diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index c1e25c5f..3ab5add6 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "sway/criteria.h"
 #include "sway/security.h"
 #include "sway/input/input-manager.h"
+#include "sway/input/seat.h"
 #include "stringop.h"
 #include "log.h"
 
@@ -271,19 +272,26 @@ struct cmd_results *handle_command(char *_exec) {
 			}
 
 			if (!has_criteria) {
-				config->handler_context.current_container = NULL;
-				struct cmd_results *res = handler->handle(argc-1, argv+1);
-				if (res->status != CMD_SUCCESS) {
-					free_argv(argc, argv);
-					if (results) {
-						free_cmd_results(results);
-					}
-					results = res;
-					goto cleanup;
+				// without criteria, the command acts upon the focused
+				// container
+				struct sway_seat *seat = config->handler_context.seat;
+				if (!seat) {
+					seat = sway_input_manager_get_default_seat(input_manager);
+				}
+				if (seat) {
+					config->handler_context.current_container = seat->focus;
+					struct cmd_results *res = handler->handle(argc-1, argv+1);
+					if (res->status != CMD_SUCCESS) {
+						free_argv(argc, argv);
+						if (results) {
+							free_cmd_results(results);
+						}
+						results = res;
+						goto cleanup;
+					}
+					free_cmd_results(res);
 				}
-				free_cmd_results(res);
 			} else {
-				wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "@@ running command on containers");
 				for (int i = 0; i < containers->length; ++i) {
 					config->handler_context.current_container = containers->items[i];
 					struct cmd_results *res = handler->handle(argc-1, argv+1);
diff --git a/sway/commands/kill.c b/sway/commands/kill.c
index f0e3722a..a04c21f3 100644
--- a/sway/commands/kill.c
+++ b/sway/commands/kill.c
@@ -1,29 +1,21 @@
+#include <wlr/util/log.h>
 #include "sway/input/input-manager.h"
 #include "sway/input/seat.h"
 #include "sway/view.h"
 #include "sway/commands.h"
 
 struct cmd_results *cmd_kill(int argc, char **argv) {
-	struct sway_seat *seat = config->handler_context.seat;
-	if (!seat) {
-		seat = sway_input_manager_get_default_seat(input_manager);
+	if (!config->handler_context.current_container) {
+		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "cmd_kill called without container context");
+		return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, NULL,
+				"cmd_kill called without container context "
+				"(this is a bug in sway)");
 	}
+	// TODO close arbitrary containers without a view
+	struct sway_view *view =
+		config->handler_context.current_container->sway_view;
 
-	// TODO context for arbitrary sway containers (when we get criteria
-	// working) will make seat context not explicitly required
-	if (!seat) {
-		return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, NULL, "no seat context given");
-	}
-
-	struct sway_view *view = NULL;
-
-	if (config->handler_context.current_container) {
-		view = config->handler_context.current_container->sway_view;
-	} else {
-		view = seat->focus->sway_view;
-	}
-
-	if (view->iface.close) {
+	if (view && view->iface.close) {
 		view->iface.close(view);
 	}