diff --git a/include/sway/tree/view.h b/include/sway/tree/view.h
index 82a5541b..c68739d6 100644
--- a/include/sway/tree/view.h
+++ b/include/sway/tree/view.h
@@ -66,10 +66,23 @@ enum sway_view_prop {
 	VIEW_PROP_INSTANCE,
 };
 
+struct sway_view_impl {
+	const char *(*get_prop)(struct sway_view *view,
+			enum sway_view_prop prop);
+	void (*set_size)(struct sway_view *view,
+			int width, int height);
+	void (*set_position)(struct sway_view *view,
+			double ox, double oy);
+	void (*set_activated)(struct sway_view *view, bool activated);
+	void (*close)(struct sway_view *view);
+};
+
 struct sway_view {
 	enum sway_view_type type;
-	struct sway_container *swayc;
-	struct wlr_surface *surface;
+	const struct sway_view_impl *impl;
+
+	struct sway_container *swayc; // NULL for unmanaged views
+	struct wlr_surface *surface; // NULL for unmapped views
 	int width, height;
 
 	union {
@@ -84,22 +97,12 @@ struct sway_view {
 		struct sway_wl_shell_surface *sway_wl_shell_surface;
 	};
 
-	struct {
-		const char *(*get_prop)(struct sway_view *view,
-				enum sway_view_prop prop);
-		void (*set_size)(struct sway_view *view,
-				int width, int height);
-		void (*set_position)(struct sway_view *view,
-				double ox, double oy);
-		void (*set_activated)(struct sway_view *view, bool activated);
-		void (*close)(struct sway_view *view);
-	} iface;
-
 	// only used for unmanaged views (shell specific)
 	struct wl_list unmanaged_view_link; // sway_root::unmanaged_views
 };
 
-struct sway_view *view_create(enum sway_view_type type);
+struct sway_view *view_create(enum sway_view_type type,
+	const struct sway_view_impl *impl);
 
 void view_destroy(struct sway_view *view);
 
diff --git a/sway/desktop/wl_shell.c b/sway/desktop/wl_shell.c
index ab969b17..e0909a03 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/wl_shell.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/wl_shell.c
@@ -47,10 +47,6 @@ static void set_position(struct sway_view *view, double ox, double oy) {
 	view->swayc->y = oy;
 }
 
-static void set_activated(struct sway_view *view, bool activated) {
-	// no way to activate wl_shell
-}
-
 static void close(struct sway_view *view) {
 	if (!assert_wl_shell(view)) {
 		return;
@@ -59,6 +55,13 @@ static void close(struct sway_view *view) {
 	wl_client_destroy(view->wlr_wl_shell_surface->client);
 }
 
+static const struct sway_view_impl view_impl = {
+	.get_prop = get_prop,
+	.set_size = set_size,
+	.set_position = set_position,
+	.close = close,
+};
+
 static void handle_commit(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_wl_shell_surface *sway_surface =
 		wl_container_of(listener, sway_surface, commit);
@@ -101,15 +104,10 @@ void handle_wl_shell_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	struct sway_view *view = view_create(SWAY_WL_SHELL_VIEW);
+	struct sway_view *view = view_create(SWAY_WL_SHELL_VIEW, &view_impl);
 	if (!sway_assert(view, "Failed to allocate view")) {
 		return;
 	}
-	view->iface.get_prop = get_prop;
-	view->iface.set_size = set_size;
-	view->iface.set_position = set_position;
-	view->iface.set_activated = set_activated;
-	view->iface.close = close;
 	view->wlr_wl_shell_surface = shell_surface;
 	view->sway_wl_shell_surface = sway_surface;
 	sway_surface->view = view;
diff --git a/sway/desktop/xdg_shell_v6.c b/sway/desktop/xdg_shell_v6.c
index 77a35b13..c1adc7fe 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/xdg_shell_v6.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/xdg_shell_v6.c
@@ -67,6 +67,14 @@ static void close(struct sway_view *view) {
 	}
 }
 
+static const struct sway_view_impl view_impl = {
+	.get_prop = get_prop,
+	.set_size = set_size,
+	.set_position = set_position,
+	.set_activated = set_activated,
+	.close = close,
+};
+
 static void handle_commit(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_xdg_surface_v6 *sway_surface =
 		wl_container_of(listener, sway_surface, commit);
@@ -124,15 +132,10 @@ void handle_xdg_shell_v6_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	struct sway_view *view = view_create(SWAY_XDG_SHELL_V6_VIEW);
+	struct sway_view *view = view_create(SWAY_XDG_SHELL_V6_VIEW, &view_impl);
 	if (!sway_assert(view, "Failed to allocate view")) {
 		return;
 	}
-	view->iface.get_prop = get_prop;
-	view->iface.set_size = set_size;
-	view->iface.set_position = set_position;
-	view->iface.set_activated = set_activated;
-	view->iface.close = close;
 	view->wlr_xdg_surface_v6 = xdg_surface;
 	view->sway_xdg_surface_v6 = sway_surface;
 	sway_surface->view = view;
diff --git a/sway/desktop/xwayland.c b/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
index e1c2ad08..93c78228 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
@@ -81,13 +81,21 @@ static void set_activated(struct sway_view *view, bool activated) {
 	wlr_xwayland_surface_activate(surface, activated);
 }
 
