diff --git a/include/sway/server.h b/include/sway/server.h
index cd411d3b..5b34852c 100644
--- a/include/sway/server.h
+++ b/include/sway/server.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ struct sway_server {
 	struct wlr_backend *noop_backend;
 
 	struct wlr_compositor *compositor;
+	struct wl_listener compositor_new_surface;
+
 	struct wlr_data_device_manager *data_device_manager;
 
 	struct sway_input_manager *input;
@@ -99,6 +101,7 @@ void server_fini(struct sway_server *server);
 bool server_start(struct sway_server *server);
 void server_run(struct sway_server *server);
 
+void handle_compositor_new_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data);
 void handle_new_output(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data);
 
 void handle_idle_inhibitor_v1(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data);
diff --git a/include/sway/surface.h b/include/sway/surface.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..06874af2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/sway/surface.h
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#ifndef _SWAY_SURFACE_H
+#define _SWAY_SURFACE_H
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_surface.h>
+
+struct sway_surface {
+	struct wlr_surface *wlr_surface;
+
+	struct wl_listener destroy;
+};
+
+#endif
diff --git a/sway/desktop/surface.c b/sway/desktop/surface.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..41d4ce3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sway/desktop/surface.c
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_surface.h>
+#include "sway/server.h"
+#include "sway/surface.h"
+
+void handle_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
+	struct sway_surface *surface = wl_container_of(listener, surface, destroy);
+
+	surface->wlr_surface->data = NULL;
+	wl_list_remove(&surface->destroy.link);
+
+	free(surface);
+}
+
+void handle_compositor_new_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
+	struct wlr_surface *wlr_surface = data;
+
+	struct sway_surface *surface = calloc(1, sizeof(struct sway_surface));
+	surface->wlr_surface = wlr_surface;
+	wlr_surface->data = surface;
+
+	surface->destroy.notify = handle_destroy;
+	wl_signal_add(&wlr_surface->events.destroy, &surface->destroy);
+}
diff --git a/sway/meson.build b/sway/meson.build
index 76a31d73..12540154 100644
--- a/sway/meson.build
+++ b/sway/meson.build
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ sway_sources = files(
 	'desktop/layer_shell.c',
 	'desktop/output.c',
 	'desktop/render.c',
+	'desktop/surface.c',
 	'desktop/transaction.c',
 	'desktop/xdg_shell.c',
 
diff --git a/sway/server.c b/sway/server.c
index e2d54947..c97d098a 100644
--- a/sway/server.c
+++ b/sway/server.c
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ bool server_init(struct sway_server *server) {
 	wlr_renderer_init_wl_display(renderer, server->wl_display);
 
 	server->compositor = wlr_compositor_create(server->wl_display, renderer);
+	server->compositor_new_surface.notify = handle_compositor_new_surface;
+	wl_signal_add(&server->compositor->events.new_surface,
+		&server->compositor_new_surface);
+
 	server->data_device_manager =
 		wlr_data_device_manager_create(server->wl_display);