diff --git a/sway/input/seat.c b/sway/input/seat.c
index 4a99e9eb..078cb8b8 100644
--- a/sway/input/seat.c
+++ b/sway/input/seat.c
@@ -467,22 +467,18 @@ struct sway_container *sway_seat_get_focus(struct sway_seat *seat) {
 
 struct sway_container *seat_get_focus_by_type(struct sway_seat *seat,
 		struct sway_container *container, enum sway_container_type type) {
-	struct sway_seat_container *current = NULL;
-	struct sway_container *parent = NULL;
-	wl_list_for_each(current, &seat->focus_stack, link) {
-		parent = current->container->parent;
+	if (container->type == C_VIEW || container->children->length == 0) {
+		return container;
+	}
 
-		if (current->container == container &&
-				(type == C_TYPES || container->type == type)) {
-			return current->container;
+	struct sway_seat_container *current = NULL;
+	wl_list_for_each(current, &seat->focus_stack, link) {
+		if (type != C_TYPES && container->type != type) {
+			continue;
 		}
 
-		while (parent) {
-			if (parent == container && (type == C_TYPES ||
-						current->container->type == type)) {
-				return current->container;
-			}
-			parent = parent->parent;
+		if (container_has_child(container, current->container)) {
+			return current->container;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/sway/tree/container.c b/sway/tree/container.c
index 753f333c..b47a8364 100644
--- a/sway/tree/container.c
+++ b/sway/tree/container.c
@@ -51,12 +51,18 @@ const char *container_type_to_str(enum sway_container_type type) {
 }
 
 void container_create_notify(struct sway_container *container) {
+	if (container->type != C_VIEW || container->type != C_CONTAINER) {
+		return;
+	}
 	// TODO send ipc event type based on the container type
 	wl_signal_emit(&root_container.sway_root->events.new_container, container);
 	ipc_event_window(container, "new");
 }
 
 static void container_close_notify(struct sway_container *container) {
+	if (container == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
 	// TODO send ipc event type based on the container type
 	ipc_event_window(container, "close");
 }
@@ -522,8 +528,8 @@ static bool find_child_func(struct sway_container *con, void *data) {
 
 bool container_has_child(struct sway_container *con,
 		struct sway_container *child) {
-	if (child == NULL || child->type == C_VIEW ||
-			child->children->length == 0) {
+	if (con == NULL || con->type == C_VIEW ||
+			con->children->length == 0) {
 		return false;
 	}
 	return container_find(con, find_child_func, child);