-static void close_view(struct sway_view *view) {
+static void _close(struct sway_view *view) {
 	if (!assert_xwayland(view)) {
 		return;
 	}
 	wlr_xwayland_surface_close(view->wlr_xwayland_surface);
 }
 
+static const struct sway_view_impl view_impl = {
+	.get_prop = get_prop,
+	.set_size = set_size,
+	.set_position = set_position,
+	.set_activated = set_activated,
+	.close = _close,
+};
+
 static void handle_commit(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_xwayland_surface *sway_surface =
 		wl_container_of(listener, sway_surface, commit);
@@ -159,15 +167,10 @@ void handle_xwayland_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	struct sway_view *view = view_create(SWAY_XWAYLAND_VIEW);
+	struct sway_view *view = view_create(SWAY_XWAYLAND_VIEW, &view_impl);
 	if (!sway_assert(view, "Failed to allocate view")) {
 		return;
 	}
-	view->iface.get_prop = get_prop;
-	view->iface.set_size = set_size;
-	view->iface.set_position = set_position;
-	view->iface.set_activated = set_activated;
-	view->iface.close = close_view;
 	view->wlr_xwayland_surface = xsurface;
 	view->sway_xwayland_surface = sway_surface;
 	sway_surface->view = view;
diff --git a/sway/tree/view.c b/sway/tree/view.c
index 2950812a..d7a52e19 100644
--- a/sway/tree/view.c
+++ b/sway/tree/view.c
@@ -7,12 +7,14 @@
 #include "sway/tree/layout.h"
 #include "sway/tree/view.h"
 
-struct sway_view *view_create(enum sway_view_type type) {
+struct sway_view *view_create(enum sway_view_type type,
+		const struct sway_view_impl *impl) {
 	struct sway_view *view = calloc(1, sizeof(struct sway_view));
 	if (view == NULL) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	view->type = type;
+	view->impl = impl;
 	wl_list_init(&view->unmanaged_view_link);
 	return view;
 }
@@ -33,29 +35,29 @@ void view_destroy(struct sway_view *view) {
 }
 
 const char *view_get_title(struct sway_view *view) {
-	if (view->iface.get_prop) {
-		return view->iface.get_prop(view, VIEW_PROP_TITLE);
+	if (view->impl->get_prop) {
+		return view->impl->get_prop(view, VIEW_PROP_TITLE);
 	}
 	return NULL;
 }
 
 const char *view_get_app_id(struct sway_view *view) {
-	if (view->iface.get_prop) {
-		return view->iface.get_prop(view, VIEW_PROP_APP_ID);
+	if (view->impl->get_prop) {
+		return view->impl->get_prop(view, VIEW_PROP_APP_ID);
 	}
 	return NULL;
 }
 
 const char *view_get_class(struct sway_view *view) {
-	if (view->iface.get_prop) {
-		return view->iface.get_prop(view, VIEW_PROP_CLASS);
+	if (view->impl->get_prop) {
+		return view->impl->get_prop(view, VIEW_PROP_CLASS);
 	}
 	return NULL;
 }
 
 const char *view_get_instance(struct sway_view *view) {
-	if (view->iface.get_prop) {
-		return view->iface.get_prop(view, VIEW_PROP_INSTANCE);
+	if (view->impl->get_prop) {
+		return view->impl->get_prop(view, VIEW_PROP_INSTANCE);
 	}
 	return NULL;
 }
@@ -86,41 +88,41 @@ static void view_update_outputs(struct sway_view *view,
 }
 
 void view_set_size(struct sway_view *view, int width, int height) {
-	if (view->iface.set_size) {
+	if (view->impl->set_size) {
 		struct wlr_box box = {
 			.x = view->swayc->x,
 			.y = view->swayc->y,
 			.width = view->width,
 			.height = view->height,
 		};
-		view->iface.set_size(view, width, height);
+		view->impl->set_size(view, width, height);
 		view_update_outputs(view, &box);
 	}
 }
 
 // TODO make view coordinates in layout coordinates
 void view_set_position(struct sway_view *view, double ox, double oy) {
-	if (view->iface.set_position) {
+	if (view->impl->set_position) {
 		struct wlr_box box = {
 			.x = view->swayc->x,
 			.y = view->swayc->y,
 			.width = view->width,
 			.height = view->height,
 		};
-		view->iface.set_position(view, ox, oy);
+		view->impl->set_position(view, ox, oy);
 		view_update_outputs(view, &box);
 	}
 }
 
 void view_set_activated(struct sway_view *view, bool activated) {
-	if (view->iface.set_activated) {
-		view->iface.set_activated(view, activated);
+	if (view->impl->set_activated) {
+		view->impl->set_activated(view, activated);
 	}
 }
 
 void view_close(struct sway_view *view) {
-	if (view->iface.close) {
-		view->iface.close(view);
+	if (view->impl->close) {
+		view->impl->close(view);
 	}
 }