.c
index 85973ce93..995af5c8a 100644
--- a/types/output/cursor.c
+++ b/types/output/cursor.c
@@ -94,9 +94,6 @@ static void output_cursor_render(struct wlr_output_cursor *cursor,
 	assert(renderer);
 
 	struct wlr_texture *texture = cursor->texture;
-	if (cursor->surface != NULL) {
-		texture = wlr_surface_get_texture(cursor->surface);
-	}
 	if (texture == NULL) {
 		return;
 	}
@@ -236,7 +233,6 @@ static struct wlr_buffer *render_cursor_buffer(struct wlr_output_cursor *cursor)
 	enum wl_output_transform transform = WL_OUTPUT_TRANSFORM_NORMAL;
 	struct wlr_texture *texture = cursor->texture;
 	if (cursor->surface != NULL) {
-		texture = wlr_surface_get_texture(cursor->surface);
 		scale = cursor->surface->current.scale;
 		transform = cursor->surface->current.transform;
 	}
@@ -337,11 +333,8 @@ static bool output_cursor_attempt_hardware(struct wlr_output_cursor *cursor) {
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	// TODO: try using the surface buffer directly
 	struct wlr_texture *texture = cursor->texture;
-	if (cursor->surface != NULL) {
-		// TODO: try using the surface buffer directly
-		texture = wlr_surface_get_texture(cursor->surface);
-	}
 
 	// If the cursor was hidden or was a software cursor, the hardware
 	// cursor position is outdated
@@ -445,6 +438,17 @@ static void output_cursor_commit(struct wlr_output_cursor *cursor,
 	struct wlr_surface *surface = cursor->surface;
 	assert(surface != NULL);
 
+	wlr_texture_destroy(cursor->texture);
+	cursor->texture = NULL;
+
+	if (surface->current.buffer) {
+		cursor->texture = wlr_texture_from_buffer(cursor->output->renderer,
+			surface->current.buffer);
+		if (cursor->texture == NULL) {
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Some clients commit a cursor surface with a NULL buffer to hide it.
 	cursor->enabled = wlr_surface_has_buffer(surface);
 	cursor->width = surface->current.width * cursor->output->scale;
diff --git a/types/scene/surface.c b/types/scene/surface.c
index d3a0b035f..e06e77312 100644
--- a/types/scene/surface.c
+++ b/types/scene/surface.c
@@ -66,9 +66,9 @@ static void set_buffer_with_surface_state(struct wlr_scene_buffer *scene_buffer,
 	wlr_scene_buffer_set_dest_size(scene_buffer, state->width, state->height);
 	wlr_scene_buffer_set_transform(scene_buffer, state->transform);
 
-	if (surface->buffer) {
+	if (surface->current.buffer) {
 		wlr_scene_buffer_set_buffer_with_damage(scene_buffer,
-			&surface->buffer->base, &surface->buffer_damage);
+			surface->current.buffer, &surface->buffer_damage);
 	} else {
 		wlr_scene_buffer_set_buffer(scene_buffer, NULL);
 	}
diff --git a/types/scene/wlr_scene.c b/types/scene/wlr_scene.c
index 68b05b7c8..4306410b4 100644
--- a/types/scene/wlr_scene.c
+++ b/types/scene/wlr_scene.c
@@ -477,12 +477,6 @@ void wlr_scene_buffer_send_frame_done(struct wlr_scene_buffer *scene_buffer,
 
 static struct wlr_texture *scene_buffer_get_texture(
 		struct wlr_scene_buffer *scene_buffer, struct wlr_renderer *renderer) {
-	struct wlr_client_buffer *client_buffer =
-		wlr_client_buffer_get(scene_buffer->buffer);
-	if (client_buffer != NULL) {
-		return client_buffer->texture;
-	}
-
 	if (scene_buffer->texture != NULL) {
 		return scene_buffer->texture;
 	}
diff --git a/types/wlr_buffer.c b/types/wlr_buffer.c
index b63ce88ad..800a3f992 100644
--- a/types/wlr_buffer.c
+++ b/types/wlr_buffer.c
@@ -109,54 +109,6 @@ bool wlr_resource_is_buffer(struct wl_resource *resource) {
 	return strcmp(wl_resource_get_class(resource), wl_buffer_interface.name) == 0;
 }
 
-static const struct wlr_buffer_impl client_buffer_impl;
-
-struct wlr_client_buffer *wlr_client_buffer_get(struct wlr_buffer *buffer) {
-	if (buffer->impl != &client_buffer_impl) {
-		return NULL;
-	}
-	return (struct wlr_client_buffer *)buffer;
-}
-
-static struct wlr_client_buffer *client_buffer_from_buffer(
-		struct wlr_buffer *buffer) {
-	struct wlr_client_buffer *client_buffer = wlr_client_buffer_get(buffer);
-	assert(client_buffer != NULL);
-	return client_buffer;
-}
-
-static void client_buffer_destroy(struct wlr_buffer *buffer) {
-	struct wlr_client_buffer *client_buffer = client_buffer_from_buffer(buffer);
-	wl_list_remove(&client_buffer->source_destroy.link);
-	wlr_texture_destroy(client_buffer->texture);
-	free(client_buffer);
-}
-
-static bool client_buffer_get_dmabuf(struct wlr_buffer *buffer,
-		struct wlr_dmabuf_attributes *attribs) {
-	struct wlr_client_buffer *client_buffer = client_buffer_from_buffer(buffer);
-
-	if (client_buffer->source == NULL) {
-		return false;
-	}
-
-	return wlr_buffer_get_dmabuf(client_buffer->source, attribs);
-}
-
-static const struct wlr_buffer_impl client_buffer_impl = {
-	.destroy = client_buffer_destroy,
-	.get_dmabuf = client_buffer_get_dmabuf,
-};
-
-static void client_buffer_handle_source_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener,
-		void *data) {
-	struct wlr_client_buffer *client_buffer =
-		wl_container_of(listener, client_buffer, source_destroy);
-	wl_list_remove(&client_buffer->source_destroy.link);
-	wl_list_init(&client_buffer->source_destroy.link);
-	client_buffer->source = NULL;
-}
-
 static struct wlr_shm_client_buffer *shm_client_buffer_get_or_create(
 	struct wl_resource *resource);
 static bool buffer_is_shm_client_buffer(struct wlr_buffer *buffer);
@@ -263,45 +215,6 @@ bool buffer_is_opaque(struct wlr_buffer *buffer) {
 	return !format_info->has_alpha;
 }
 
-struct wlr_client_buffer *wlr_client_buffer_create(struct wlr_buffer *buffer,
-		struct wlr_renderer *renderer) {
-	struct wlr_texture *texture = wlr_texture_from_buffer(renderer, buffer);
-	if (texture == NULL) {
-		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Failed to create texture");
-		return NULL;
-	}
-
-	struct wlr_client_buffer *client_buffer =
-		calloc(1, sizeof(struct wlr_client_buffer));
-	if (client_buffer == NULL) {
-		wlr_texture_destroy(texture);
-		return NULL;
-	}
-	wlr_buffer_init(&client_buffer->base, &client_buffer_impl,
-		texture->width, texture->height);
-	client_buffer->source = buffer;
-	client_buffer->texture = texture;
-
-	wl_signal_add(&buffer->events.destroy, &client_buffer->source_destroy);
-	client_buffer->source_destroy.notify = client_buffer_handle_source_destroy;
-
-	// Ensure the buffer will be released before being destroyed
-	wlr_buffer_lock(&client_buffer->base);
-	wlr_buffer_drop(&client_buffer->base);
-
-	return client_buffer;
-}
-
-bool wlr_client_buffer_apply_damage(struct wlr_client_buffer *client_buffer,
-		struct wlr_buffer *next, pixman_region32_t *damage) {
-	if (client_buffer->base.n_locks > 1) {
-		// Someone else still has a reference to the buffer
-		return false;
-	}
-
-	return wlr_texture_update_from_buffer(client_buffer->texture, next, damage);
-}
-
 static const struct wlr_buffer_impl shm_client_buffer_impl;
 
 static bool buffer_is_shm_client_buffer(struct wlr_buffer *buffer) {
diff --git a/types/wlr_compositor.c b/types/wlr_compositor.c
index c1cdc3b05..fc00abb2f 100644
--- a/types/wlr_compositor.c
+++ b/types/wlr_compositor.c
@@ -333,45 +333,15 @@ static void surface_state_move(struct wlr_surface_state *state,
 static void surface_apply_damage(struct wlr_surface *surface) {
 	if (surface->current.buffer == NULL) {
 		// NULL commit
-		if (surface->buffer != NULL) {
-			wlr_buffer_unlock(&surface->buffer->base);
-		}
-		surface->buffer = NULL;
 		surface->opaque = false;
 		return;
 	}
 
 	surface->opaque = buffer_is_opaque(surface->current.buffer);
-
-	if (surface->buffer != NULL) {
-		if (wlr_client_buffer_apply_damage(surface->buffer,
-				surface->current.buffer, &surface->buffer_damage)) {
-			wlr_buffer_unlock(surface->current.buffer);
-			surface->current.buffer = NULL;
-			return;
-		}
-	}
-
-	struct wlr_client_buffer *buffer = wlr_client_buffer_create(
-			surface->current.buffer, surface->renderer);
-
-	wlr_buffer_unlock(surface->current.buffer);
-	surface->current.buffer = NULL;
-
-	if (buffer == NULL) {
-		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Failed to upload buffer");
-		return;
-	}
-
-	if (surface->buffer != NULL) {
-		wlr_buffer_unlock(&surface->buffer->base);
-	}
-	surface->buffer = buffer;
 }
 
 static void surface_update_opaque_region(struct wlr_surface *surface) {
-	struct wlr_texture *texture = wlr_surface_get_texture(surface);
-	if (texture == NULL) {
+	if (!wlr_surface_has_buffer(surface)) {
 		pixman_region32_clear(&surface->opaque_region);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -660,9 +630,6 @@ static void surface_handle_resource_destroy(struct wl_resource *resource) {
 	pixman_region32_fini(&surface->external_damage);
 	pixman_region32_fini(&surface->opaque_region);
 	pixman_region32_fini(&surface->input_region);
-	if (surface->buffer != NULL) {
-		wlr_buffer_unlock(&surface->buffer->base);
-	}
 	free(surface);
 }
 
@@ -716,15 +683,8 @@ static struct wlr_surface *surface_create(struct wl_client *client,
 	return surface;
 }
 
-struct wlr_texture *wlr_surface_get_texture(struct wlr_surface *surface) {
-	if (surface->buffer == NULL) {
-		return NULL;
-	}
-	return surface->buffer->texture;
-}
-
 bool wlr_surface_has_buffer(struct wlr_surface *surface) {
-	return wlr_surface_get_texture(surface) != NULL;
+	return surface->current.buffer != NULL;
 }
 
 bool wlr_surface_set_role(struct wlr_surface *surface,